LADY MAYOR’S TROUBLES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7851, 13 July 1911, Page 5

LADY MAYOR’S TROUBLES

Hunnewiall, Kansas, where (says the Chicago correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle" oif May 17th) they have a woman mayor and a woman police chief, is just now a very joyous city, and the citizens are content to allow municipal government to remain practically at a standstill, whilst they watch the fight for the control of the council between the mayor and male councillors. The mayor, Mrs Wilson, having appointed her friend, Mrs Osborn, chief of the police, proceeded to appoint another suffragette reformer, Mrs Alice Hilton, to the office of city clerk. A number of the councillors, however, declined to confirm the appointment, and the mayor appealed to Governor Stubbs to remove these reactionary males from office. Mrs Wilson complained that her administration is being hampered by the obstructionist tactics of the male councillors, who, for. their part, declared that the mayor is trying to fill up all the offices with her suffragette friends. The Governor has declined to interfere, but in the meantime the mayor holds the key to the situation. She possesses the city records, and no business can be transacted until she surrenders them This she refuses to do until she is as-, sured that her wishes will be carried ■out. Sevenal oaunoil meetings have been held, but the mayor has declined to attend with the records unless councillors "promise to be good. - " "To be good,"’ of course, means to confirm the appointments oi the two ladies, whom the newspapers have dubbed the "clerkess' and "chiefess." The "chiefcss" has in the meantime been carrying out hex duties, and has made herself thoroughly obnoxious to the # local purveyors and cai'riers of prohibited liquor.