THE COLONIST. FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 1919. THE LOCAL ELECTIONS.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15044, 11 April 1919, Page 4

THE COLONIST. FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 1919. THE LOCAL ELECTIONS.

It is unfortunate that the local elections this year should fall in siich close contiguity to the licensing referendum. The Dominion is torn asunder by a campaign of such vehemence and energy as has rarely stirred the country, and it is improbable that the issue will have been finally decided by April 30th. These distracting conditions are far from conducive to the atmosphere in which it is desirable that other matters of great public importance should be approached. The elections will be unduly hurried, since it has been impossibLe up to the present to secure any popular attention to anything but the liquor question, though the time is long past when under normal conditions local politics would have been. very much to the fore, and the selection of candidates in hand. .This is, ■ as we have said, very unfortunate, but we must make, the best of it and hope that the undesirable consequences which not infrequently result from a rush election will be avoided. The Nelson electors will have ( plenty to occupy their attention in the brief period which is left to them, since on April 30th they will have to select not only a Mayor and Council for the ensuing term, but also the city representatives on the Harbour Board and the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, all-of them bodies handling affairs of the utmost moment to the public, and all of them likely to be occupied in the near future with! business of unusual importance to the district. The election of the Nelson School Committee will also take place on the same date. The only lead given so far is in connection with the Mayoralty, a large and thoroughly representative deputation on Wednesday paying Mr. W. W. Snodgress the well-deserved compliment of asking him to accept nomination for re-election. Mr. Snodgrass* mayoralty has been marked by energy, vigour, and prudence, and the end of his term of office finds the city in a much better position financially than it was two years ago, while there has certainly been no noticeable deterioration in any of the'public services, but rather the reverse. Mr. Snodgrass has undertaken the part that rightly belongs to the Mayor of leading and directing the policy of the Council, and he has proved himself to be a sound and capable administrator. We do not intend here to discuss in detail the course of municipal affairs since the last election, for which.no doubt ample opportunity will occur later. Suffice it to say that the Mayor and a courageous Council have grappled with and overcome many serious difficulties. They have done much to place municipal government on a sound basis, and have generally given the public cause to view with satisfaction the regime of the last t\*o years.