The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, October 27, 1888. MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 214, 27 October 1888, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Saturday, October 27, 1888. MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country’s, Thy God's, aud truth’s.

It is hardly necessary to remind most of the burgesses of the duty which devolves upon them to-day; others of course are all the better for being gently reminded. The duty alluded to is that of electing the best man of three can didates for the vacant seat in the Borough Council, i’hose candidates are Messrs Allen Taylor, J. Ponsford, and W. L. File. The burgesses are to be congratulated on the spirit of friendly rivalry which has been created in connection with the Council. 1 here is no danger of that body being allowed to drift into a narrow channel for the want of men to come for.vard and sustain its spirit. We have now to choose between the three candidates. All of them cannot be elected whilst there is only the one seat available—that is a plain truth which it is superfluous to mention. We cannot but admire Messrs Ponsford and Taylor tor their determination, and all.circumstances being equal, they would be well entitled to the fullest confidence of those whom they seek to serve. Mr File, on the other hand, has a gift which in municipal matters may make him an unutterable bore, that is the “ gift of the gab.” There is nothing so objectionable in the conduct of municipal affairs than for those who have their management to be continually prating when they ought to be transacting their business as business men. What we want are shrewd, practical men, who can grasp the bearings of a subject and take action accordingly ; if one finds he is in a minority, then not simply to stand aside, but work for the common good. It is not a singular thing in our municipal body for a Councillor to make a suggestion with the intention of putting it into the form of a motion if it were accepted with favor, and then after a long discussion it would be seen this was not the case and it would be withdrawn. Well, to our mind, if a public man cannot move in a matter without so much indecision and waste of time, to the detriment of more important matters, he ought to remain silent. But this moralising has led us away from our point. Mr File’s talking powers might make him objectionable in the Council, but he has also an admirable listening eapacity, and can take up the thread of an argument, and wait until his turn comes to give his own opinion; so that curbing his loquacious propensities, and making good use of his other faculties, he must always carry weight. We say all this at the risk of being personal, but we prefer using plain language. We fully endorse the line of policy enunciated by both Mr Ponsford and Taylor, but in these times it must be understood that economy and equitable distribution are absolutely essential. Viewing the respect >ve qualifications of the different candidates, we may put the matter very tersely by advising the ratepayers to Vote for W. L. File.