GREATER CHRISTCHURCH COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11562, 20 April 1903, Page 4

GREATER CHRISTCHURCH COUNCIL.

Although nominations of candidates fflf.-i Beats on the Greater Christchureh Qtv Council oan only be received up to noon ' to-morrow, the list which we publish _~ this issue is far from being as represent*, tive of the best brains in the city «* could wish. Up to the present eighteen candidates have been nominated for th« fourteen, eeatr, and two more have '.an- -« nounced their intention of standing. Ti_, citizens may have expected keener com- _j petition for the honour of being a member " * of the first Council of the amalgamated city ' —they certainly hoped that the candidai_j - would include several well-known and _~ highly respected public men, whose election would have been as well assured ius unrthing in the nature of an election can be."' ' All the gentlemen who have been -nominated are no doubt actuated by the strongtst desire to work for the benefit of the city j as a whole, and Bomo of thcaa have . ] done good work in the post. But the necessities of Greater Christchurch, especially during its early years, w3l demand the exercise, on the part of its * rulers, of a great deal of business acumen" and ability. Thero are largo que*- ~ tion to ba dealt with, affecting the welfare ' and comfort of between 40,000 and 50,000 people, and if those matters are to be _ handled wisely and brought to successful .'. issue* the Council should be representative .. of tho best business talent and the '7 most highly trained, judgment that the <}ity '£ possesses. We ore afraid that in sji''.„ ■ of the added distinction of ejection \ to th City Council which is con- i. ferred by the union of the boroughs .t' there has been, so far, a good 'cal 1 of apathy over the contest. is all the more to be regretted Mx Wigrom deserves to be supported, lr/,/1 the best Council that the city can fumirti.i 1 , »j_ He consented' to nomination as Mayor o£''**J considerable personal inconvenience, •okly, ! as ho said, because he was intensely W t-rested in the successful launch of the ,; united city, and iv order to specially eft- . -" de&vour to carry to completion the work of amalgamation. His decision earned the *" -i; greatest satisfaction, and his public-spirited ""; action should ba reciprocated by these ' i who are best in a position to help hia in "3 his work. There is yet time for some of l those representative citizens to whom tbf, community is looking, to come forward for seats on the Council, and it is to be hoped < that no effort will be spared to .indue* them to aoe.pt nomination.