THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY “Public Service." FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1947 A GOOD CITIZEN

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 56, Issue 32914, 26 September 1947, Page 4

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY “Public Service." FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1947 A GOOD CITIZEN

If Mr la Guardia had lived he would have visited New Zealand and he would have received a great welcome. He would have been welcomed as a remarkable man, in an age that has produced quite a lot of big public figures, genuine and otherwise. But Mr la Guardia is dead, and New Zealand is deprived of the chance to honour personally a notable . American citizen. As the colourful Mayor of New York he made a national name for himself, and then he became internationally known because of his activities during the war. His fight against the rackets in the metropolis make a fascinating story. In his long reign as mayor he could most profitably have compromised with graft, as a popular predecessor did till it caught up with him. Instead, he was the sworn enemy of all vice, big and small, which assailed his. city. With amazing energy and skill ,he cleaned up bad patches in the administration, and set an example that won tremendous moral support. The secret of his success as mayor is simple. He had the physical strength, the vision, the courage to make a successful mayor; but he was first and foremost a good citizen. >