Mr. Jones To Stand For Mayoralty

Northern Advocate, 31 March 1938, Page 8

Mr. Jones To Stand For Mayoralty

Acceding to the wish expressed by a representative deputation which waited upon him in the Council Chambers this afternoon, the Mayor of Whangarei, Mr W. Jones, who has occupied the position for nine years, announced that he would be a candidate for re-election. Cr. E. G. W. Tibbits. DeputyMayor, who presided, \ said that the town of Whangarei was rapidly developing out of the schoolboy stage Into manhood, 'and required at the helm a man of experience. Members of the present administration) were familiar with several important matters to which the burgesses were not yet alive, and a change in policy might be detrimental to Whangarei. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs H. Menzies, R. K. Trimmer, R. H. Allan, R. V. Thompson, J. S. Day, N. Drummond, R. T. Tudehope, and W. James.

Having been closely associated with the mayor in ' his capacity of chairman of the works committee, Cr. R. S. Finch was satisfied that there was no one in whom the ratepayers could be better advised to leave the safety and security of the borough. I Many Tributes, The deputationists came, said Mr K. G. M. Kelly, with eyery confidence in the integrity of Mr Jones and his ability to carry on the office of Mayer, a position which he had filled efficiently for nine years. No job was too small to receive the attention of Mr Jones, and big jobs had been darned out efficiently 'and with dignity.. , Mr T. Mitchell said his. enthusiastic support was based on an intimate knowledge of the worth of Mr Jones to the borough. The services and amenities enjoyed here were all that could be expected for a town of this size and were enjoyed at a minimum of cost. His worship and the council had always considered efficiency and economy. Considering the wide knowledge of administration which Mr .Hones possessed, Mr M. King considered it would be fatal if he was not reelected to carry important projected works through to finality. “A Safe Man.” Associating himself with the re-1 quest, Mr H. C .Rishworth said' that j those possessing a stake in the town were interested in the return of Mr Jones. ‘‘He is (a safe man,” Mr Rish- j worth said, “and that is the type we need today. There are far too many | wild-cat schemes being brought forward with no thought as to who is going to pay.” The Mayor, also, possessed the leisure necessary to do justice to the position. In a nine years’ association with j the Mayor on the council, Cr. J. Donaldson said he had always found Mr Jones fair, impartial and a hard worker. Mr Jones had been very ably seconded by the Mayoress, who had worked nobly through difficult times and was the right lady in the right place. Mr C. H. Chissell expressed the opinion that the honorarium 'attaching to the position was too small considering the duties and time the Mayorship entailed. No Beating About Bush. “I am not going to beat about 'the bush, but am going to accede to your request, which I regard as a compliment to my wife and myself,” Mr Jones announced. “Wonderful strides have certainly been made in the borough during the past two cr three years. I consider it a sign, of strength in the council if all the ratepayers are not always pleased. There would; be i a pretty mix-up if all the advice we j received was taken.” i During his three terms as Mayor. Mr Jones said, there had been, no cliques, all 'councillors working with the sole object of meeting the interests of the borough. He paid a special tribute to the chairman of the Works Committee, stating that throughout the -past three years Mr Finch had carried a tremendous load with zest, and had been of wonderful assistance. The council, at present, was faced with an awkward set cf circumstances, having

f been left without an engineer at the very time when his services were most required. Good Deal of Extra Work, Upon both the inside and ..outside staff’s, who had worked loyally for the good of the borough, and also upon Mr Finch and himself, a great deal of extra work had been thrown. Mr Jones especially appreciated the references made to the Mayoress, stating that she had been 1 the hardest worker of all. If elected, he promised to continue doing his best in the interests of the people.