CORRESPONDENCE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2204, 19 October 1887, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

[The Editor is desirous of affording every reasonable facility for the discussion of public subjects, but it must be distinctly understood that he is in no "way responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents.] to 'the bdixoe. Sir, — Who is to be our next mayor is a question now being asked, and which will hare to cbrae before the burgesses for solution. It is rumoured that the present occupant of the office does not intend to seek re election although it is almost a certainty that i£ he decides to offer himself he would not meet with opposition. In tie event of his present Worship not offering his services his namesake Mr E. C. Jordan who laas twice occupied the mayoral chair might be induced to come forward again. His first occupancy of the office being only for a, short period he had not the opportunity given him for showing his aptitude for office, but during his second term (last year) he displayed administrative abilities of no mean order. He saw clearly that retrenchment had to be effected and succeeded in reducing some of the small salaries, but his attempt* to reduce the large salaried offices was frustrated by the conservative section of the ' Council, and it was doubtless due to the fact that he saw that with the Council as then constituted it was hopeless to attempt any reform, he did not offer himself for re election. Now that the personell of the Council has considerably changed,- and some of the Conservatives have been relegated for a time to [private life, and their places being filled by younger and more enlightened men he may be again induced to offer his valuable services to the public who would be greatly benifited by a gentleman of such varied experience taking charge of affairs. If it should happen that neither of the Jordans will consent to again serve a term it behoves the burgesses to look around and fir upon some one who will worthily occupy the position, and we have some such here if carefully looked for. Amongst the Councillors the oldest member Cr G-ray would naturally be looked upon as having almost a paramount claim, but he lacks one thing that renders him ineligible at the present were he ejected, we should have no Lady Mayoress to adosn the position, that we cannot stand. Mr Bodell though suitable, inv all respects has probably not had sufficient time to recover from the ioreness of hii late defeat to tempt again so soon the suffrages of the electors In Mr D. Lundoa we should have one who has while occupying the position of Councillor, and in the other public positions he now occupiei as chairman of the Licensing Committee &c,, gained the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens, and he is al§o supplied with the qualification lacking in Cr Gray's case, There are others amongst ns who would no doubt strike the burgesses as being eligible, and although it may be thought desirable to select an old resident, yet it should not be forgotten that we have one or two late arrivals, who have taken an active and intelligent interest in public affairs, and though not yet on theburges* roll they should not be overlooked. The process of getting on the burgess roll having been shown to be so simple in the case of Mr Jonathan Browa, Mr G-ray would [willingly assist again in the same manner if necessity required it. I have confidence that when the choice of the electors it known it will again be a judicious one.— I am &c, Bubgess. . .- 4 ■