THE MAYORALTY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 122, 16 February 1921, Page 9

THE MAYORALTY

COUNCILLOR C. B. NORWOOD TO STAND A large and influential deputation of Wellington business men approached Councillor C. B. Norwood in the Chamber of Commerce yesterday’ with a request that he should allow himself to be nominated for the Mayoralty in April. Mr. Thomas Bush presided, and there were present Councillors M. F. Duckie and W. J. Thompson, Messrs. M. A. Carr, (president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce), Sydney Kirkcaldie, J. Myers, P. Myers, J. H. Keith, W. E. Jackson, F. Townsend, J. Muir, R. B. Grange, 11. H. Seaton, W. 11. Edwards, and others. Mr. Bush said that the gathering had been called for the purpose of presenting a requisition to Mr. C. B. Norwood to allow himself to be nominated for the Mayoralty. There were two other candidates in the field. One was Councillor L. M’Kenzie, who had given considerable time to the city’s affairs, and Councillor R. A. Wright was understood to be a likely candidate. Mr. Wright was certainly an old servant of the city in municipal matters, but he thought it would be wise in- the interests of the city to restrict the number of candidates as much as possible. (Hear, hear.) Neverin the history of the city had municipal affairs required such careful attention as at present. Councillor W. J. Thompson said that Councillor Norwood had lieen a member of the council for four years, and during that period lie had shown himself to be one of the most able members of that body. The time had now come when the city wanted a strong man as Mayor, a man possessing a thorough knowledge of Greater Wellington and its needs. '1 hey must have a man who would look ahead and who had wide business experience, and these attributes were strongly possessed by Councillor Norwood. In urging Mr. Norwood to accept nomination, Mr. M. A. Carr said that it was gratifying to realise that the business community of Wellington wis at length waking up to the fact that it was necessary to deal with municipal matters on business lines.’ They had only themselves to blame as business men if apathy resulted in the most capable men not coming forward. At no time in the history of the city had there been a greater necessity for business training and ability in their chief citizen. The ratepayers were anxious that the city of Wellington should be second to none in the Dominion. They had voted' for the raising of large sums of money for big city works Chat would mean the improvement of Wellington- and its environments, and it was necessary that a great deal ot tact and ability should be shown in governing this expenditure. He knew of no oiie more capable of supervising that expenditure than a capable business man, and as a successful business man Mr. Norwood possessed every possible qualifiCouncillor M. F. Luckie testified to the value of the work done by Mr. Norwood as a member of the council. Mr., S.-Kirkcitldie also had been impressed with Councillor’ Norwood s ability in municipal matters. . . Councillor Norwood, in reply, said that he wished to Ire quite candid with Che deputation. lie. had decided alone time not to be a candidate in any capacity at the election, and there had been, and were, great calls on his time to vairant him taking that attitude. When, however, he learned that a requisition w-is in circulation, and was being signed bv a large number of the business men of '.the city, and realising, as he did, ■ that there' were matters of great importance lying ahead of the city in the next two years, he was ata loss to know what his answer could be.,,.,-The position as it stool at present in Wellington, with the amalgamation of outside boroii'’hs, would make it necessary to recast the policy of the council in many respects. He believed that there was now building a greater, and he trusted, a more highly-developed ci.y. lheie had been no time, in the history of Wellington when iit- was more necessary that the business community should keep together, and see, as far as the Mayoral chair was concerned, that there was returned to that office, and also as councillors, men with business knowledge,, capable of managing the city’s affairs. Ihe City Council was one oi ths greatest trading concerns, and needed commercial ability. It was ’growing every year, and they knew that there was an elemeu: m the community that was doing its very best to gain control of civic matters. M rth all those responsibilities the necessiy had Wore and more acutely arisen for business men to carefully consider the position. As to his own position, there were going to t>c many falls on his time. He would give the most possible to the requiremen’s of the city, and had nlieadj suggested that it was opportune that a Deputy-Mnyor should be appointed. He could not possibly give as much time to the office as had the present Mayor. The chairman: That won’t be necessary—the war is over. Councillor Norwood added that if a.l those circumstances were taken into account. he had come to the conclusion that he would accede to the request of the deputation. (Applause.) This? present then resolved themselves into a committee to work for Councillor Norwood’s return to the position of Chief Magistrate of the city. .