The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, MAY 2, 1919. MR LENNIE’S DEFEAT.

Southland Times, Issue 18077, 2 May 1919, Page 4

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, MAY 2, 1919. MR LENNIE’S DEFEAT.

Mr Lennie was not very happy in his remarks at the declaration of the Mayoral poll on Wednesday night, displaying a< feeling of resentment against the Mayor, the voters, and the Southland Times. It was quite natural that the defeated candidate should be disappointed, even though he was beaten by the smallest of margins, but Mr Lennie should have accepted the verdict with the cheerfulness of a good loser. This was all the more desirable since the campaign was entirely free from those elements that cause bitterness. There was never a hot word or an objectionable personal reflection throughout the contest, and the newspapers took no part in it whatever. We cannot imagine an election in which the electors would be left more free to express their personal inclination at the ballot box, or in which their decision could be less affected by disturbing passions and side issues. But Mr Lennie appears to have been upset by the betrayal of his hopes founded on the belief that the rolling stone principle would find favour with the people. It was surely a slip of the tongue that led Mr Lennie to say “that he had stood on various grounds, but principally on what had been Mr Stead’s platform two years ago—that the Mayoralty should be more or less a rolling office.’’ No candidate is likely to command success who makes his principal plank the argument that the other fellow should be turned out. We ourselves think that Mr Lennie had stronger claims upon the burgesses than the mere fact that it was about his “turn,” but if the electors chose to suspend the rolling stone policy in order to retain the services of Mr Stead for a further term, Mr Lennie has no cause to feel aggrieved, and no justification for exhibiting annoyance. As to a compact with Mr Stead we arc not in a position to know what happened at a private conversation two years ago, but we consider it probable that Mr Lennie has placed too strong an interpretation upon what we might reasonably infer did take place on that occasion. We are certain that Mr Stead would not deliberately break a definite compact with anyone, and it was unfortunate for himself that Mr Lennie, under the sting of deft at, should infer that there had been a breach of faith. The time to make this charge was at the declaration of the nominations, not after the poll. It would have been better to have had this matter fought out to the bitter end during the campaign, than to create a suspicion now that the Mayor’s action in offering himself for re-election was not strictly honourable. Mr Lennie may not have intended to convey this meanting, but his words are open to no other interpretation. Coming to the reference to the Southland Times Mr Lennie was perfectly justified in remarking that “it seemed rather strange to him that a paper which had two years ago advocated the rolling office had on this occasion remained dumb.” Mr Lennie rather contradicted himself by stating that “the newspapers had been perfectly neutral as they should have been during the contest.” That view of course is absurd. The choice of a Mayor is not a private contest of no general interest. It is a matter of great importance to the town, and it is the duty of the newspapers lo endeavour to guide public opinion in the direction they consider to be in the best interests of the community. Where the issue is evenly balanced the newspapers can stand aloof. Had we come out in support of the rolling office principle which we advocated two years ago we would have abandoned the neutrality esteemed by Mr Lennie, and we assure him we would not have hesitated to do so had we been convinced that a change was desirable. Our silence was due entirely to our difficulty in coming to a decision as to whether the arguments in favour of retaining Mr Stead did not outweigh those in favour of returning Mr Lennie, partly on account of the desirableness of making the office go round and partly on account of his long and faithful service. This being the case we were content to have the issue entirely with- the electors. We do not mean to discount Mr Lonnie’s services to the town, or to express doubt as to his ability to fill the Mayoral chair with credit, but we have a feeling that greater maturity will give him a better equipment for the office. To our mind Mr Lennie has too sedulously cultivated popularity, he has been too eager to bo with the majority on all questions. It is in the qualities of leadership that Mr Lennie is lacking at present, and his chances would have been much brighter had he displayed a more sturdy spirit of .independence both in speech and in action. That, we believe, is also public opinion, and was the factor which prevented Mr Lennie from heading the poll on Wednesday. Against a candidate who stood even a little less high in popular esteem than Mr Stead, Mr Lennie would have won, and his experience on this occasion will be valuable if it leads him to readjust himself to public opinion. We suggest that Mr Lennie can do far better than retire wholly from public life for a period. There was nothing in the voting to suggest that he has neither the confidence nor the goodwill of the people of Invercargill, and there is ample scope for his activities outside the Borough Council. Why should Mr Lennie, for instance, not throw himself into the town-planning movement. If he were willing he could easily be selected to represent one of the interested bodies at the Conference and Exhibition in Wellington this month. Having made himself thoroughly familiar with town-planning in all its phases Mr Lennie could set himself to the furtherance of its objects in this district. Without encroaching too much on his time we believe Mr Lennie could, in this way, do more for the ultimate good of Invercargill, than a whole bunch of Councillors. Town-planning is going to be one of the most important movements in this country. Let Mr Lennie be an enthusiastic leader, and he will earn for himself a measure of gratitude and esteem that will amply reward him. If Mr Lennie takes the lesson of this defeat in a proper spirit he should find the experience a useful one. The first thing he has to do, however, is to correct the impression made on Wednesday night.