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Star (Christchurch), Issue 4245, 29 November 1881, Page 3

These may be those who entertain the opinion that the man who has proved a political rat in the Legislature — the man who has shown his nature to be treacherous in the first degree to all his political friends to whom he was bound by every consideration of honour — should be held wholly unworthy of election to any public position of distinction. We are not now going to discuss this point ; fortunately it is entirely unnecessary that we should. We candidly admit that we are unaware of any stone that can be hurled at Mr Harry Allweight on account of his munioipal oareer ; we do not say that such missiles in plenty, and big enough, are not to be found, our averment simply ib that they are not now available to oar hand. We believe that, considering his lights and limited capacities, Mr Harry All"Wright has proved a very good Mayor — a very good Mayor indeed. This being frankly acknowledged, it is -still open to question by the ratepayers of the Port, whether it is wise from a publio point of view and practically to the interests of their Borough, to have -one gentleman perpetually in office as Mayor. For instance, is it aoting fairly to other gentlemen in publio life for them to find that, notwithstanding all their efforts and years of service, tbe coveted post of distinction is given, time nt fcer time, to one who is away from the scene of his munioipal duty three months in every year, and who seems to fill the position amongst them of a kind of publio honour grab-all ? Is it not wiser to bring forward freeh blood, and to enoourage youthful talent when it makes its appearance, so that in tbe event of a collapse or failure the old horse in the stable oan be judiciously trotted out again ; for he is always at hand at an emergency'? At present Lyttel ton is in the unfortunate position of only having one mayoral string to her munioipal bow. Mr Harry Allweight has now been Mayor for some four years, and all the gentlemen living who previously held the position have long since died out of all knowledge of the duties. This on publio grounds is not desirable. The Mayoral position ia certainly not one whioh should be a close monopoly. There should be in every town at least two or three gentlemen qualified by comparatively recent experience to exeroise thg duties of judicious ex-mayoral critics of the performer in office. This we do not think Lyttelton can at present boast. We advise the burgesses of Lyttelton to .seek to make themselves more rich in a mayoral sense, and as a step towards this end to return Mr Webb on Wednesday to the Mayoral chair by placing him at the top of the poll. This preliminary contest is watched outside the Port witli very considerable interest, and the general expectation and hope is that tho munioipal youngster will win. We trust it will be realised.