CONQUERED BY KINDNESS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 217, 12 September 1911, Page 9

CONQUERED BY KINDNESS.

AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON. A HEALTHY RIVALRY. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent) WELLINGTON, this day. Under 'the above heading th& "Post" tays: "Mr. <T. H. Gtmson. fChairman of the Auckland Harbour Boaj.-d), whose name is fairly familiar to the people of Wellington, has com;;. T0 (.jjg capital, fie f, a g seen the fl'jrt, and he has been reasonably conquered by kindness.. Without p>judice he has frankly admitted thj'i the Auckland Board can learn something from i'ts Wellington contemporary, with°a pardonable qualification that Wellington can learn something from Auckl|and_ The Board here does not claim to 'jjave a monopoly of wisdom, and it has displayed no wish to glorify itself by comparisons with the northern body. The comparisons recently made were not the seeking of the Wellington Board in the first instance. At all times the local chairman (Mr. Fletcher) and his officers have been unwilling to countenance controversy which might in any way tend to prompt unfriendly feeling between the 'faster cities. Each has its own destiny . |; 0 work out for itself, but each has a •jluty to the other for the good of New Zealand. Unfortunately many misunderstandings and suspicions have disturbed the peace between the 'two busy progressive cities. Thi3 was natural enough in the old days, when Auckland was much more 'than twenty hours travelling re'note from Wellington. There is little excuse now for that spirit of distrust, vhich should have expired decades ago. At the opening of the Main Trunk railway the hope was expressed that the people of the two cities would soon have a better understanding of one another, and we have no doubt that the power of t'ie express train has pushed away much bias. Such visits as Mr. Gunson and his colleague, Mr. Alison, have made to tliis city help towards that harmony and spirit of tolerance which the best citijuns of Auckland and Welington hope to Bee firmly established. There is ground bi'tween Wellington and Auckland on which the businessmen of the two cities meet on competition, but it is possible to have a healthy rivalry on fair lines."