DUNEDIN TO THE FRONT.

Evening Star, Issue 8809, 26 April 1892, Page 2

DUNEDIN TO THE FRONT.

From files of London papers received today we notice that a son of one of our oldest residents, Mr Andrew Mercer, has been elected to as high or perhaps a higher representative position in London than any other New Zealand born youth has yet obtained in Britain, Tho election for tho London County Council took place on Saturday, March 5, resulting in a complete victory for the Progressives as against the Reactionists, Young Mr A. Mercer is one of tho two representatives for St. Georges, in the East, having for his colleague Mr Martineau, the number of votes polled by the latter having been 1,424, and by Mr Mercer 1,276. To gam such a high position in the greatest city in the world, and have as his associates such men as Earl Rosebery, Lord Carrington, besides M.P.s and honorablcs, is certainly a distinction to be proud of, and more partioularly in a case such as Mr Mercer’s, where he received bis education only in a Dunedin common school; spent moat years of his life as parser on board one of Sir Donald Currie’s steamers; was afterwards, and still is, secretary to the United Seamen and Firemen’s Union; took a very active part in behalf of his union daring the great strike less than two years ago; and has been unremitting in his efforts on behalf of seamen and firemen in many ways since, notably in one instance in which one of the New Zealand Shipping Companies were concerned, and triumphantly gained bis cause. Well may the ‘ Daily News * characterise the result as ,f a magnificent triumph-—an awakening o! Loudon,” for assuredly the cause of the people—of the workers and toilers—is to receive that attention in the fntnra whioh has been denied in the past, and humanity will have made one step towards the glorious achievement when

Man acd man the woild o’er Shall brothers be and a’ that.

It is needless to stats that on the declaration of the poll Mr Mercer received quite an ovation—congratulated by bis fellow-coun-cillors, and carried shoulder high by his friends and supporters. It may be anticipated that this is but his first step on the ladder toward greater achievements, as he will be a candidate for parliamentary honors at the approaching General Elections.