MR ALLEN'S MAYORALTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25552, 3 June 1944, Page 6

MR ALLEN'S MAYORALTY

The formal valedictory motion expressing appreciation of the services of a retiring Mayor or other civic servant may tend to become, like many heartless obeisances and vapid compliments that are characteristic of Parliament, the merest rhetorical gesture. But the citizens of Dune Sin, of all classes, will be disposed to endorse with absolute sincerity, and indeed with real warmth of feeling, the resolution which may be expected to be passed by the City Council this morning setting a period to the term of Mr A. H. Allen as Mayor. Mr Allen’s six years of office have included more than four that have put an exceptional strain upon the whole community and have made particularly exacting the demands upon the chief citizen of a public that has had to bend its will to war, and at one stage to make preparations for resisting possible aggression and protecting itself against the risk of sudden attack. Mr Allen succeeded, and succeeded notably, in meeting every levy upon his time and administrative .capacity, not only in fulfilling essential tasks, including the big work of supervising the entire Emergency Precautions Scheme for this district, but also in attending a multiplicity of routine meetings and making a courteous appearance at any representative assemblages and ceremonies to which he was invited. His talent for keeping engagements, and having something useful and interesting to contribute to discussion, was such as to make him in this respect, as in many other respects, one qualified beyond most men for the discharge of the duties and responsibilities of a mayoral office. His conservatism, if his regard for precedent may be so described, which was not extended beyond prudent limits, might not fit well the mayor of New York—Mr Allen has been no La Guardia—but it did, without question, suit the sober temperament of Dunedin. He and his gracious wife will take with them upon his retirement from office the good wishes and thanks of the public for the services they have both rendered to the city.