NEW YORK GOVERNMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9672, 21 December 1909, Page 4

NEW YORK GOVERNMENT.

We get so much news of. New York rauttidpal polities in our cable news that an explanation of the system by which the city is governed is of in • terest. The Mayor of an American city exercises a far greater power than do the mayors we know. He exercises an extraordinary amount of patronage. Tha Mayor of New York has within his absolute gift a large number of lucrative offices. There are the Corporation counsel (£3,000 a year), four assistants, at £2,000 each; the City Chamberlain, who is practically the cashier of the municipality; the President of the Depaitmerit of Taxes and Assessments, ftk £1,600 a year; Commissioners ©f Police, Health, Fire, Water, Gas, Electricity, etc., at £1,500 each; six Commissioners ©f Taxes; a large numoer of other commissioners, deputycommissioners, superintendents, and secretaries at £I,OBB. The power of the Mayor in administration was shown by the dismissal of General Bingham, Commissioner of Police. The Mayor wanted to run the Police Department himself; General Bingham objected, and General Bingham had to go. Greater New York is divided into live boroughs, each of which chooses a president, who has several desirable posts in his gift, and power of giving contracts that makes the office eagerly sought for by politicians "on the make." Seventy aldermen are elected to form the common council of the city. The body * had once extensive powers, but its frequent abuses of authority led the State Legislature to prune them. The result. is, the opportunities of an alderman for serving tiiia friends are sc small that the office is scarcely an object of ambition except to those to whdm its salary of £4OO & year is an attraction. ,