The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. TUESDAY, MAY 24, 1938. THE "INS" AND THE "OUTS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 120, 24 May 1938, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

TUESDAY, MAY 24, 1938. THE "INS" AND THE "OUTS."

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the icrong thai needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

To-morrow there Avill be held the largest single local body election in New Zealand. Under the amended Act the privilege of voting for the Auckland Electric Power Board has been extended to residents as well as ratepayers, and the rolls contain about 135,000 names. It is doubtful whether one-tenth of that number co\ild at this moment say what issues are at stake. The Power Board's affairs have been well administered; of that there is evidence in the fact that, although the scope and area of its activities are wide, few complaints are heard against it, and of widespread grievances there are none. The j board itself is not divided on any major of policy, either of the present or of the future. What, then, are the issues at stake? The principal one seems to be the difference between the "Ins" and the "Outs." It is, of course, a healthy sign that there should be competition for Power Board seats, and true also that nearly every local body is the better for the infusion of some "new blood." But it is necessary for aspirants to membership of the board to do more than offer themselves as candidates; they must also show in what matters the old membership has been in error, and how they themselves could do better. In the case of the Power Board election this duty has not been discharged; least of all has it been discharged by the Labour Party, which puts forward a full "ticket" of candidates for election. What reason is there for anyone to suppose that twelve, men and women selected by the Labour Representation Committee could administer the affairs of the Power Board more ably than the retiring members, all except one of whom offer themselves for re-election? No reason whatever has been shown for making such a wholesale change in the present constitution of the board. If there were no intrusion of a political "ticket" the electors might improve the board's personnel in accordance with their estimate of individuals' ability, but their opportunity of doing so is diminished by the prospect of "block voting" by the adherents of a political party. To prevent radical change the electors should therefore take the present membership of the board as the basis of their consideration, and vote accordingly.