“LET’S VOTE.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17524, 29 April 1925, Page 7

“LET’S VOTE.”

|A -EW ELECTION 4INTS. THE MAYORAL STAKES. (Written for the. “ Star.”) Even before I left home chis morning. my wife gave me a short, pithy and thoughtful sermon based on the old text: ‘‘Election Day and How to Get Through With It.” When she finished, 1 had thoroughly made up my mind that the only way -o reduce rates would be to stack the j Hospital Board seats full of Red Feds, I empty the Harbour Board candidates ! into the estuary, and adjourn the next I City Council for cen years so that it j might make up its mind about the harj nessing of the Waimakariri. “ George,” she cried, as I slammed the gate. " George. Don't forget to sign your name in full after you vote, and be home by jix or the dinner’ll be cold.” On the tram, no one talked of anything but the election. “ Look,” said a big, dark, burly-lcok-:ng chap. "If there was only and a Chinaman standing, I’d vote for the Chinaman.” Hotter words came from the smokers' corner. “ The whole bunch of ’em arc not worth a tin of fish.” The man who removed a cigarette to vay t his j looked rather miserable at the pros- j •pect. Before the tram arrived 111 the I Square, he gave it as his opinion that Christchurch was going to the (logs, that the administration had been rotlen, is rotten and always would be rotten, and that even new it was j:referable to live in Kir wee. Quite depressed. I reached business to learn there that the municipal situation was not bait as black as it had been painted. The “boss” said straight out that what tho city needed at the present juncture was safe, sound and conservative Mayor and a safe, sound and conservative council. Curiously enough lie appeared to believe. too, , that the material was all at band for the occasion. It was only a. question of “plumping’’ for the right ticket. The word “plumping” fascinated me. I felt that I must exercise niy right as a free and independent citizen and “ plump ” good and hard for someone before the day was over. However, when the boss left the room, wo got too busv to argue over details. Jack B drew up a sweep on the Mayoral stakes. This aroused our sporting instincts to full pitch. Each man paid a hob, arid dipped into the hat, drawing aMy candidate is reported to he in good fettle He stepped out briskly this morning, and ought to stay the ’ distance this afternoon, provided he gets the support. Sg roll up and plump—it’s a free sho\t.