Lahore’s farewell to the Governor

FOR obvious reasons, very little interest attaches to the farewell address presented by the Lahore Municipal Committee on Monday last to His Excellency the Governor of Punjab. Neither the address nor His Excellency’s reply to it contains any reference to the cause that led the Hindus to abstain from participation in the last Municipal Elections, although this matter has been agitating the minds of the Hindus of Lahore during the last year and a half. Possibly, both parties were anxious to avoid making a reference to anything that would have created the impression that the address was given by a body not fully representative of the people and therefore not claiming to give true expression to the people’s feelings with regard to the retiring Governor’s administration. After expressing the usual regret at the departure of His Excellency and paying a tribute to his administrative capacity and width of experience, and above all, his “unfailing tact and sympathy”, the address goes on to refer to the happy coincidence of the approximation of the Lahore Municipal Committee to a self-governing institution by the introduction of an elected president and the reduction of the nominated element to a minimum with His Excellency’s term of office. Opinions, have, however, always differed as to the nature of the aforesaid coincidence because we firmly believe that it is this coincidence that has made it necessary for the most advanced and influential section of the citizens of Lahore to abstain from participating in the administration of its municipal affairs. Again, it is this very coincidence that has reduced to a minimum the control over Lahore municipal finances by a class that contributes the maximum to the funds of the town.

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