The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1883.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4641, 19 November 1883, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1883.

The election of a Mayor for the ensuing year takes place within a few days, and, as is usual with the people here, about as much interest is being taken in the erent as would; be shewn in a dog-fight in a city., The office of .chief magistrate of the Borough is one- which does not unfortunately, at the present time, call for any special qualifications, undoubted genius, or exceptional talent; nor is there attached to it any emolument. Whether the requisites for the office are too few to draw out the ambitious members of the community, or the absence of the " allowance '' keeps, many of them back, it is impossible to say, but we must just express a belief—even faint—in the idea that were some small annual dole of Borough funds made to " His Worship," the seal would be more frequently contested than it has . hitherto been. We hare not the least intention or eren desire to find fault with the < behaviour of the present occupier of the office, during the time he has filled it—in fact, taken as a whole, his term has been rery fairly carried out, —but we most emphatically wish to condemn the apathy -which surrounds the appointments and elections of Tarious public men and bodies here, and would point out how disastrous is likely to be the result to the general body of. the. people if such a course be continued. AH elections in the Borough appear to be treated as of no import i whaterer; whether the positions to be ! filled are included in the list of that of Mayor, Borough Councillors, Licensing .Committees, or other persons to be appointed to carry out local gorernment; and the rarious. clamorings, made from time to time for the granting of these rery systems of self control among the people to which have been granted, do hot appear to he appreciated as they should be. Notwithstanding the apparent

existence of the apathy vre complain of, we hope that it will be shaken off, and some life infused into tho elections for seats —in our various bodies—which should be I deemed worthy of holding, and if worth having, are worth fighting for.