PUBLIC OPINION.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 189, 24 April 1914, Page 2

PUBLIC OPINION.

A COLUMN FOR THE PEOPLE

The Mayor.

TO TIIE EDITOR. 1 , Sir, —ln tliij issue will bo found the notice nl a public meeting called for th = purp.se of initiating n movement to rtknowlertga the servicer rendered to our borough by cur Mayor. It is net my intention at present to take no your valuablo apace to state my views on debateable matters of local interest, but will confine myself to the matter of urging the householders to atterd the meeting to-morrow evening end unite in making the movement to acknowledge our Mayor's past hervices one worthy of our district. Interest in public matters is and baa been for many years eadly lacking in Pukekohe. Public meetings have been called from tinn to time to discuss progressive measures and matltra of importance lo our district, and not more than 5 per cent, of those i iterested have been present. Again, yiur paper has now been in existence over two years and although you have repeatedly invited your readers to make use of your columns to voice matters of public interest very little use has been made of that invitation to the distinct loss of our district. The above are two instances of the luck of public interest; but the one I particularly wish to draw attention to, as one having more far-reaching effects, is the absence of any acknowledgment in a public form of the work dine by men in public life. We invite men to enter public life and work for our borough, and what do we offer them? Many have entered public life with a whole-hearted desire to advance the interests of our town, and week by week have devoted hours of tiresome labour and thought to the details of public business. This I need not enlarge on, but it goes without saying that it cannot be done without considerable personal aacrifica ar.d inconvenience ti themselves and their families. According to their ability and opportunity tbey have done all thoy could in what they thought was tbe best interests of our town. These men often retire from public life with littli or nothing to show the appreciathn the majority have felt for their public ec:vice, ai I believs I am. correct in saying that little or nothing ha% been done in ihe past to suitably scknowledge those efforts. The goodwill and respect the majority hold them in is never expressed and his to be taken on trust, bu*, url'ortunutcly, what has been made very real to all who enter public life is that they are and have been subjected to many petty slights, innuendoes and accusations from a few (often self-seeking) who never fail to make themselves heard if the business of the town bas not been conducted in u manner that agreed with their own peculiar Ideas. The pity of it all is, Mr Editor, that men who have the energy and ability to push our town ahead are also intelligent and observant enough to note the history of other public men and they naturally shrink from what has so little to olFer, the result being that instead of the best men of our town taking a pride and competing in a frieudly way for our suffrage the selection is so limited'that often those of moderate ability arc selected. In conclusion, 1 am sure we will be doing our town a service if we roll up in strong numbers on Saturday night and show our Mayor and other public men through him that wc are grateful and appreciate the services rendered by him to the borough, and thereby inspire others to come forward and do likewise. In any casa I am glal of this opportunity t<j personally bear testimony to the fact that our Mayor has worthily upheld the dignity and successfully carried cut the duties of his high office. His manner in public has always been kindly and genial. He has presided at public function* in a capable and dignified manner, and anyone who has studied his policy through the medium of the press and marked his public utterances must admit that although they did not agree with him in a great many caaes they were quite satisfied he was conscientiously working lor what he thought the best interests of tho borough. Another thing that the readers of. your paper could not fail to note is the fact that our Mayor has at all times held the confidence und support of his councillors, and as they are perhaps the most capable body of men that have represented our district in locul affairs it speaks well for the abilitv and tact which have marked his dealings with them. I am, etc., JAMES ROULSTON.