The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Lines." MONDAY, MARCH 31, 1919. THE MAYORALTY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17535, 31 March 1919, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Lines." MONDAY, MARCH 31, 1919. THE MAYORALTY.

Tf it is true, as it undocxW edly is, th*.t there never was a time 6i this earth when the quality of statesmanship w- s at a greater premium than now, it imi-st be admitted that the n«e^ in relative proportion is as acute in our civic life as it is in the wider domain of national and international affairs. The dictum of the cynio is that the gcod or ill iepresentation of a commurHy approximates with mathematical accuracy to the desserts of the community. The cynio who formulated this dictum ce> tainly did not; launch an empty sarcasm. The plain meaning of his übe is that :i> by virtue of their democratic rights the people do the choosing of their representatives they alone r.r-s accoun^ able for the choice. Li 'tlm there is unquestionably a arge measure -;<t truth. It would not La difficult fo.* any intelligent citizen to point to n apt local illustration of the fact that careless selection results in mcomparent representation. From the point of view of administrative ability and all-round qualification for the positions they occupy, the proportion of weaklings to strong men on ou-* public bodies L large enough to be'painfully apparent. Under normal conditions this element of weakness wher? there ought to be strength is inimical to the best interests of the communry; its continuance in the days aheal would be an inexcusable folly. The time has cOme for the electors to ,«ee to it, if they wouJd be true to their ovn best in-

terests, that those forces are composed ] only of FIT MEN ready and wiping and oualified to undertak? the arduo as -itH-ios and responsibilities o" ACTIVE SERVICE. Character, ability, irtegriiy, coupled with an honest determination to serve unselfishly—these are the qualifying attributes of the men \v\v> are needed for the safe and proper oonduct- of oncivic affairs. The municpal elections are to take place on the 30th of neit month. The first essential is, of course, a sufficiency of suitable candidates o enable the electors t> efficiently strengthen the personnel of the Borough Council. We hay«? veason to believe that in this partioui rt r the nominations will not prove disappointing, the names of several lii.'.hly-esteemed citizens being freely mentioned as probable candidates. Exit in our opinioi, an opinion which we beli»ve. is wida.y, shared among all classes of the community, the place where change is most urgently needed is in the office m Mayor. It was never intended thr.t ihe highest honour withi i the gift of the citizens should become the monopoliser privilege of one man, and a reign of eleven years, such as Mr Maokay has enjoyed, is too lon^ for ihe good of the community. » M- Mackav, liowever, thinks different!?, and is evidently quite prepared to go on moa> polising the office as long as the electors will allow him to do so. He hup uppnrently adopted as his "woricius motto the slogan with which he slew his last opponent, but wear? strongV jof opinion that the elebtcis ndll on th'tc occasion demonstrate conclusively their conviction that while "olu; man, on*? job," may be sound enough as a gener.il principle, it must always, to be acceptable, be applied in accorifvnee with ;he fundamental doctrines of dtmocriey. But apart from Mr Mackry'e unduly long monopoly ot the Mayoralty, the -c ire other reasons why lih shouldl le lelegated" to private life. The wot'K ahead of the Borough Ctvmcil requiws that the man at its head shall be strong, capable, fearless, thorough'v practical, and inspired' by the singe desire to promote the welfare of ;i;l classes of the community, sr.d we thiak we are safe in assuming tUat Mr M.tckay is not the man for «; task of th vj description. The electors, v:e feel sure, are fully alive to the desirability'«>f making a change. All th' y have bee.i waiting for, hoping for, indeed, is • n-j announcement of a candidate possessed of the requisite qualifications, and the re will be a widespread feelias: of saJtisfAction throughout the community whin it becomes known that Councillor L. J. Si^ley has finally consented to he nominated for the Mayoralty. Durinp. the six years he has 86*v»d the burgesses on the Borough Council, he hns fully justified their confideoe, not onn kv his zealous and oons-. rentious dcv >■ tion to the duties of a Courcillor, but fcven to a greater degree by his ooispicuously outspoken adherence to Ins convictions. Having nu political a.<e to grind, and actuated solely by nn unselfish desire to furthe* the best m--1 torests of all whose privilnro it is to call Wanganui their home town, Cr. Sigley has never hesitated to subordinirr his personal interests to the pub'.io iweal. He has proved himself to ;? a man of high moral couraae, a hatar of shams and humbugs, an able and experienced ndminiHrtrator> and an unwavering stickler for gquara dealing bot.n with the public and the individual. An ardent opponent of anything savouriag ef Bolshevism, he has <*hown himself to ibe an equally ardent anc genuine chavirnon of the great body of fnir-minded and law-abiding workers from wihose ranks he has risen to the position of *o ' employer. In short, we do not thiak there could at tliis monunt be found within the community aivOther man more eligible to take on t•• onerous re^ feasibilities of the Mayoialty, or one in whom tie electors eouid with greater and more justifiable assurance pla:e their trust. It was, we understand O. Sigley's intention to retire trom trit> Council. He has, howe7er, yielded to the insistent request of a largely signed requisition, and to th; urgent appeals of individuals representative ot all sections of the community. , Accepting nomination as a public duty, he enters the contest wit's a wholehearted determination to justify to l-><d | i.tmost extent of his abil'ty the <»v_ | pectations of the citizens who look to j him to set tn^ municipal house ;u

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