MR KIRK AND THE MAYORALTY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3809, 21 April 1913, Page 6

MR KIRK AND THE MAYORALTY.

CTO THE EMTOn.I Sir, —By Saturday’s issue of the “Times” I learn that Mr Kirk has yielded to the requisition of certain of our ■well-meaning citizens, and, proba-well-meaningo citizens, and, probably bly against his own better judgment, has decided to again offer his candidature upon us. Some period back I really thought that Mr kirk would forbear from pushing his barrow in the election circus, but the glamour of the limelight, the blare of the trumpet, and the boom of the big drum have prevailed. Mr Kirk must have unlimited ideas of his own ability and an exceedingly poor opinion of our worthy citizens, Dr. Collins and Mr John Sheridan, when he says that he could give one hour per diem only to the affairs of the borough, and that he hoped some other suitable ratepayers would be found for the occupancy of the Mayoral chair. I reckon lie has publicly insulted both of tliCin. Whatever ability Mr Kirk may possess in his own particular phase of life, whatever may be his qualities amongst his own select- coterie of business men, and whatever may be the worship bestowed upon him by a small portion of the community, he oversteps the mark of wisdom and of sober judgment when he simply asks us to place in hands which hold ho satisfactory policy, the management of a business concern in which is invested several hundreds of thousands of pounds. This bald statement is justified when wo consider that Mr Kirk deems one hour per day as sufficient time to devote to the Borough and its enterprises. No sane business man would tolerate such a proposition if applied to some private enterprise. It does not matter how efficient the various heads- of the different departments may be, nor how smoothly may be working the various units of the vast and incongruous municipal machinery, the effective and successful prosecution of our municipal affairs could not he undertaken in the limited time Mr Kirk proposes to devote to them—if he finds himself in the Mayoral cliair. To continue, Mr Kirk is nothing ir not an idealist. He has outlined an ideal programme for the welfare of the borough, which must from its very ambitiousness be doomed to failure. To dream dreams of future greatness appears to be a weakness of too many candidates for Mayoral honors, but what is imperative to lift the affairs of Gisborne out of the slough of despond is to have a man at- its Helm who is not only fearless and just in his criticisms, and a man who will- not deviate one iota from the hard, stern path of duty, but also a man -who is above all prepared to sacrifice all his time if necessary on behalf of the ratepayers.—Yours, etc., A RATEPAYER WITH A STAKE.