“IMPECCABLE” MAYOR

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 650, 30 April 1929, Page 8

“IMPECCABLE” MAYOR

MAYORAL CONTEST SIDELIGHTS MR. VAILE ANSWERS CRITICS j At his Remuera meeting last | evening, Mr. H. E. Vaile, candiI date for the Auckland mayoralty, answered criticism of his policy, and selected for comment other j critics who had registered a change of heart toward the sitj ting Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon. The candidate quoted from yesterday morning’s “New Zealand Herald,” in which the leading article had said: Of Mr. Baildon’s two terms, it must be said they have been impeccable in conduct, but absolutely without inspiration or drive in policy. To the amusement of the audience, Mr. Vaile read the dictionary interpretation of the word “impeccable”.as “not capable of sin; exempt from the possibility of doing wrong,” and, with carefully chosen satire, referred to Mr. Baildon as “the Mayor of absolute perfection.” Mr. Vaile then went back to February 16, 1927, when the same critic had published the following comment upon Mr. Baildon as Mayor of the city: “ . . Those who are content with the record of liis term as Mayor will welcome his candidature. But his staunchest supporters cannot be insensible to the dissatisfaction that is felt and expressed throughout the city. Public opinion to-day is vastly changed since Mr. Baildon was elected. An impression had then got abroad that the city authorities were going too far and too fast, and that they were spending too much money. Mr. Baildon was offered as a corrective for this recklessness, whose disposition would be to maintain a steady pace and check any tendency toward impetuous adventures. This estimate of his character and his policy has been amply justilied. The optimistic enthusiasm which formerly characterised the atmosphere of the Town Hall has been stifled; zeal and activity have been subdued; and lethargy and hesitation i>laced in control. “ . Its (the council’s) whole record has exhibited an extreme dread ui£ responsibility. It has seemed to be determined only to do nothing, lest by doing anything it should get itself into public disfavour. To patriotic citizens, the prospect of a continuance of this paralysis must be deplorable. . .” Mr. Vaile quoted from further articles showing a strong condemnation of Mr. Baildon, and asked his audience to judge upon this sudden change of front.