The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1912.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3639, 27 September 1912, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1912.

The result of the by-election yesterday. viz., a sic-

A Big Victory For Municipal Reform.

VUIJ y <L nal* victory for Dr. Collins,-‘must

be very gratifying to nil who arc supporting this journal’s campaign of municipal reform. By many ratepayers it was, no doubt, considered a bold stroke when the re-elected “City Father,” who was previously a staunch adherent of the present administration, decided to test public feeling on this very important matter. For our own part, however, wo have felt perfectly satisfied for some timo past that all that would be necessary to ensure the return of any councillor who was prepared to recontest his seat on the question would be a reasonably large poll. What happened yesterday must be very disconcerting to Mr i’ettio and bis supporters on the Council; but if tho result- came in the shape of a. surprise, all wo can say is that the poll lias been demonstrated to have served a

very useful purpose, as they must by this time have fully awakened to a much more exact realisation of tho public viewpoint in regard to current municipal administration. Tho victory which has beep gained by Dr Collins is, of course, all tho more marked on account of tho fact that whereas ho did not canvass for votes his two opponents fought tooth and nail to se- j euro election. In the case of Mr Anderson, it is well known that ho worked hard all day in support of his candidature, and had also the assistance of a number of friends. Mr Colley and his committee, however, went a good deal further, for in addition to the presence of helpers outside the booths a largo number of vehicles to carry supporters to tho poll were in evidence. A noticeable feature in con-' ncction with tho poll was, too, the interest which was tau.cn in tho proceedings by several of the “City Fathers,” most of whom, it is understood, were working in Mr Colley’s interests. If the voting be analysed, it will be found that as we anticipated the election resolved itself principally into a duel between Dr Collins and Mr Colley. Unhappily for tho present administration (which v/<.uld undoubtedly have been pleased to have seen Mr Colley returned), it cannot be said that tho advent of Mr Anderson into tho contest spoiled his chance's of election. As a matter of fact, if Mr Colley had obtained in addition to bis own votes those polled for Mr Anderson, he would still have been beaten by Dr Collins by close upon one hundred votes. If Mr Anderson had not stood, the probabilities are, however, that most of the votes which were recorded in his favor would have gone to Dr Collins. It will now bo noted • that Dr Collins proposes to immediately call a meeting of ratepayers, which indeed is a very proper course to adopt. As far as yesterday’s poll is concerned, all that can bo said with strict accuracy is that into his hands lias been delivered a broad but very emphatic message to the effect that clearly a largo majority of the rate- ! payers are very dissatisfied with the present state of municipal affairs. By holding a public meeting and having definite resolutions passed, Dr Collins will, however, be in a much better position to indicate to the rest of the Council what remedial steps the ratepayers feel should at once be taken in the interests of*the borough. Tc may of course happen that Mr Poitie may anticipate the situation by resigning, for no matter from what standpoint the result of the by-election be viewed, it cannot by any stretch of imagination be regarded as anything but a very solid vote of no-confidence in his administration.