ELECTION OF MAYORS

Southland Times, Issue 17427, 20 August 1913, Page 5

ELECTION OF MAYORS

PRESENT SYSTEM FAVOURED. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August 19. A discussion took place at a meeting of the executive of the Municipal Association to-day on the clause in the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill, providing that the mayor of a borough should be elected by the Council. motion was moved by Mr Thompson. Jobneonville., that the method of election be as provided in the Bill. The Mayor of Wellington. In seconding the motion, explained that it could onlv go for what it is worth, *•* thfc Municipal Conference had thrown out the proposal. He was a democrat and believed In election by the people, but tbe position in Wellington was that practically every time a councillor went to tbe people as a candidate for th« mayoralty with an outsider as an opponent the councillor was "turned down. The motion was lost. Mr Fletcher, chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board, then moved that the election of mayor be by the municipal franchise, as at present, but that candidates should be restricted to past mayors or councillors. Under the present svstem he stated that it was often a man of wealth who was elected, perhaps with ability, but perhaps without, whereas a man who had served tha council faithfully and well was not electC*Mr Lock, Nelson, strongly opposed the motion on the grounds that it was desirable to get only the best man irrespective of whether he was a councillor After discussion the motion was lost hv seven votes to two. ... ... A resolution was carried by eight votes to one that it be a recommendation to the Government that the mayor should be .elected for two years. proposal from St. Kilda that the Mavor should serve for twelve months on ‘the council after the expiry of his term as mayor was negatHed. ,