MAYORAL ELECTION

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10376, 6 April 1927, Page 4

MAYORAL ELECTION

!To the Editor.) Sir, —The apparent impartiality, ve». ingenious sophistry, displayed bv Mr Pearson in ins letter of the 4th Inst., deserves our congratulations, while we dissent from his conclusions. Mr Coleman s services to the borough as a councillor have been excellent and have met with the approval of moder-ately-minded citizens, so long as those services were curbed and restrained by eight other councillors. Unfortunately, his public usefulness is limited by his bias, when any matter for consideration involves his pet hobby. Then, to quote his own utterances, “he is too good a politician not to vote with his party” although he may recognise the truth and force of his opponent’s contention. Indeed, this betrays the politician rather than the statesman. To support Mr Coleman as a councillor, recognising that Labor and all sections of the community should have representation, is an entirely different proposition to supporting him for mayor. The first essential in a mayor, surely, is that be shall be impartial and judicial, lie shall not Le an advocate fox* any particular interest, but as chairman of his council, shall display liis regard and consideration for the minority as well as the majority, weighing' all matters with judicial impartiality. In Mr Armstrong, we have a candidate who mav be calculated to display theso attributes, since he has not been associated with any party, and is , untrammelled by any policy,' traditions or shibboleths, such as his opponent iVhampered with. He is not compelled to act and vote against his personal views or reason. It seems unfair for your correspondent to chide Mr Armstrong noon his work in the Harbor Board. Owing to the policy of considering all matters in committee, and the reluctance of the chairman and members to take the public into their confidence, the ratepayers have been unaware of the study and activity wlr'ch Mr Armstrong lias devoted to the Boardbs problems. The reports show that in spite of scanty support on that body, and the supineness of its chairman in permitting the Board’s servants to assume the functions ot members, Air Armstrong has at last induced the Board to recognise the gravity of the position regarding the Whareongaonga quarry, in this alone rendering great service. His acknowledged, technical skill and engineering ability should find more scope in the problems which affeet the borough, serving as a clicck or support to its engineers, and a very efficient guide to the Council. Are the burgesses going to throw th s great advantage lightly aside, or aro they alive to the urgent reed for such gratuitous services H The pah will show.-r-I am yours, etc.. . A. J. NICOL. Gisborne, April 5.