The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, 22ND JULY, 1878.

Southland Times, Issue 3154, 22 July 1878, Page 2

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, 22ND JULY, 1878.

- • Onb election is just relegated to the past, and another takes piece to-day, but one that will not excite political ferTopto the decree unavoidable in contests like that of Wednesday last, when the two parties of the State met face to face at this end of the colony, and tussled for tbe mastery. The. election of to-day is to decide who shall occupy the honorable position of Mayor of the town, and although very decided opinions are held on the subject, yet all that may be anticipated is a local Bkirmish, sharp for tbe time being, but evanescent in its disturbing effects. This disturbance, however, does not lack healthy influence, for it brings people face to face, promotes interchange of ideas, and induces iot a few whose habits incline to the reclusive, to emerge from their retirement, and rub off the rust that insensibly collects about those who neglect to practice the duties of every day sociability. " At first three candidates- came forward to contest the position, Messrs Hatch, tbe present Mayor, Kjngslabd, and Lumsden. There were, 'however, two questions at issue, firstly, the occupation of the Mayoral chair, and secondly, tyjkd more important still, the question of cons' itu tional privilege. It cannot, be denied tbat a very decided feeling of disapprobation has been excited amoagst the great body of the ratepayers by tbe autocratic tendencies of the present Mayor. He bas on one or two occasions, notably in the disposal of the Corporation gas plant, that came out in the Ann Gambles, displayed an arbitrariness quite at variance with the duties of bis position. These, whilst admitting a certain independence en his part, aa the conductor of tbe deliberations of the Council, do not authorise him to ignore the advice of his Council, or to transact extraneous business, involving large mone? tary expenditure, without first consulting those with whom he is associated, and who represent, the ratepayers, the source of supply. Mr Hatch aims at too much power, he is inclined to kick over thetraces, to overestimate his own ability, { to underrate that of others, and to arrogate to himself uncontrolled authority . These are very dangerous leanings on the part of persons entrusted with the admin, istration of law, and cannot be too narrowly watched and promptly checked. Then again there is open rupture between him' and the whole of the Council. Virtually a motion of want of confidence bßs been tabled against Mr Hatch ; the Councillors unanimously object to bis presidency, and in the event of his re-election one half or more of them talk about resigning. This is a current rumor. These considerations led to the caucus of tbe supporters of tbe two other candidates, that was held on Saturday afternoon, pp make arrangements for the retirement of one of. them, for it was evident tbat two running on one ticket againßt a third would be tantamount to giving bim the odds, and as reported elsewhere, Mr Kingsland was voted out, The reason of this was not Mr Jpngsland'a unworthlness, but that Mr Lumsden, if returned, would, it was thought, be uninfluenced by those differences which have of late so militated against the' harmonious transaction of municipal, business. ,It was argued -that as Mayor tie would be more likely to promote unanjmi ty, a and smooth .down those, rugosities.which have so disfigured the Council's proceedings.. We wish the choice bad Fallen the other way, -but, the {majority

having willed it otherwise, the position t has to be" accepted, and' Mr Lumsden, we believe, will prove' no leas, k competent now than , he was in ' aayifiioiie by, when - he; : filled, xatffc | the Miyorati *cham- * 'fcnVposition of chief citizen* t>f such V v town as tbie one is invested with a dignity that ought to be reflected By him ■pon whom the honor of occupying it is conferred. We cannot say that Mr Hatch - nWsutfetfeded in" tbie*during his term of i office. He is an indiscreet speaker,; and ! - 'no ver was his indiscretion so glaringly m ' mahif eSted^aerat- the meeting-heTbeld^ on* Friday night.^The s^^^a^dresß a he*tbe#deli "' vered~in" justification- of J his -action- inmatters mun^Cirjal^was: ;dis|racefullsp)erand, we regret'to say, tinctured by f mendacity. !J f Mr Hateh ' displayed fyerjj. v low form indeed in epeaking ashe did of ' his associatfeß in the Council, and Scatter-' : ing flitid ! broadcast upon ail and sundry ; who^tiappMed to disagree with him?; It ; waajndeedan e?,parfe statement, 'a tir-? -&de"' i bi abuse},; "an 'eXhifcifib'n' of low ' 3 eomedy, anything but in keeping.wjlth the ' character ofa Mayor. '. Mr Hatch allowed ;biß tongue io run away with him. ,'ljjjproved a most, unruly member, and al . though the humor of the address excited j rifibiiity, it lef t a disagreeable impression; , the reputation of ithe community had no» : been elevated by it. Tbe aspersions Mr Hatch cast v upon -*he Councillors -will doubtless be refuted by them.but he went out of his way to indulge his penchan' for vituperation in personally attacking the reporter of this journal, and iroputins the most unworthy moti^ea to dim. Asa rule public men ere' sufficiently enlightened tcT understand -the exact; status o' press representatives, and carefully avoid' personal allusions to. them. It is hot the reporter but the paper itself with which they have to deal. - We are happy, to say that during a long course of journalistic experience we ne.yer. heard of a public man so committing himself as Mr Hatch did in the personality we complain of. His breach of decorum was in this case aggravated by its untruthfulness; half a dozen witnesses can.be produced to attest to the veracity of the report challenged by Mr Hatch. We write thus because an occasion has arisen compelling us to extend the c agir of the v - press over our representative. If there were no other reason than Mr Hatch's pronenets to trench upon tbe: prerogative ofth« people, we should be inclined' to oppose bis candidature, but when his exhibition of Friday night is taken in conjunction with this, his unfitness for the coveted position becomes painfully manifest. Mr Hatcb, would we think, derive much benefit from s short retirement into private li^e. As for Mr Kings land, we- must say thai ; his self-abnegation, and the cheerfulness j with which he responded to the advice of his supporters, reflects the highest credit on him, and will no doubt ensure hia return another time. .