NOTES AND COMMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 18 May 1925, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Citizens and Civic Anairsi "Whilst we hesitate to say anything likely to restrain the enthusiasm of tho advocates of any measures designed to arouse the great majority of tho burgesses from their apathetic atti- {

| tudo towards civic affairs, avc arc I ratlier afraid there are lew grounds, if any, for the demand that the public should be admitted to all meetings ot our civic administrators —committee mootings, full council meetings, and all. Tne notice of motion coming before the Council this evening presupposes, Me presume, that the ciuxeus are so keenly interested in the deliberations ol the civic authorities oi Timaru that they seek admission no. 1 only to the ordinary lortnightly mcei- ! jugs of the Council, but to the soniej wnat informal deliberations of the j Various committees. Tins claim cannot be supported cither by experience I nor by commonly accepted practice, j At this year’s Mayoral installation tv., solitary citizens attended the august ceremonial 1 It interest in civic attains were so keen that the ordinary meetings of the Council were largely attended, aud the City Lathers vole in the habit of transacting much of the business of the borough behind closed doors, we could appreciate the purpose of the request for wider privileges being granted interested citizens. But no such condition of affairs exists and no attempt is made to resort to secrecy in the transactum of civic affairs. On the contrary, the ordinary meetings of the Council arc virtually ignored as far as the presence of tne average citizen, as an interested listener is concerned, while the reports of the various committees j indicate tile considered conclusions bn Isucli matters ol civic interest as arc engaging the attention Ot the Council for the moment. Moreover, the committee report's invariably ■ aliord .any councillor who is anxious to eddy the ‘‘people in the gallery," an opportunity to seek such ndorniation as is desired, or to have all the facts placed before the full Council. It is quite uuusual, of course, to admit the public to committee Meetings and we feel compelled to toy that until the ordinary meetings of the full council are more numerously attended, it clulnot be shown that the average citizen is anxious to be afforded greater facilities for becoming acquainted with the transactions ol I tho Borough Council. Unquestionably j tho deplorable apathy Avhicli manifested itself at the time of the municipal election, and the paucity of

attendance df the ordinary burgess at I the meeting of the Cduneil, appear to j indicate the attitude of the great bulk i of /the citizens as far as civic afiaiis ! are concerned. There is no pressing I request for hider privileges; on the cohtriiry existing privileges _ are Virtually ignored.

* • * Change of tactics: Quite a little nutter was caused in certain circles on .>au,.... y uy our references to the pbuueui sii.duL.oii. it was qhite ui. (J _..emus ox us io pon.x to the .indelicate haste iinn uinca n,t Auckland journals- broaUcdsihd meu propaganda in lavour oi Air eotlUis as ixtiUder of the iteiorm Tarty." Tl'n.AueitUuid jourilais d.« not, me.ui avuD they said when vney uigca ine Jhan,> would accept■-Jilin ibr Lie and persuaue imn Lo accept the pus.tion. They were Inirdiy ooosinig Mr Coates so early m tne gamei An even the most, casual observer oi political unairs can see, tne lafcfc of tiie matter is, tnq Auckland journals have discovered tliat their activities were somewhat premature and that their motives were likely lo be 1 misunderstood if not resented. Yvith characteristic boihbast tiie Auck-landers-sought to lorce the pace even j though tile period or official mourning had not ended. It has since flaw lied upon them that their earlier Manoeuvres Were extremely bud U.-_-tics. Hence the “latest aild considered pronouncement on tiie subject.”! The earlier pronouncements coiiid scarcely be called that. TTesUniubiy tiiu northern'journals have conic to realise tliht their habitual practice of concluding that Auckland spaiiks ior New Zealand—by offending members of tiie ■Reform Party in other parts of the Dominion—-was more likely to defeat tlieir objective than achieve the pul-, pose for Avhich they launched their I precipitate campaign in favour ol Mr i Uoates. Hence their change of tactics; hence, too, their “latest and colisidered pronouncement.” No oiie quos- j tions, of course, the differing qualities possessed by Mr Downie Stewart alid ' Mr Coates. We know, however, the | Reform Party recognises that Mr 1 Stewart lias the . best claim to tho Prime Ministership it” his health will ! allow him to take it. Moreover, there is no reason to suppose that either j Would not loyally support the other,! after the final choice has been made by the Party. It is nevertheless highly J important that , the choke df a leader should be designedly made as a

deliberate step towards consolidating the moderate political elements in the. present House before the neAv Ministry is finally selected.