THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13102, 29 April 1908, Page 6

THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

The election of a Mayor of Greaiter Ghristahuroh takes ©lac© to-day. We mention tho circumstance because, owing to the reticence of tije two candSdatee for the office, it may have escaped tbe notice of the general public. Neither Mr Parjrling nor Mr Allison lias thought fit to address those whose votes ho ?s more "or less mutely invitiog, and to expound has proposed policy. Both notify in this issue their adherence to a vague policy of "pro"gresa and priidenoo," though Mr Payling also announces that he intomis, if elected, to push, on an. electrical power scheme, and that he favours the, active' prosecution of tho canal scheme if iihe engineer's report is favouTa-We. Mr Allison, w(ho is au old municipal ihamd, is understood to bsuvo oiroulatted a leaflet setting forth, has title tc> the mayoralty. W« have not eoen a copy of the document, tut a report ifr&A, it deals largely with the opposition offered by Mr Allison to various projects and proposals since he entered the Oity Council seoms not improbable. This method of appealing to the citizens at the eleventh hour, for the firet and only time, is by no means satisfactory. We must admit that they do these things better in Wellington. There an extremely vigorous contest for tlho mayoralty is being waged by two of the most prominent men in the city, each has addressed dozens of meetings, and each, has expounded with ample detail has nrunioipal policy. The citizens, in votdng, will know exactly vfaa* line the candidate they support will take if elected, j and the polling is expected: to be a record. Shorn of its personalities, that ! is what the election of the chief magis- j trate of a city should be. Hero we know nothing, or next to nothing,, of the candidate's views. However, as no new question of policy liae been raised, we think the city should, as an act of courtesy to Mr Payling, wlho has already as Deputy-Mayor and Mayor served the city for tho better part of two years, give Mm amatihier joar of office.