A USEFUL SUGGESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 June 1921, Page 4

A USEFUL SUGGESTION.

Recently some representative men held a round table conference with the members of the New Plymouth Borough Council, and the departure seems to have commended itself to the general manager, who at a recent meeting of the council suggested that it would be a good idea to hold such conferences at regular intervals. The Legislature in its wisdom deemed it advisable some years ago that no citizen should sit on a local body and make a profit (or a loss) out of bis transactions with it. The principle has much in theory to commend it, but it has operated detrimentally to the interests of the smaller towns. Especially is this the case in those places where the municipal councils have extended their trading facilities. New Plymouth, for instance, has launched out in several directions, and in consequence there are very few of the business men who have not dealings with one or other of the council’s trading departments in one form or another. The result is that they are debarred from serving on the council, however desirous they may be of doing so. The town suffers to the extent that it has not' the active help of the successful and prominent business men, unless, of course, the latter are prepared to forego their business connections with the council. But if the council is prepared to take counsel with them on matters of difficulty and importance to the town and district, as in the recent case mentioned by the borough manager, we have no doubt but that the innovation would be of advantage to all concerned. There is wisdom in numbers, and the council .would be strengthened by the knowledge that in matters of important policy they had behind them the weight of the commercial community. There need be no organised consultative body; just such men as the Mayor and councillors may think could be of most assistance to them in their deliberations. In securing their advice and help the council would not be exhibiting any weakness, but, on the contrary, their good judgment and strength.