MR BLACK CHOOSES THE BETTER PART.

Evening Star, Issue 20959, 25 November 1931, Page 8

MR BLACK CHOOSES THE BETTER PART.

Mr J. Vigor Brown, Mayor and cxMayor of Napier, has set an example to Dunedin. For long terms ho has personified Napier to the dominion at largo. The mayoral position which he holds now—part of a continuous term which began four years ago—lie held earlier for ten years (from 1907 till 1917 and again in 1919-20). He was the representative in Parliament of the northern capital during the war years. He aspired recently to represent it again, and thought, doubtless, that he had more claims to do so than the Coalition and Labour candidates, parvenus

in public service as compared with bis own long; record, who were selected. He was nominated as an Independent Coalitionist. But Labour makes a strong element in the Napier electorate. During later years it has been a Reform and Labour scat alternatively, precisely in the same way as Dunedin North. And division of the nou-Social-ist vote would make a bad prospect for the Coalition’s chances on this occasion, when a very special issue has to bo faced. The Coalition believes that, when income has shrunken the only thing for a State, as for an individual, to do is to make economies, until new forms of income can be built up. The recipe of the Labour Party for such a crisis is to go on spending and borrowing more and more. Concerned for the effects on the State of that policy, should it prevail, Mr Vigor Brown has withdrawn his candidature, even after the closing of nominations. He had come to the conclusion, he informed his supporters, that “ the present was a time when personal feelings should be put on one side. He therefore had decided to sink his own ambitions to give the electors a clear-cut issue.” All New Zealand will admire that decision.

We had written thus far, and were proceeding to point a moral for Dunedin, which has had no fewer than four mayors or ex-mayors now engaged in the task of splitting votes, when the glad information reached us that the moral was not required. Mr R. S. Black has added to his long list of services to the city of Dunedin today by announcing his intention of retiring from the election contest in Dunedin North, with the sole object of avoiding a splitting of the anti-Socialist votes which might result in a Socialist victory. The esteem in which Mr Black is held by the citizens of Dunedin was very clearly shown by the last mayoral election, and there is no doubt that ho would have been strongly supported in the present contest had he decided to continue. In giving his decision to retire to a strong deputation representative of the Coalition which waited upon him to-day Mr Black expressed his keen appreciation of the support which he had received so far in his campaign and his great regret that his friends and supporters should be disappointed by his retirement. He was influenced, however, only by concern for the national welfare. The present difficulties confronting the Government of this dominion can scarcely be exaggerated. There are many difficult things to be done, and a strong Government, supported as widely as possible, is essential in order that they may be done promptly and effectively. The times require all loyal citizens to sacrifice personal ambitions for the common good. Mr Black has given striking evidence of his patriotism, and his action will be acclaimed not only by his fellow-citizens of Dunedin, but by all throughout the dominion who in the present crisis have the welfare of their country at heart. The need now is that this admirable example should be further followed. Mr Cameron, in South Dunedin, should be as unwilling as Mr Black to do anything to risk a Coalition seat. In a dual contest it should be safe for sound government. In a triple one Labour smiles. If Mr Cameron retires now his turn will assuredly come at some future election. The candidatures of Mr M‘Donald and Mr Scollay bear less risk of causing disaster by vote-splitting, but a triple retirement, following Mr Black’s, would be a great advertisement of the public spirit of Otago. Its influence might well bo decisive with other superfluous candidates throughout New Zealand, The example afforded by Napier would indeed bo surpassed.