TOKYO'S MAYOR.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 242, 12 October 1929, Page 17 (Supplement)

TOKYO'S MAYOR.

HIS SALARY REDUCED. FAILURE TO ENTERTAIN. STANDS FOR HARK WORK AND HONESTY. Because the new Mayor of Tokyo, Mr. Horikiri, failed to pay the customary courtesy calls and to give the usual geisha parties to the City Assemblymen, his salary has been reduced from 20,000 to 10,000 yen. The City Assemblymen are like stepmothers to the Mayor, and expect to be treated with special respect and given personal attention by him. In deciding to reduce the Mayor's salary, the council gave as the reason that the new Mayor is young aud lacks personal weight, and that the drastic economy required by the municipal administration necessitated the cut. Determined to effect reforms, the Mayor apparently is unconcerned over the criticism heaped upon him by the majority of the City Assemblymen and is now .turning his attention to a sweeping dismissal of incapable officials, who were installed through the personal recommendations of the previous Mayor or City Assenibiyinen. In order to make room for these men, capable anJ Independent officials were said to have been dismissed to the deterioration of discipline. Sincere officials deplored this state "of 'affairs because hard work brought no advances unless they had personal connections with those at the head of the municipality. The new Mayor believc-a that such a condition should not be allowed to exist and ae.au overture to the coming drastic reform in municipal administration he is planning to fill his office with honest and harr'-working officials. Y. Shimanaka, a proletarian member of the council, denies that personal feeling against the Mayor infiuenebd him in. voting to cut the salary. He said that the amounts the previous Mayorj ixwjved were too high and that the reduced salary is sufficient if Mr. Horikiri does not intend to entertain the Assemblymen. In addition to his annual salary the Mayor is to a social and secret fund". ■v.-- 'ilSftsi.lJVQ ■_-.:' - ■■:..,