THE MAYORALTY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2167, 16 April 1908, Page 1

THE MAYORALTY.

* [TO THE EdITOK.] Sir,—lt is fair to nssumo that Mr. W. D. Lysnnr considers his chief claim to tlie position of Mayor of this town is Ilia record ol past services on the Borough Council or other local bodies, but it is difficult to imngino how even Mr. Lysnnr can view tlioso performances with prido. Ido not think that his supporters can point to one solitary instance whore he has proposed and carried any resolution of marked importance to tho town, but on tho contrary will discover an almost unbrokon chain ol’ l'utilo obstruction and waste of time, marked by remarkable •.ignorance and almost unlielievablb distortion of facts and figures. While it is generally understood that ho takes credit i'or the To Aral water supply, a roforouco to the records of tho Borough Council’s mootings will show that ho was tho only councillor who consistently obstructed it, his favorite schemes being alternately the Waimata'River or tho Willows frog pond/ tho former being a costly pumping schemo ainl both furnishing water of unsuitable quality. Ho obstructed inch by inch the engineer’s proposals, and, had the Council given way,would liavo loaded lis with cast-iron pipes at a cost of some £69,000, as against £38,370 lor spiral pipes. In spite of this attitude of consistent opposition, be bad the assurance to congratulate the pcoplo upon following liis advice when tho proposals wore carried His attitude of obstruction and opposition to the Roebuck Road Bridgo will be vividly remembered by tho ratepayers of Whataupo'ko and West End. Personally I favor a full and free discussion at a loiter date of tho Outer Harbor scheme, for I believe it to bo economically practicable and extremely desirable in tho interests of tho town and district, if it can be shown that the scheme will give us all that is claimed for it in. the way of shipping facilities. Unfortunately, Mr. Lysnar also favors tho Outer Harbor scliomo, and-by his noisy and illogical advocacy, together. with his characteristic figures, nearly succeeded in wrecking the Enabling Bill when before tho Local Bills Committee of the House. In fact, ho undoubtedly would liavo done so, if it had not been for tho largely-signed petition sent down'from Gisborno to Parliament. Tho opinion of Mr. Lysnar held by members on both sides of the House can be gathered from the references to him by tho Chair-

man of tho Local Bills Committee (Hansard, Sept. 4, pago 674), and it was only after ho had returned to Gisborno that members were again induced to consider the Bill, instead of shelving it for another session. Even in this matter tho interests of tho town did not seem to loom largely in Mr. Lysnar’s eyes, for no doubt ho would admit that he was largely instrumental in arranging for tho harbor rate to be half ini k the County of whatever may be levied in the Borough. It is difficult to understand by what process [of reasoning ho came to the conclusion that this would bo fair, for, doubtless, with characteristic oblivion of liis own interests, ho had forgotten that ho wa6 a largo County ratepayer. One could fill your columns, sir, with an analysis of this gentleman’s peculiarities, and before tho election I shall probably have more to add to these remarks, as I conceive it the duty of every burgess to think well before ho casts his vote to place a man in an honorable position which should be filled with dignity and credit to the Borough. If an obstructionist can be called Progressive, then Mr. Lysnar' is the progressive man his supporters allege, and if the town;..desires to see its Council in a perpetual state of unprofitable turmoil, thou tile burgesses should support liis candidature. Before I close, let me draw your attention, Sir, to an idiosyncrasy of Mr. Lysnar’s supporters, which is that their letters to the papers avo anonymous. On occasions it may be advisable or desirable for a writer to seek the shelter of a Horn de plume, but it is certainly peculiar that—as far as I can trace —on no siuglo occasion, in all 'Mr. Lysnar’s many election campaigns, has one of liis supporters been “game” to sign liis full name to a letter. —I am, etc., W. L'ISSANT CLAYTON.