THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18162, 26 April 1921, Page 4

THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Though the Mayoralty necessarily looms larger in the public mind, by reason of the fact that there are only two figures in it, there is nevertheless really more importance attaching to the election of Borough Councillors. A weak Council is more to be feared than a weak Mayor. We are convinced that if the electors study their own interests they will return Mr. T. B. Williams as Mayor, but should they not do so there is all the more reason why the best possible selection of Councillors should be made. Fortunately, the burgesses have a fairly good offering to select from. Each candidate will have his or her special appeal to individual voters, but it is to be hoped that personal likes and dislikes, predilections and prejudices will be made subservient to the common weal. We strongly commend to the burgesses the merits of the citizens’ ticket. The gentlemen constituting this ticket seem to us to be the pick of the bunch. Old Councillors subscribing to the ticket proved their worth in past days, and their presence at the Council table would be undoubtedly of great value in the time of stress through which we are passing. Those who are yet strangers to the Council table are men who have made their mark in all public and private undertakings. The citizens’ ticket has made a 'strong appeal to the burgesses; in fact, the only people who seem to have found any fault with its constitution are some disgruntled Councillors who think they should have been included. We think, however, that the ticket is to be commended on its choice of company. It is sincerely to be hoped that the citizens’ ticket will be returned and that the burgesses will make the best possible selection out of the remaining candidates. In coming to a decision as to which candidates should receive his or her vote, a burgess should ask the question: If the Borough were my own private business, would I appoint so and so one of the directors when I have the choice of this one and that one. The citizens' ticket consists of Messrs L. J. Sigley (retired master plumber), H. N. Maunder (hydro-electric engineer), E. W. F. Gohns (Government Labour Department), J. W. Crampton (returned soldier), W. S. Dustin (of Dustins' Ltd.), A. G. Halligan (master plumber), F. A. Harkness (coal merchant), H. Harris (Organiser Hy-dro-electric Power Board) and J. Donaldson (Government Railways).