The Lyttelton Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL, 23, 1909. THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14980, 28 April 1909, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL, 23, 1909. THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

The system under which a borough may change its Mayor every year, while its Council remains in office for two years, is not a very satisfactory one, but wo must make the best of it. Today both Mayor and councillors have to bo elected, and the public should recollect, when they are weighing the merits of the candidates, that so far as the Council is concerned their votes will direct tho government of the city for twenty-four months. No question of burning interest, apart from tho canal scheme, is engaging popular attention at the moment, but in a few months' time we are bound to have matters like municipal markets and municipal control of the milk supply under discussion. The city has been standing still in most departments of late, although wo are bound to admit that in the water supply scheme and tho building of the tepid baths w© made a measure of progress. Probably, if tho publio were asked what question was, in their opinion, in most urgent need of attention they would declare emphatically for tho improvement, of the city streets. The Council itself has lately broken up.the roads to permit tho laying of water pipes, but the surfaces could have been restored long ago in the centre of the city if a little energy had been used. "We are afraid that the arrangement under which the Tramway Board has the care of the road-crowns is not working well, and the sooner some understanding is reached between the Board and the Council on the subject the better it will be for the comfort of the public. We should be glad to see new blood in the Council, and the electors might very well consider the claims of some of the Labour candidates sympathetically. Tho men who are standing frankly as workers have a definite programme and appear to have clear ideas as to the works that should bo undertaken by the city in the near future. There need be no fear of a radical element in the Council committing the city to a lavish borrowing policy, because the ratepayers have the last word concerning loan proposals, and we may trust to tho good sense of the workers in general to restrain them from advocating foolish schemes. In the contest for the mayoralty the issue will be decided, wo suppose, mainly on personal grounds. Mr Allison has conducted the affairs of the city quietly and with duo decorum, and by proposing nothing new has avoided serious mistakes. Mr Loughnan, of course, has had'long experience in municipal politics and should thoroughly understand tho requirements of the city, and we are quit© sure that he would fittingly uphold the dignity of th© office. But we have 'no desire to tako sides in th© contest, and our present duty is discharged when wo impress upon tho electors the importance of recording their votce.