The Daily News. MONDAY, MARCH 11, 1901. THE REQUISITION TO MR. J. BELLRINGER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 47, 11 March 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, MARCH 11, 1901. THE REQUISITION TO MR. J. BELLRINGER.

|lt is aafe to s*y that the requisition presanted to Mr. James Bellringer on Saturday asking him to beoome a candidate' far the representation of the East Ward of the Borough of New Plymouth expresses the wishes of a very large proportion of the people of New Plymouth. It would have been a misfortune for Mr. Bellringer and the present mayor to have both been candidates for the Mayoralty, because in the. main we believe they both have '.ho confidence of a large majority of the ratepayers, many of whom would have found it difficult to choose between them. We understand it is Mr. Bellringer's intention to comply with the requeet of the requisition he will, theatfore, withdraw frpm the contest for the mayoral ohair. There is bo doubt but that the fear of the dangers of a triangular centest, always an unsatisfactory one, for the mayoralty, and the desire, as Mr. Cerkill put it, of the ratepayers to make snre of retaining Mr. Bellringer's services as a member of the Ooaacil actuated most of these signing the requisition. With Mr. Bellringer's statement that the time had tome when he should aover his oeanectio* with the Council, we must jtfin issue. We do not, and we believa there are very few ratepayers who, hold that opjuipa. Indeed we doubt very much if there is any em who could beat hi® for any position ia (the gift of the ratepayers in a straightout contest so highly are his services | valued by the ratepayers as a whole. Mr. Bellringer is a man whose services the ratepayers, if they are wise, will retain for many years. He has a ripe erporieaw and a knowledge ef the affairs pf .the Borsogjh possessed by few. So has also' qualities which go to make his »o the Borough. He is essentially om of the fesv "Men whom the last of offiaa doth not kill, Men who the spoils of office cannot buy, Men who poesess opinions and a will, Men who hare honour, men who will not lie."

Such men are not bo plentiful that we L'an afford to loss their services, At this particular juoctur?, the sc-rvicea of strong experienced men are very urgently required. The question of the loan has bren hung up lorjgenpijgh, iund as Mr. Bsllringer pointed out in his reply to the deputation, the time has come for tome action to be taken. We feel satisfied that Mr. Bellringer's return is assured, and trust that the ratepayers will associate with him, ojsp of principle and progrefs.