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Lake County Press, Issue 786, 16 December 1897, Page 7

With the election of Mr E. B. Cargill to the mayoral chair we are brought face to face with the nakedness (hold on a minute) of our city fathers. Permit me to explain that they are always dressed the same as any other comfortably off citizen, and strange to say herein lies the trouble. We are now told that it is high time our Mayor and councillors should be robed in a manner befitting the dignity of their high office. Considering the quarter from whence the agitation comes it is safe to predict that our new Mayor will don the first Dunedin mayoral robe, and his Worship cannot do less than present the city with a civic chair and seal. To see our city fathers dressed in all the trappings of civic dignity will be an extra inducement to the sightseers who are privileged to witness the jubilee celebrations next March. Already the signal gun has boomed forth, and “ old identities ” and new inflictions are torturing us with suggestions as to how we should celebrate our jubilee. So far there is a grotesque kind of humor about the various schemes and suggestions, but when that fails I am afraid we shall be driven crazy between them all. Already they are at cross purposes. The church party (of course there will only be the First Church party on jubilee day) want to have a thanksgiving service on one day, the jockey club want one or two days for races, the agricultural and pastoral association the same for a jubilee show ; then the cyclists want to have a monster wheeling carnival, military men want a huge sham tight, another faddist wants all the Sunday school children to parade and sing, boating men want a huge regatta on a day for themselves, while a cheerful idiot wants “ a fanfare of trumpets” in all the villages, and children to march to the Town Hall and get presented with a bag of fruit. Every one horse show in the town is on the alert to make a *' rise ” without any regard to the central feature of the jubilee. It has been suggested that these proposals may suit town people but that visitors will expect something substantial as a jubilee attraction, and the proposal to hold an Industrial Exhibition seems about the most sensible suggestion put forth, because a.court could be set apart to exhibit relics, etc., bearing upon the events of 50 years ago. Whatever programme is decided upon, there is no doubt we shall have a lively week of it. Witn the closing of the year our trials, worries and sorrows become more or less a matter for history. Happy indeed is the heart that can will it so. That all my readers and the Lake County Press office staff will enjoy their Xmas dinner and be able to wear their usual sized hats is the sincere wish of Taiakoa.