THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 149, 21 March 1927, Page 12

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Sir,—What a fund of dry humour is contained in the earnest appeal issued, by the Civic League some time ago to nien of ability, and standing to offer themselves for municipal honours, that they, the Civic League, might publicly criticise them as a lot of muddling dunderheads, and generally give them a, sorry time for the next two years! What a thrilling prospect for the men of ability and character! It is surprising that a queue of leading citizens is not daily waiting for Mr. David McLaren to inspect and marshal. Is the Civic League really taking this seriously, and does it expect self-respect-ing men to submit to the dictation of a coterie, who probably could not win a seat on any body by the vote.of the electors. Do its members not realise how nauseating the long nagging reports ot Mr. David McLaren are becoming to citizens and that they are likely to drive most self-respecting men out of local politics and prevent others from taking their place? I prophecy that the list of leading citizens offering themselves as league nominees is a particularly barren ° Why not Mr. Whittaker, Mr. Gray, Mr. Stuart Wilson, and Mr. McLaren offer themselves for the City Council and give the public an opportunity to sav at the ballot-box what they think of them in comparison with those they criticise? There is always a place at the .bottom of the poll for someone. In a few days the league will probably declare their nominees for the Harbour Board the council, and the Hospital Hoard, and I prophesy that some of our leading men will not be on their ticket, not because of their want of ability, but because they are men of individual thought and’action, and choose to serve the people who elected them and not the league. These men will be forced to defend their honour and form another ticket, and will, without .doubt, secure election in spite of the pique of the Civic League. It is most difficult to see any good service the league has performed’ during its existence. They set out to have a ticket against Labour, which in itself is wrong, as Labour should be represented on public bodies. The league has miserably failed in its effort, and is now dividing our people a-ainst themselves. There is a general opinion held that the Civic League is lowering the standard and prestige ot our public life without performing any good service, and if the league relegated themselves to the oblivion from whence they camo the public. life of our city would regain its prestige and efficiency* - 1 a,U ’ CtC ” FAIR PLAY.