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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5666, 28 May 1879, Page 2

Mr. W. Hutchison has been elected Mayor of Wellington by a majority of thirty-five votes. We sincerely hope that he may prove worthy of the confidence reposed in him. We had not expected him to be elected, neither did we consider him entitled to the honor ; but inasmuch as a majority of the citizens have shown their faith in him, we accept their verdict with as much complacency as possible,- and intend to try hard to believe that we have been mistaken in our estimate of his character. We are confident that no condolences are required by Mr. Hunter it is within our knowledge that he accepted his nomination as a candidate only after extreme pressure had been put upon him by his friends, who urged him in the interests of the city to come forward and to offer himself for election. Mr. Hunter’s health is not robust. . His duties as a Mayor, if he had been elected, added to his work as an for the city, would have taxed his physical powers very severely; and while we think he deserves the thanks of the citizens for having proffered his services, we certainly feel that, on more selfish andpersonalgrounds, Mr. Hunter may congratulate himself upon having been spared the onerous and thankless duties attached to the Mayorship of this city. On public grounds, we believe that the election of the present Mayor is a matter of regret, because he takes office as. the declared and avowed enemy of his colleagues and of his officers. A commander, who is at variance with his subordinates, and unpopular with his men, hardly ever achieves success either as a disciplinarian in the camp or as a general in the field, and most unquestionably Mr. Hutchison enters upon his office under such like great difficulties. We trust that in the

interests of all concerned, all feelings of bitterness and personal animosity will be set aside, and that the Council will bow to the fate which has saddled them with a chief they, would never have chosen for themselves, and endeavor to further the work entrusted to them, disregarding all personal considerations. For our own part we believe that a Mayor elected by his fellow Councillors in the same manner as the chairman of a county council or a road board, would enter upon his duties with a far greater likelihood of achieving a successful issue than under the present system, and though we feel bound to congratulate Mr. Hutchison upon his success in attaining the post he desired, our congratulations must stop there. We have an uneasy feeling in our mind that Mr. Hutchison as Mayor, is at present like a young bear with all his troubles to come. Under the circumstances the most charitable thing we can do is to wish him well out of them. Mr. Hutchison knows that in these columns he is certain of a fair field, and, wo need scarcely add, no favor. The personal friends of Mr. Hunter will, no doubt, be able honestly to congratulate him upon his lucky escape from au onerous and harrassiug office. We sincerely hope that time may prove that the voice of the majority has been a safe guide upon this occasion, and shall patiently abide the resultof their decision. We regret that the support we have given to Mr. Hunter has been so trammelled by circumstances that it cannot possibly have been of much service to his cause.