The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The News. FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1913. THE CITY COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 92, 18 April 1913, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The News.

FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1913. THE CITY COUNCIL.

For the cause that lacks aasiatwnee, For the wrong that needs rrnutance, For the future in. the distance, . A.nd the good thai tee can do. "

As last night's meeting of the City Council was the closing session for their term of office, our City Fathers naturally seized the opportunity to take formal farewell of the Mayor and of each other. Before the next fortnight has elapsed a new City Council will have been elected, and this seems to be a suitable occasion for any remarks that we may desire to make about the administration of our municipal affairs during the past two years. On the whole, we are glad to feel that we can conscientiously endorse the Mayor's remark that the City Council has worked strenuously and actively in the public interest. No doubt, as Mr. Parr said last night, it is a sacrifice for business men or professional men who are very thoroughly occupied during most of the daytime to give their evenings to the diecussion and management of the city's affairs. lAnd, though the laudatory remarks with which, last nighfs speeches were rather freely punctuated sounded sometimes like conventional compliments, there was a great deal of truth in the eulogies that the Mayor and the City Councillors mutually pronounced upon each other. Xo- one can pretend that Auckland is as well administered as it might be, or that ite City Council is an absolutely ideal public body. But, making all necessary allowance for the circumstances which always militate against perfection in public administration, the 'Mayor could say with confidence that he and his colleagues have worked hard and honestly to promote the progress of the city and the public wclfnre; and that, after all, is a great deal to be thankful for.

In. many reepecto the term of office just closed haß been one of the mosi noteworthy in our civic annals. The drainage scheme, the extension of the water supply, and the improvement of our etreete are alone sufficient to make it memorable. But in choosing members for the new City Council the ratepayers rnuet take into account the fact that tlieoe extremely important projects are in no way near completion, and that they will need great care and practical ability on the part of our municipal rulers to carry them to • a euccessful consummation. Thie, of course, suggests that it is highly desirable, from the standpoint of the city's welfare, ..that the new Council should" include the ablest and moat conscientious public men who we can induce to accept a seat; To the selfish and narrow-minded, public duties of thie eort may eeem thankless and futile; but it ie not to such men that the citizens of Auckland need appeal. There are in this great city many men both able and willing to bear a part in its Government, content with the knowledge that by working hard in the public service they are fulfilling manifest civic and personal duty. It is from men of this type, public spirited, conscientious, and disinterested, inspired by high ideals and imbued with faith in liberal and progressive methods of administration, that our City Council should be chosen. Xo doubt in choosing our City Councillors or in selecting our Mayor we should keep in view the necessity for maintaining continuity in public policy; and for this reaeon, if for no other, "the claims of those members of the present Council who stand for reelection should be carefully considered. But so long ac the ratepayers refuse to accept as their municipal representative any man who has not proved by his past public record and by his character and conduct that he fully deserves their confidence and eeteem, the future of the city can be entrusted, without any apprehension, to the issue of the coming election.