THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1899. HIS WORSHIP AS “SISYPHUS."

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3675, 27 February 1899, Page 4

THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES (PUBLISHED DAILY.)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1899. HIS WORSHIP AS “SISYPHUS."

With which is Incorporated tub Wellington Independent, Established 1845.

As tho result of considerable pressure from the citizens of Wellington the-pre-sent Mayor took office, sacrificing the pleasures of a well-earned business retirement in the public interest. Mr Blair did this on the tacit understanding that he was to have a free hand to - lift , the; city out of a municipal slough of despond, and 1 bring ■ about a series of reforms -which were universally felt to be sorely needed. Through the influence of ward politics, however, it is doubtful whether, when-, Mr Blair retires from the Mayoral chair at the termination of his second year of office—as he has announced his intention of doing—he will have been able to induce Councillors to sanction-the prosecution’of a single one of thoso essential works which he has indicated from time to time , should, , in his opinion, ,he : undertaken. On Thursday night the Mayor placed a number of proposals before the Council with a view of invoking a discussion’to elicit material for future guidance; but it cannot he said j that the Council debated, them earnestly and practically.

Councillors, in the'few words they had to say, gave a mild and equivocal assent to His Worship’s suggestions; b-t there was a lack of grip, vigour, and heartiness about the speeches made, which must be very dispiriting to these who remember for what a length of tic e the subject of municipal reform has bco.i before the Council, and how often proposals similar, to those which Mr "Blair mooted on Thursday night have been discussed in the Council, by the puhl.c and through the press.

The opponents of the Mayoral programme were more emphatic, but were lacking in coherence. The To An baths first and everything else afterwards, was practically the cry of Councillors Devine, Barber and Wiliest a-.. Councillor Deviiie in particular wanted everything put off till some other time, except something in his particular war 1 the widening of Adelaide road. TW Mayor’s contention is that the £2OOO voted for the Te Aro baths is quite inadequate to provide retaining walls and other accessories for' thoroughly adequate ; and up-to-date baths divided into two parts, and pHed-with apartments whe n \hot salt-water baths may be 'obtaino:,, which are so to those suffer i....i, from rheumatic and other like afflictions. Councillors Devine, Barber and Willo ton replied in effect that the money had been voted for the baths, and if they were going, to cost any more, the oxtri amount ought to come out of ordinary revenue. - This would, of course, bo a most irregular and improper proceeding. The -Mayor’s scheme, ‘‘ therefore, being -broader • than Ahe.Giaginal proposrd, : necessitating a slight delay until arrangements are made ’ to finance d, these ward politicians have evidently made up their minds to obstruct everything else, and rest neither day • ru. r night crying “festina" Tented’ Thenignorance of all that has gone hefoio i-v either positive or assumed. ■ In either case their attitude- is not,.creditable.. Every progressivist knows how necessary it is that enabling Bills should be passed in the coming session of Parl.ament; yet the, Councillors aro either inert or factious, and their performances are very disappointing to those who have ■the welfare of the > city at heart. A plavground ' for . Thorndon has been -i ciying need for-years, yet who can s; y that the Council has shown itself earnest in seeking to make provision for it ? There is a lamentable absence of business methods about the Council as cons'.!-, tuted. Fresh blood would seem to bothe only remedy. An, amendment of the electoral system, by which all tie Councillors would be thrown out every three years, instead of in alternate batches as at - present, 'is an innovation which.recommends itself to us. It-rs ; to be feared that the Council as at present constituted is' too susceptible to “ pulls ” from outside. This was emphasised recently-when a City Father openly announced himself as the “advocate” for an interested party who was in conflict, with an officer of the Council in regard to a,' building,.by-law., A pbblic body should never conduct itself , so , 'as,-to give reason for. suspicions of any kind, If ward influences, partisan feeling, privale or sectional interests, and inveterate aversion ‘to progress should prove insuperable obstacles to-reform, it would not surprise! us to find the Mayor*retiring, heart-weary, .from a position whe'e his efforts to benefit the l 'community are rendered futile ■by the absence of support and encouragement from the Couur oil.