THE MAYOR INDIGNANT

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 110, 12 May 1919, Page 8

THE MAYOR INDIGNANT

" -.RECEPTION TO GENERAL RUSSELL. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, C.M.G., M.P.), is at loggerheads, with the Act-ing-Prime Minister and Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) 'over a. reception to Sir A.'.H. Russell, who is expected.in Wellington on Thursday or Friday _next. Mr. Luke desired to extend a civic reception to the General, he being- of-the opinion that it was fit and proper for the citizens to have an opportunity of hononring an officer whose war record is of such a sterling character. Before the Mayor publicly announced .hie intention he received an invitation to take part in a Government reception, to be held at the Town Hall. Without making any comment, the.Mayor; handed to. a Post reporter the correspondence which has passed between himself and the Minister] on the subject. The letters, he said, explained themselves. In view of the attitude of the Acting-Prime Minister, he had decided to call a meeting of the City Council to-morrow to consider what action the council'should'take. ■The first letter is from Sir James Allen and is dated Bth.May. It reads :—. "Dear Mr. Luke, — ".In'conn'ection with the expected arrival of Major-General ■■ Sir A." H.Russell in -Wellington from the South about the 15th instant, ,1 desire to inform you that it is the intention of Government to give the General a reception, on behalf of tho Government and the people,. in the Town Hall at noon on.the.day of his arrival here. I hope that you and Mrs. Luke, together with the City Councillors and officers'of tho Corporation, will attend at the Town Hall, and that you will take part in the proceedings. "In connection with the function, I jfhall be glad if you can arrange for the services of the City Organist, Mr. Page, to be placed at pur disposal." On 9th May Mr. Luke replied in these terms: —

"Dear Sir James Allen, — "I am in receipt of your letter of the Bth instant, relative to the proposed reception of General Sir A. H. Russell. "You placo me in a very awkward position, in asking me, as Mayor of this city, to take a subordinate position in an official function to be held in the Town Hall, at which the -citizens are to be asked to attend. ; ■• ■ ■ ■

"It seems to me that such a,proceeding i 3 contrary to all -precedent. -■ The Mayor of the City is by custom the Chief Citizen, and must preside over any assemblage of citizensyand'to ask-hinvto' play second fiddle in his own Town Hall seems to be a: reflection upon the office.

"I feel great pain in. writing to you in, thig'Stiaih^ -but I -trust that -you .will -re-; cognis*' that if'l -' were " to' i'do."any thing' which savoured of belittling the honour which has been conferred upon me by my fellow citizens, I would be quite unworthy of that honour." . ■ • .. The final-letter; 'dated 9th May,' :fronv Sir James Allen:-'is as follows.;—" Dear Mr. j(uke,—;l aurjin receipt of'yortr' letter of oven date,' and -am sorry indeed at the tone adopted'by you. '■' The arrangement in connection with the proposed, reception to General Sir A. H. Russell was not intended ia any way as a slight on you^aa ■Mayor of Wellington, or on the citizens of Wellington; but the Goverpmenjr'.dei sire to give a reception to General'-Hns-' sell, and the only suitable place' for','the.' function Is the. Town Hall.'.'l.; had ;.al-' ready arranged to hire the Town Hall,-, and have booked it for that purpose. "I trust yon will recognise that it is. ta proper ■ thing-* for the ■ Government themselves, a-s representing-the whole of the people of New Zealand; to publicly wel-" come the officer who has commanded the New Zealand Division with such success. It is proposed that the function, in'the. Town Hall shall be held at noon oriths', day of General Russell's arrival in Wellington, and the Government are proposing that the public servants shall,be air! lowed an opportunity to take part in the' welcome by granting them leave for an hour from 11.30-a..m. to 12.30 'p.m.' I should be glad'if you, as Mayor of the icity, would invite citizens to close their premises, or to "allow their staffs'.to wit-' ness the procession, and to"'. take part in the function at the' Town Hall. I shall also bo pleased if you can:- accede to my request for' the services of tho City Organist to be placed at our disposal." :'.'.'i, '."•>". --.