TOWN EDITION. The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1887. THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 338, 22 November 1887, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1887. THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

The time for the nomination of candidates for the honorable position, of Mayor of Nelson closed at noon to-day, and two gentlemen have been proposed, Messrs John Sharp and John Graham. When we first heard that Mr Sharp intended to come forward, we congratulated the citizens of Nelson upon the opportunity that would be afforded them of electing so fitting a successor to the present holder of the office, and we have no reason for altering our opinion now that he is to be opposed. To all who have been in the habit of attending the meetings of the Council, or of perusing ihe reports of their proceedings, it must long since have been manif est that one of the first qualifications to be looked for in any gentleman aspiring to the Mayoralty should be his fitness to preside over their deliberations, that fitness consisting in his ability to guide and direct them when questions of more than ordinary difficulty come before them for disoussion, and in the possession of discretion and tact which would enable him to handle with delicacy and impartiality, and at the same time with firmness, a body which is occasionally apt to run riot and to kick over the traces. Such an one is, we believe, to be found in Mr Sharp, who has much natural shrewdness and ability, and the further advantage of a large and varied experience in dealing with his fellow men, and with public affairs generally. He is one of Nelson's oldest settlers, having arrived here early in the forties as clerk to Mr Dillon Bell, who was then a land agent, after which he was engaged as a surveyor under the New Zealand Company. Subsequently he received the appointment of Assistant Clerk under Mr JohnTinlinetothe Superintendent and Resident Magistrate, and on Mr Tinline resigning he stepped into his shoes, and a little later was appointed Registrar of the Supreme Court. For two years he sat as the representative of Waimea East in the provincial Council, and for three years held the position of Provincial Treasurer. On the death of Mr Poynter he was appointed Resident Magistrate, Registrar of Deeds, and Deputy Commissioner of Stamps, and after holding these appointments for three years he retired from the public service and entered into private business. In all these positions he gave very general satisfaction, and the experience he gained during his tenure of the various offices named could not fail to be of service to a shrewd and observant man such as he undoubtedly is. In 1876 he was returned aa one of the members for the city of Nelson and sat in the House of Representatives for three sessions, and during that time he did really good service to the Municipality in getting passed through Parliament an Act enabling tho Corporation to purchase from the General Government, into whose hands they bad fallen at the abolition of the Provinces, the Neleon water and gis works. For the pur-

poao of executing these works the Provincial Government had raised three separate loans amounting in the aggregats to £60,900, and the result of his negotiations with the Government and of his management of the affair in Parliament was that the Corporation was enabled to purchase theja for £40,900, thus suving to the ratepayers interest on £20,000, which was originally 8 per cent, though subsequently reduced to 6 per cent. It will thus be seen that iv bis capacity of member of the House of Representatives he did good work for the ratepayers of Nelson, who are now enjoying the fruits of his labors. To this may be added that as a private citizen he stands high in the ebteem of his fellow townsmen. It is an excellent record that Mr Sbarp can show. He has proved himself in boih a public and a private capacity a thoroughly capable man of business, and his large and varied experience cannot but ataud him in

good stead in the new office for which he has allowed himself to be nominated. As a ratepayer he is largely interested in the welfare of the town, to the promotion of which there i? every inceni ivo for hU devoting those abilities he unquestionably possesses. Ha is, too, comparatively speaking a man of loißure bo that he will be able, as we are surety will be williug, to give more time than couM be reasonably expected from one actively engaged in business to the affairs of tho ciiy. Indeed, if the ratepayers were driven to looking around amoug themselves to find a man in every way calculated to satisfactorily fill the position of Mayor, Mr Sharp is the one whose name would first ocour to them, and without the least desire to say, or eveu

to suggest, anything in the smallest degree depreciatory of his opponent), we cannot but express both the hope and the belief that

those who will be,called upon to record their votes on the 30th in&t will avail themselves of the opportunity of scouring tbe services of a gentleman who is so eminently fitted to occupy the civic chair.