THE MAYORALTY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143769, 18 April 1912, Page 2

THE MAYORALTY.

Although it is to bo regretted that among those who may be regarded as tho leading and thoroughly representative citizens there are none who arc willing to offer their services to New Plymouth in the capacity of Mayor, there is at least this satisfaction, that the election is not to go by default. There are two candidates nominated, the present Mayor, Mr. G. \V. Browne, who succeeded the late Mr. Tisch in the position, and Mr. J. S. S. Medley. Tbe latter was for a period a member of the Borough Council, and therelore has sonic acquaintance with municipal work, while Mr. Browne has been a councillor for several years and for nearly a year has held the position of Mayor. His strongest supporters would probably not claim lor him that he is an ideal Mayor —such a man, indeed, ivould bo very hard to find—but it. may be said of him with every confidence that ho has a good grip of municipal business generally, that he is full of energy and enthusiasm for his duties, to which he somehow manages to devote almost the whole of his time, and that he is practical and progressive in his ideas. Taking up the late Mr. Tiach’s duties at a somewhat critical stage, he has acquitted himself surprisingly well, and we believe that municipal affairs as a ivhole are on a bettor footing to-day than when ho took tho chair. Though there are doubtless abler men in the community, there is none with the same intimate knowledge of borough affairs that Mr, Browne possesses, and his conduct of the business during the past year lias certainly not in any way weakened the confidence of his friends and supporters, Mr. Medley_ has, as already stated, had some experience of municipal affaire; ho is a good man of business; and wo do not doubt that he is prepared to devote himself as earnestly and fully as possible to tho duties of the Mayoral office should he be elected. Ho may pofisois qualities which Mr. Browne lacks, and ho may be just as eager as Mr. Browne to advance the interests of tho borough, yet when it conies to rea) practical knowledge of municipal affairs he certainly suffers by comparison with the retiring Mayor. We tear, too, that the individual members of the council have not so close an acquaintance with the details of municipal work that they can afford to lose the services of the one man who has a good grip of it and take in his place a chairman who has everything to learn. Under all the circumstances it seems to us that the burgesses would be wise, at tbe present juncture, when important works are in progress, to retain as Mayor one who has been more closely identified than anyone else with those works, and who has an incomparably better knowledge of borough business generally than the other aspirant to the office, however capable and estimable citizen he ipay otherwise be. :