MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTION

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21721, 2 March 1936, Page 17

MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTION

TO THE EDITOR OF TUI PRESS. Sir,—Your correspondent, “Civis,” seems to forget that history Repeats itself. And to turn back the page of civic history we find Mr Beanland breaking away from the Citizens’ Association and standing as an independent. I hold no brief for a large number of the so-called Labour men of the Trades Hall; they are not worthy of the name of Labour, and our Labour Government will find them individualists, a bar to progress; but at the same time I prefer a man who will abide by the rules and decisions of the party of which he is a member. For the benefit of “Civis,” I quote the following from “The Press” of April 23, 1925. headed, “Mr Beanland’s Position, ‘His Life’s Ambition’.” It is an extract from a statement made by Mr Machin. “We met Mr Beanland on stveral occasions and told him that we would support him, but not for the Mayoralty, for which we informed him that in our opinion he was not suitable. Mr Beanland told us that it was his life’s ambition to become Mayor of Christchurch. The position therefore is that Mr Beanland is putting his life's ambition before the welfare of the city.” „ After the election (“The Press, April SO, 1925) Mr Beanland stated that a certain section of the people had failed to keep the promise they had'.given him. In the leading article of C’he Press” of the same date, u •«s a/aid: “Mr Beanland is not free jMiie in the matter, since no canJvjLtc is entitled to put his peijonal ambitions before the public good. I.’(i the Brougham Street Hall on April 16, 1925. Mr Beanland stated thatj he was tied to no party and was completely independent. Will “Civis” tell us why Mr Beanlanrl should not be standing as an independent on this occasion; the circumstances are the same in every rcsjjccl Why stress the point that Mr Beanland Is a successfulu business man? As a otudent of civic history I* have arrived at the conclusion long ago that we have had too many successful business men in charge of our local bodies. “Civis” will find that reverend gentlemen the world over are taking a keen interest in our political and eivic life, over the radio and from the pulpit and through the correspondence columns of the press. Has he never heard of the “Socialist Parson”? - I do not agree with everything that the Rev., J, K. Archer says, ”but his actions arid utterances will compare favourably with those o£ Mr Bean- J

land. He never made the Mayoralty his life’s ambition and he did pot stand against the decision of his party. He may not be a successful business man in the sense that “Civls” implies, but he proved himself as a Mayor fearless in expressing his opinion, and that cannot be said in regard to the majority of mayors. With Mr Archer we know where we stand; with Mr Beanland we may be in the paddock to-day and over the fence to-morrow. —Yours, etc., JB ..February 29, 1936.