Evening Post. TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1912. A QUALIFIED MAN NEEDED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 96, 23 April 1912, Page 6

Evening Post. TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1912. A QUALIFIED MAN NEEDED.

More by accident than by design, the Citizens' League has led the people of Wellington to think about the Mayoral election. We had almost despaired of seeing any great interest aroused till the League's president decided to try and help Mr. Smith by attacking Mr. Biss. For this interlude the supportero and opponents of the League, as well ac those ■who are as indifferent to its existence as they would be to ite decease, can be thankful. The effect of the controversy is to unmistakably remind the electors that four candidates, of various qualifications, will b© at the mercy- of the ballot pencil to-morrow. In one respect the election is unique in Wellington, because it is the first time that Labour has made a strong bid for the Mayoralty. When the Hon. J. Rigg stood for Labour three years ago the Labour -factor was not seriously feared by hk competitors, because they knew there was no solid organisation behind Mr. Rigg. This year the case is understood to be different. Mi 1 . M'Laren hae the advantage which his long connection with the City Council can give him, and also any benefit which may result from the Unity Conference of Easter. In addition he has the help of his rivals who a-re dividing the vote of the general body of citizens. We have explained that the label of Labour which is attached to Mr. M'Laren does not influence U6 in commenting on his claim. We have acted in thk matter exactly as an elector hae to act — that is, to weigh the Labour representative's qualifications against those of his competitors. This process has convinced us that Mr. Biss has the best equipment • for the difficult Mayoral duties. We have no more attempted to exalt him by disparaging the other candidates than he lias tried to commend himself by belittling them. Our concern has been to point to the work to be done and to endeavour to indicate, on all available evidence, the man competent to do it. It is a question- of selecting a man who by experience, by knowledge, by business capacity, and by strength of character is able to guide the destinies of Wellington during a period when 60hd ability in the city's chief magistrate ia demanded.

This is not a time for the citizens to confer a favour," not a timo for an experiment of which the iceue may be very doubtful. Wellington has been through a period of anxiety, and though the corner lias been turned the necessity for caution ie plain. One argument used ie : "Give Labour a show. If tho trial is 1 not satisfactory a change can bo mada after on© short year." Again we say in all calmness and in all fairness that the issue is not one of Labour or Non-Lab-our. It is the iesue of Greater Wellington, with itß public services in which, a sum of owr £2,000,000 has beat* invested. The city needs a strong man at the head of the council, a qualified director to supervise tho municipal stocktaking which, has to be done as a preliminary to the planning of a regressive policy based on common-sense. A year's muddlement might give the city's affaire a severe set-back. We have commended Mr. Biss is a well-known business man, but his i to detect the flaws in, the tramway system, of accounting' and his general fitness to wisely and safely manage the city's finance are not his only qualifications for office. We do not see that any other- candidate has superior claims outside the sphere of finance, which, is very important at this stage of the municipality's development. It has been alleged that three ''business men." Mayors have condoned the tramway methods which Mr. Biss has condemned, and therefore it is half-insimiated that the "business-man" candidate is a sort of bogey. The important point for the electors is this: Has Mr. Biss condoned those methods? Is he to be accepted or rejected because he promises to do a necessary thing which others have neglected? Reader* of The Post must remember that we have long urged a readjustment of the tramway accounting system, and they must also know that Mr. Bias's voice was raised long ago for refoa-m which, as the ratepayers must at last peroeivev is urgently required. Those who have "scoffed at the "business-man" argument in relation to Mr. Biss have helped to make hie case good. Those who rely on a sneer in this mattor halfdeny or overlook that need for reform which Mr. Bias has clearly proved. When the case is faidy thought out the electors come on to this ground: They have the option of accepting or rejecting a candidate who has shown that he has the knowledge, the hearty willingness, and the courage to put the- city's financial affaire on a sound business basis, and in addition he has at least as much capacity for general public service as any other candidate, with a determination to faithfully and sensibly work for the whole public.