A man for our city always

FORMER Wanganui Mayor Chas Poynter, who died yesterday, was still promoting the city during his final few days, his son said last night.
Mr Poynter, 68, was one of the country's longest serving mayors, having led Wanganui for 18 years from 1986 until 2004.
He died yesterday in Auckland after suffering from an incurable lung disease over the past year.
Stephen Poynter told the Wanganui Chronicle his father was still promoting Wanganui even during his final few days.
"He was talking about Wanganui all the time. It was his life, his passion," he said.
When Mr Poynter and his sisters, Amanda Poynter-Hylton and Kim Austin, visited just last Friday they were shown a glossy Wanganui brochure.
"Right to the last few days, he was very proud of Wanganui."
He had been living in Auckland for the past two and a-half years. Funeral details would be finalised today but the family was hoping it would be held in Wanganui on Saturday. Stephen Poynter said the funeral would be open to the public.
Colin Whitlock was chief executive of the Wanganui District Council during Mr Poynter's mayoralty. Yesterday he remembered him as a "man of the people".
"He was very involved with all sorts of people. He went to a lot of events and spoke to many people he was aware of what was going on and wanted to know what people were talking about."
Mr Whitlock said the 1986 closure of the railway workshops at Easttown, that caused economic hardship for many Wanganui people, occurred at the start of the Poynter mayoralty, and was a difficult time.
"Then there was the Moutoa Gardens occupation ... but he still fronted up to the issues and gave it his best shot."
The occupation made headlines around the world and Mr Poynter became a familiar face on television and in newspapers.
Mr Whitlock recalled one night, during the occupation, he had to phone Mr Poynter and tell him something the Prime Minister had said on television regarding the occupation.
"He was dog-tired but came back to council to speak with media ... I left at 2am and he was still there."
Despite his long term as mayor, Mr Poynter never lost his pride in the city or mayoralty.
"I remember he felt the same in his 18th year than he did in the first," Mr Whitlock said.
He also recalled Mr Poynter's "lovely sense of humour".
"He was very quick and very loyal. He was determined to do the right thing and that doesn't always make you popular."
Cr Randhir Dahya was Deputy Mayor during Mr Poynter's last term.
"I admired the man for his impartiality ... even though I stood against him as an opponent he treated all councillors equally and led from the front," Cr Dahya said.
"We were friends since Queens Park school days. I was proud to be his deputy," he said.
Whanganui MP Chester Borrows said Mr Poynter would be remembered as a mayor "who did things by the book".
"He took the lead during the Moutoa Gardens occupation and did a pretty good job of that as well," Mr Borrows said. "He would turn up anywhere when asked, no matter whether it was a school gala or a royal visit and I'm sure a lot of people appreciated that about him."
Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws said yesterday Mr Poynter was a widely-liked leader who had taken an active interest in every aspect of the Wanganui community.
"Chas was much loved by many. Both the council and myself extend our sympathies to his family and there will be a full civic representation at his funeral."