LANCINGS THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1919. WELLINGTON MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. The Electors' Duty.

Free Lance, Volume XVIII, Issue 972, 13 March 1919, Page 6

LANCINGS THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1919. WELLINGTON MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. The Electors' Duty.

IT is much to be regretted that Mr J. P. liiike has apparently decided not to stand for another term. As Mayor of the city Mr Luke has done some very fine work for the citizens, work the importance and value of which has not been fully appreciated by the ratepayers. He has had a large number of additional duties' and responsibilities placed upon him during the war period, and although he may have made certain small mistakes, the sum total of his achievements far outWeighs any small faults of omission or commission on his part. We should greatly have preferred to isee Mr Luke again * contest. the Wellington Mayoralty, if only that he might be given an opportunity of carrying out some of the improvement schemes which he outlined when he first assumed office. ■ * . -35- . * ■» But if Mr Luke wishes to have a rest the citizens cannot force him to again take charge of their affairs, and the question now arises who shall succeed him. At present ,there appears to "be considerable uncertainty as to who will come forward as_ candidates for the local Mayoral chair, but' it seems fairly certain that a determined _ at- ~ tempt will be made by the Revolutionary Socialist" Party to " capture " the Mayoralty, just as the same party is ambitious of '' capturing" the whole of the vacancies on the local City Council. The name of Mr Holland, M.P., is freely mentioned as that of the Red Fed. nominee for the Mayoral chair,' and so well organised is this party that it would be most unwise were Mr Holland's chances of victory to be scouted-. There is good reason to believe that the Red' Fed. party has put forward absolutely unparalleled attempts to place its supporters on the polls, whereas, on the other hand, there has been and still is no such combined and organisation on the part of those citizens who desire to see the administration of the city affairs in the hands of men who are not extremists.