PARTY POLITICS IN LOCAL ADMINISTRATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23515, 1 June 1938, Page 12

PARTY POLITICS IN LOCAL ADMINISTRATION

TO THE EDITOR Sir, —During the recent Mayoral campaign Mr A. H. Allen was frequently heard to decry the admission of party politics into local and civic administration. There are still many people who doubt the wisdom in this policy. Such people would be wise to listen to the words of the Mayor of New York City, in a locally-shown picture called “The March of Time.” Some of the remarks made by this popular little Mayor are more than faintly reminiscent of the remarks of our own honest little Mayor. In many respects the similiarity between the two men is astonishing. We heard a lot about the rumoured unpopularity of Mr Allen in some circles. Apparently the Mayor of New Yoi'k has had the same experience, as is suggested by these words which he used, “It is impossible to be a good fellow and a good Mayor.” He also said, “When politics step in, ability steps out.” I am sure that anyone seeing this picture cannot but be impressed by the relentless manner in which the Mayor of New York set about cleaning up the graft and corruption in his city. It will impress those people who favour Labour’s ways, too, because this man was obviously one of the people and himself a worker. He saw the danger of any political influence in civic administration. and it did not take him long to let partisans know that what he said to this effect was not just electioneering, but that he meant every word of it. Those who know or know about Mr A. H. Allen’s sterling qualities can rest assured that our new Mayor is the New Zealand counterpart of the bold little Mayor of New York. They are both blunt, straight-speaking, fearless and absolutely incorruptible. Dunedin, like New York, has a lot to be thankful for in her new Mayor. It may be only fair to add that Mr Allen can lay claim to a degree more dignity than his New York counterpart.—l am, etc., Wallace Todd. Dunedin. May 31.