CIVIC ADMINISTRATION. CHINA'S CIVIL WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19730, 1 September 1927, Page 8

CIVIC ADMINISTRATION.

CHINA'S CIVIL WAR.

The conference last evening on civic administration was regrettably shorn of much possible utility by the absence of representation from the City Council. What is required urgently, as the council itself has confessed, is a thorough overhaul of city and suburban local government. Any and every attempt to face this need seriously has an undeniable claim on the council's sympathetic attention. This particular scheme may not commend itself to councillors ; but that is no reason for refraining from co-operation in its discussion. Indeed,, if they have, on examination, found it defective, they owe it to the citizens they represent to avail themselves of opportunity to criticise. It is their clear duty to facilitate, even to initiate, discussion of so important an issue. This conference should have been called by the Mayor of the city and attended by as efficient a delegation as could be sent. The voluntary body of citizens propounding the scheme asked the Mayor to take action to have it ventilated. He gave his promise to do this. Then, without adequate excuse, let alone good reason, the promise was broken by instruction of the council. All tnat has been offered in explanation is a futile complaint about misrepresentation, a display of childish pique quite unworthy of a body with its responsibilities. This attitude is unspeakably deplorable. It must be taken for granted that any scheme of reform in methods of local government in Auckland will involve the city chiefly. Citizens ought to be able to take for granted, therefore, that those elected by them to do the city's business will aid, not hinder, discussion about it. Instead, they see the City Council playing the part of the dog in the manger. No good can come of that. Any real sense of the dignity of their position would impel councillors to take a broadminded, not a petty, attitude. Theii grievance, even if it be more than imaginary, ought to be pocketed, not foolishly aired, and their cooperation given in the investigation of a proposal that, whatever its merits, is advanced as a real attempt to solve an admittedly pressing problem. It is expected of them that they behave worthily about the city's business. A little reflection should lead the Mayor and council to retrace their steps and promote full and effective discussion of a question now exercising every serious citizen's Blind.

Events in China are now so favourable to the Northern forces that the prospect of their eventual triumph has improved considerably. Their resolute crossing of the Yangtse and the consequent flight of the Southern troops from Nanking mark an advance unprecedented in their campaign. This achievement has additional significance because of their very heavy losses when first they ventured across the rivet; a few days ago. Then, according to circumstantial reports, their ill-supported advance force of 10,000 was practically wiped out. The movement was apparently premature. That they should have succeeded despite so severe a reverse betokens a strength likely to count for much in their efforts to establish themselves in the vicinity of Nanking and to proceed southward to Shanghai. Their general in the field, Sun Chuanfang, to whom Chang Tso-lin has evidently entrusted this crucial campaign, was Shanghai's original defender against the Cantonese, and lie is bound to be eager to avenge his former defeat there and to resume control of the wholo coastal and railway region thereabouts. This would bo an almost irrecoverable setback to the Southern army, and would probably so break the prestige of its military and political leaders, already shaken by their own quarrels, that many of the Cantonese troops may bo induced to throw in their lot with the advancing Northerners. To foreign onlookers this new turn of events means a definite possibility of the re-establishment of the Peking Government and so raises the hope that ere long, although nothing can yet be accounted certain in this long struggle of warring factions, negotiations with China's nominal controllers may be reopened on a secure footing. It is true that the Southern leaders inherit from Sun Yat Sen pronounced national aspirations and a programme of promising reform, but it is equally true that, under the welcomed influence of Soviet emissaries, they have depreciated the heritage, while Chang Tso-lin and his associates, implacably opposed to this insidious influence, are just as eager for national progress. The swing of success to the Northern army is therefore to be hailed as a good omen, and the campaign s extension speedily southward must be wished as the surest means to China's regeneration. Doubtless the Southerners will fall back on Hankow. their political headquarters, and their ousting from this centre will be a taxing task; but, if the Northerners can be even sufficiently successful to dictate terms, without actually capturing Hankow, a salutary settlement of _ the internecine strife will be possible. Their possession of Nanking points encouragingly to this ending of the vexatious and exhausting struggle.