NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 1933. THE MAYORAL ELECTION

Northern Advocate, 21 April 1933, Page 4

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 1933. THE MAYORAL ELECTION

Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper.

It is a matter for regret, which we are sure will be widely felt, that an attempt should be made to introduce personalities and misrepresentation into the Whangarei Mayoral election campaign. Such tactics are always reprehensible, but they arc doubly so at a time when municipal issues require calm and dispassionate consideration, with the sole purpose of ensuring that the best selection of Mayor and borough councillors shall be made. It is evident that selfinterested partisans are endeavouring to cloud the issue of the election, and that they are not concerned about the methods adopted to effect their purpose. This is a pity. It is generally agreed that, except in special circumstances, a contest for public body positions is a good thing. Consequently, there should be no resentment of the action of citizens in urging Mr R. S. Finch to contest the Mayoralty with the sitting May oi*, Mr W. Jones. We are sure Mr Jones himself would be the last to deprecate a contest for possession of the highest post within the gift of the burgesses. The citizens who have brought Mr Finch forward, and Avho are supporting his candidature, have a right to do so, just as those who think that Mr Jones should be returned have a right to support him. Every elector has a right to vote for the Mayoral candidate whom, ho or she regards as the better qualified to guide the town through a difficult period of its existence. Nobody lias a right to impugn the good faith or motives' of citizens who may not see eye to eye with him. To vilify those who support Mr Finch, or to vilify those who support Mr Jones, especially for political reasons alone, cannot be justified, and we are convinced that the doctors in the aggregate will strongly disapprove of such tactics. .Especially will they resent a despicable attempt to drag the names of two estimable ladies into the election campaign. Wc do not recall anything so contemptible or so unjustifiable, and we fed that Mr J. A. Finlayson, after the straightforward statement which he made in a lettei* printed in our issue of yesterday, will have the sympathy of the burgesses as a whole. In supporting Mr Finch’s nomination, dr Finlayson expressed the opinion Hint if Mr Finch wore elected the town would have a Mayoress who would fill the position with credit. Of course it would. There is none, we are convinced, who would not subscribe to this contention. But to declare, as is being done, that Mr Finlayson slighted Mrs Jones, or that he had the remotest intention of doing so, is, as he said in his letter, absolutely grotesque. Mrs Jones has graced the position of Mayoress, and, by her charming personality, goodness of heart and readiness to do everything possible for the welfare of all classes in the community, has earned the esteem of everybody. Those who have tried to read into Mr Finlay son’s words a meaning which no fair-minded person could discover have done

a very wicked thing of which we .believe that, in their better moments, they will be heartily ashamed. It is to be hoped that from now till election day a halt will be called to unfair and in- } flammatory practices, and that | the campaign will be waged with one object only—the selection of the best Mayor and borough councillors from the number who have offered their services. Every elector has a right to his or her own opinion, and the verdict of the majority should be accepted with good grace and a desire to make as smooth as possible the road which the City Fathers must tread.