THE MAYOR AND THE LOAN PROPOSALS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2690, 21 December 1909, Page 4

THE MAYOR AND THE LOAN PROPOSALS.

• To the Mayor we offer our hearty congratulations upon what was largely a personal triumph. His tactics, of which we cordially disapproved, and which were condemned by many of his own supporters, were justified by the result. It is characteristic of the man that he should have adopted the methods he did. Nine out of ten men in simila-r circumstances would have taken the easier course, and in this case the just one, of submitting the issues in separate form. But if there is a difficult way to handle a problem William Douglas Lysnar can be depended upon to choose that way. Then, having created unnecessary obstacles, lie sets out to overcome them, and by his remarkable pertinacity usually succeeds. In this case lie forced his views through the Council in such a manner as to rouse the fiercest antagonism on the part of some of the members. Then he presented them to the ratepayers in a form that simply invited disaster. But during the weeks preceding the poll lie has worked with unceasing energy. From early morn until late at night he has been engaged’in the task of converting ratepayers to his way of thinking. Wherever two or three have been gathered together there His Worship lias been on hand, never too tired to give information, never too impatient to go studiously through his municipal course. In a town whore apathy and mediocrity are unduly prominent, his whole-hearted enthusiasm and extraordinary energy have provided a shining • example of patriotic zeal. Neither time nor money has been spared by him to gain his ends. Naturally, the opposition, in sporting parlance, has been ‘deft standing.” Many of the gentlemen who opposed the loan proposals were in their own way quite as patriotic as he, but lacking the leisure and the means to give effect to their views, His Worship was left with a clear field. His enthusiasm infected his supporters, and they too have worked with commendable zeal. Such energy can scarce fail to succeed, and much as we disagree from His Worship on many points, we can frankly express our admiration of his marvellous energy, his tireless persistency, and the singleness of purpose with which he pursues a given object. And now lie has his reward in being given a chance that comes to few men. As the heat! of the municipal executive, he can superintend the spending of a sum large enough to completely change the aspect of the town. Properly expended, the .loan just sanctioned should result in Gisborne taking the place it is entitled to occupy, and ultimately ranking amongst the leading cities of the Dominion. That time is far yet, but the opportunity is now provided to build for that future, and it is given to Mr. W. D. Lysnar to have more to do with the building than any public man the district has yet produced. We trust that His Worship will realise that ideal. He has man) admirable qualifications, and on the other hand he has other attributes that are not so desirable, but these we hope to see toned down as the years move on. At any rate, in assisting to forward the destiny of the city that is to be, His Worship can count upon the co-operation of this journal, and he can likewise rest assured that he will never lack wholesome criticism when occasion demands it.