The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1904.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXX, Issue 12351, 19 April 1904, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1904.

The field having been cleared for Mr Craigie he was yesterday declared duly elected Mayor of Timaru for the ensuing twelve moEths. Even when there were other candidates and it was thought, that they would go to-the poll, the ratepayers appeared to take but a very" small amount of interest in the matter.'. Yesterday no one but Mr Craigie's nominators were present at the Borough Council Chambers at noon, and the Returning Officer had nothing to do except make the declaration. This is the third year in which Mr Craigie has been Mayor of Timaru, which may be taken as good evidence that he has given satisfaction. ; He ha? been an efficient.Mayor, and has invariably been to the front when wanted. We have nothing to say against the claims of others • who at the outset thought that they would try the temper of the ratepayers. Had those candidates or either of them gone to the poll they would, no doubt have secured a certain amount of support, but still we believe ■ that Mr Craigie would have been successful. He has had leisure; or has been able to make leisure, for the performance of the duties of his office, and it is only fair to say that he has not spared himself. He has dona hjs best to carry out the wishes of the Borough Council, and has sometimes given them a lead. It is to be hoped that during his present term 61 office further substantial progress will be made in the carrying out of borougli' improvements. To a considerable extent the policy of pushing municipal works ahead by the judicious expenditure of borrowed money was suggested by him, and he is deserving of credit on that account. It would be nonsense to say that no mistakes have been mode, but we suppose they ought, to be charged against the Council at least as much as against the Mayor. There has not always been a judicious selection of authorised work to be gone on with first, and complaints on that score are still being made Perhaps the oveiseer or engineer, wo forget which is his proper title, has not always exercised his discretion very wisely, and the Borough' Council may occasionally have accepted his advice too readily. On the whole, however, municipal matters have been carried, on creditably during both Mr Craigie's terms of office. The lengthened experience whicli he has now had should be useful to him in the future.