A FINE CITIZEN.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20484, 10 December 1934, Page 5

A FINE CITIZEN.

Example Set by Lord Mayor of Sydney. OPPONENTS WON OVER. (Special to the “ Star.”) SYDNEY, December 1. As the election of a new City Council was pending, the old coun il held its last session this week. At the conclusion of business, the Lord Mayor, after thanking members for their attendance, recorded his appreciation of the services of the Town Clerk and the heads of the various departments. and went on to take leave of all the council’s employees seriatum —“ To my private secretary, to my officer, to the valiant men who have piloted me through the city streets, to my messenger, to all the messengers, to the caretaker, the lift drivers, the cleaners—thev are all my pals—l say ‘ Thank you All this was more or less to be expected, for it was well kno.vn that the relations between Lord Mayor Parker and the rank and file of the municipal staff have always been of the most cordial and amicable kind. But when the Lord Mayor, turning to the Aidermen. said: “Gentlemen, I invite you all to join me in a little refreshment,” he took his audience genuinely by surprise. Started Under Handicap. It may be remembered that this Lord Mayor took office under rather unpropitious circumstances. Alderman Parker was a member of the Civic Reform League, and by the rules he was bound to consult his colleagues about any nomination or candidature submitted to the council; but a year ago Alderman Parker—whether he was annoyed at the selfish tactics adopted by some of his colleagues or tired of endless delays and the deadlock that they had produced in municipal affairs—allowed himself to be nominated for the Mayoralty without consulting the other

Reform Aldermen, and he was elected with the help of the Labour vote. This meant open war between the new Lord Mayor and most of the council. The Reformers declined to congratulate him on his election, many of them refused at first to speak to him, and the relations between him and most of the members of his council have been strained and formal throughout the year. -*■» It was. therefore, hardly to be expected that the Lord Mayor would be prepared to treat his critics as friends; and some of the Reformers who had been loud in their denunciations of “ Parker’s treachery ” were obviously hesitating, and self-conscious. The Human Impulse. However, the human impulse prevailed, and, marshalled by the Lord Mayor, they all trooped off to his room, where, under the genial influence of sparkling hock and first-class cigars, discord was forgotten, and old friendships were renewed. Within ten minutes. Sir Samuel Walder. one of the Lord Mayor’s severest critics, had proposed his health and delivered a speech complimenting him in very handsome terms on his successful tenure of office. Other Reformers followed in the same strain, and Alderman Jock Garden, speaking for Labour, described him as “ the finest Lord Mayor in recent times.” Characteristically, the Lord Mayor gave most of the credit for his success to his subordinates, and responded by proposing the health of the council’s 3500 servants and employees. And everybody who witnessed this interesting scene—which closed with “ For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow ” and hearty hand shakes all round—seems convinced that the aldermen were quite as glad to bury the hatchet and “ make friends” as the Lord Mayor himself. Of course, it is to the credit of the Reformers that they have “ made it up ” with the Lord Mayor. For they had a well-founded grievance against Alderman Parker on account of his failure to observe the “ gentleman’s agreement ” which all members of the Civic Reform League had endorsed.

But the real season for the success of this re-union is the Lord Mayor himself. There is no doubt that the praise bestowed on him by his colleagues was sincere and well deserved. Raised to the Mayoral chair under very unfortunate auspices, Alderman Parker made it his first care to maintain the public business under his control at an appropriate level of dignity and decorum. Fully aware of the enmity that he had aroused, he never allowed any sign of personal animus to intrude into his relations with members. Quiet, dignified. and self-controlled, he set an admirable example to his council in the conduct of public affairs. When the Reformers, with ; 11-timed parsimony, tried to humiliate him by cutting down the municipal allowance voted for the entertainment of the Royal guest, the Lord Mayor refused to bargain with them He merely assured the council that when the time came, he would see that the Duke would be entertained in a manner consistent with the traditions and the prestige of Sydney. As a result, the Lord Mayor’s Ball was a splendid success, though he must have been compelled to draw generously on his private resources to make it so. Great Generosity. One of the special celebrations that he devised to mark the Duke’s visit was a dinner to over 1000 of the poor and destitute, given at his own expense at the Town Hall, where Sir Philip and Lady Game, along with the Lord Mayor and his wife, sat side by side with the workers and enjoyed those “ two hours of concord, harmony and peace” invoked by the host in his preliminary “ grace before meat.” Naturallv, such kindly generosity has made Mr Parker an unusually popular citizen. But this quiet, courageous man. cultured and intellectual, dignified and self-respecting in both public and private life, has placed the whole city under a debt of gratitude to him, and as more than one alderman remarked at their last convivial meeting, it would be a great misfortune for Sydney if he should fail to regain his seat on the council.