THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1947. THE CITY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26623, 20 November 1947, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1947. THE CITY COUNCIL

Much more decisively than they did three years ago, the electors of Dunedin have returned a Citizens’ Mayor and a Citizens’ Council. Congratulations must be extended to Mr Cameron on this convincing demonstration of his well-earned popularity. His majority of over twelve thousand votes was also an indication of the attitude of the public to the attempt of a tyro in civic affairs to claim the highest honour that they can bestow on a fellow citizen. The election of a full ticket of Citizens’ councillors puts an end to the most unsatisfactory situation of a council divided by the unreason of one section of it, and it is also a tribute to the manner in which the councillors who have been reelected performed their duties. The result, however, is of significance less as, a Victory for the Citizens’ candidates than as a defeat for Labour. Dunedin is traditionally slower to respond to changes in current opinion than are the cities of the north, but on this occasion there is ample evidence that Dunedin has resented the intrusion of Labour into local body affairs—a trend which was previously marked in the north and has again been emphasised.

There is still a steady block of votes for Labour candidates, but the results show that in a slightly larger poll—based upon a wider franchise —a greater number of those whose votes have previously been given non-politicdlly have been registered against Labour. This result, significantly, coincides with that of the local body elections in England and Scotland, and it strengthens the conviction that experience of Socialist administration at the highest, level in a country has been disillusioning. The people are turning their backs on Socialism with its penchant for concentrating all power into the hands of the State. The Labour Party cannot dispute this conclusion. It insisted that the vote should be a political one, and the people have given their answer. The fact that three members of the Government and a Labour stalwart of the Legislative Council have lost their seats on the council is an event which is of importance not only locally but also in national politics. Its significance cannot be ignored nor explained away in this wider sphere.