The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1909. A MAYORAL POLICY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2538, 26 June 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1909. A MAYORAL POLICY.

We are by no means certain that Dr Collins made a wise move in inducing the Borough Council at its last meeting to request the Mayor to formulate a policy lor the guidance of Councillors during the present year. Theoretically the idea may seem a ■ good one, for everyone knows that aimless and spasmodic efforts are usually productive of poor results. It is well that, wherever possible, q fixed line of action should bo laid down in regard to important municipal undertakings, but it by no means follows that this policy should come from the Mayor. As a matter of fact His Worship’s views on certain matters are, m our opinion, so impracticable that their enunciation would serve no purpose, other than to introduce an acrimonious and unsatisfactory debate. Properly s,peaking, tlur Mayor has no greater voice in fixing the municipal policy for, the year than lias any ordinary councillor, and to invite him to formulate one is to invest him with an importance which neither his position nor his abilities warrant. Do Dr. Collins and those other councillors who supported him suggest that Mr W. D. , Lysnar’s knowledgey of borough requirements is so vastly superior to that of several other councillors who could, he named, that his policy shbuld be preferred as a basis for action during the present term? If must be remembered that the Borough Council proceedings are by no means analogous to those .of Parliament. In the House of Representatives the Premier very properly announces the policy of the Government on all important matters whilst private members have exceedingly restricted powers in regard tos'the’ ipitiatioh of legislation. In the Borough Council, however, the Mayor, xfitli the exception that he has been given, as a matter of convenience, a casting vote, has no more power so far as the. promotion of legislation is concerned than any other councilloi. Ho is merely the chairman of a public body iA tho same way that Mr John Townlo'y is chairman of the Harbor Board/ Captain Thicker of the Cook Count/ Council,, and Mr John Bright of the Hospital Trustees. No one would dream lof asking any one of those gentlemen to propound a working policy for his respective body. If,he eared to do so ifit the beginning of his term well nffcl good. Hi's declaration might be fuseLiT as a basis of future action, but fonly if ho himself were a man of fpeco 1 constructive ability. ' In any cast/.

to do so. Tho Borough Councillors who supported Dr Collins’ motion mentioned many things concerning which they wanted tho Mayor’s views. But why the,, Mayor’s views ? Their own views' and their pledges to the ratepayers are what they should be concerned about. It may be -suggested that the Mayor can, if he chooses, in tho interests of some secret undeclared policy, keep back from the order paper important matters or havo thorn introduced in such a form that they will prove unworkable. Here again • tho ordinary standing orders provide ample safeguards. The majority of the Council can, by resolution, determine the municipal policy oni any matter and- can likewise fix tho order of sequence in which the various subjects shall be dealt with. So far as we can ascertain the only possible advantage of securing a polioy statement from the Mayor is to pin him down to a line of action from which he cannot-subsequently diverge without laying himself open to adverse criticism. On, the surface this may appear to be of benefit, but our own experience of Mr Lysnar suggests that the statement would not bo worth the getting. In any case it seems decidedly unfair that Ilis Worship should be subjected to such a procedure, .and wo question very much whether any of the Councillors would care to be tied down in the manner! that it is proposed the Mayor should be. Moreover, His Worship is already on record as regards his opinions on most public questions, and would-be critics have abundant matter available should they desire to utilise it. Such an antagonistic attitude, however, would be regrettable. There is some capital material on the new Council, and if members could only come to some mutual agreement so as to expedite business, splendid work could be accomplished for’ the Borough. Unfortunately there is a marked tendency on the part of some members to -< talk to the gallery whilst the habit of discussing in full Council all sorts of trivial questions tends to unduly prolong the proceedings. Sub-committees have been appointed and these should deal absolutely with all routine matters, leaving but formal confirmation to be given by the general body. If the question of slutting a street lamp, putting a few loads of shingle on a crossing, or emptying some dust bins, after having been referred to the Works Committee has to be subsequently discussed in open Council, one may reasonably ask, “Why not abolish the sub-committees?” If minor ' matters were disposed of in the way we suggest the Council would then have an opportunity of dealing with the larger problems that confront the community without beiug called upon to sit after ten or eleven o’clock. In these matters lead might fairly be expected from His Worship the Mayor, hut, as he fails to give it, the responsibility comes back immediately upon the rest of the Council, who have full power to determine by'direct resolution what the policy of the Council shall be on all matters that come within the scope of its operations.