The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1910. CHRISTCHURCH MAYORALTY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 999, 14 December 1910, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1910. CHRISTCHURCH MAYORALTY.

We need make no apology, either to our readers or to Christchurch, forgiving a little attention to tho development of an almost new situation in the municipal affairs of Canterbury's capital. We say "affairs" because it is quite a long time since our Christchurch friends enjoyed tho luxury of lively "politics." To a Wellington citizen the attitude of Christchurch towards the office of its chief magistrate must appear very odd indeed. There may have been a time—although 'we cannot, remember such a time—when the Mayoral election was productive of as much energy and excitement in Christchurch as it . has produced here in reccnfc years. But for a good many years a wonderful peace has enwrapped the municipal proceedings of our southern friends. As often as not there is no contest for . the Mayoralty. When there has been a contest, it has seldom, in' recent times at least, excited any great interest, and positively no excitement.. The present Mayor, Me. Allison, looked like having a long reign. Now, however, wo are told, there is to bs a change, and nothing is more likely than that a threecornered fight will take place', the present Mayor-having as competitors Mr. T." E. Taylor, M.P., and Mr. J. D. Hall, a son of the lato Sir John Hall, and a capable and well-liked citizen. There . aro two reasons why the election appears to u's to be interesting. It is interesting enough in itself ' that tlicr<S should bo a contest at all in a city which, although it has been content to keep a somewhat colourless enough citizen as its Mayor for some time, has yet kept clean and active and progressive in its municipal life. In the second place, Mr. Hall is just that type of man who is most urgently required in the government of our cities, and in fact in ' any branch of our public life; A deputation of representative Christchurch citizens asked Mr. Hall on April 10, 1307, to' stand as a candidate for one of the scats upon the City Council, i'he deputation observed that as a well-known member of a leading firm of solicitors, Mr. Hall was "an educated and experienced man in the habit of dealing in a judicial manner with important questions," and that lie was possessed of exceptionally keen debating powers and a remarkable power of grasping the essentials of a problem. Mr. Hall, who, owing to tho illness of Sir John Hall while Mayor during the Exhibition year 190G-7, had in an unofficial w'ay to give his services to the city, agreed to stand, and had the satisfaction of easily heading the poll against many popular and wellknown competitors. He secured the support of over two-thirds of those who voted. It is certain that Me. Hall will rcceivc substantial support in any Mayoral contest, since the Christchurch public, although it has made many mistakes, does not often fail to recognise conspicuous merit. Wo have said that Christchurch has had no municipal politics, but cautious people there, as here, have never been off their guard against the menace of that municipal Socialism which is so frequently productive of irritation and great wastefulness. Although Christchurch docs some very eccentric things, when it is a matter oi sending representatives to Parliament, it is not a city in which Socialism can easily thrive, and Mr. Hall may count upon the support of the great majority of those who desire prudcnce and stability in city government.

Outside Christchurch, perhaps,, most interest will be aroused by the projected candidacy of Mn. • T. E. Taylob. Although Mn. Taylor has until the last two or three years been supported through thick and thin by many sincere and enthusiastic people, even by people who disliked his politics, his faithful followers have had their ranks thinned by his extraordinary behaviour in the House during the present Parliament. They have seen with dismay the-bitter opponent of corrupt government converted into a simple optimist anxious _ to defend the Waed Administration from assault. They have watched, with increasing indignation and surprise, his development into a mere follower at the tail of the party in power. They have, looked in vain to him for that old reckless disregard for his personal interest which led many to set him apart from the common politician. They realise now that it was a right instinct, although it worked very fitfully, which impelled Christchurch to reject him every little while. That he is now considering an assault upon the' Mayoralty must be taken as ovidcnce that one result of his sophistication is his discovery that if ho wishes to keep his scat in Parliament he'must begin his campaigning at' once, and play for popularity wherever he can. One curious characteristic of Christchurch—a. trait shrieking!? out of

tune with its general character—is its liability to succumb to any strikingly novel idea. But it is difficult to believe that Christchurcli will bo tempted to give way to the extreme civic dissipation of a Taylor Mayoralty.