APATHY AMONG ELECTORS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27489, 25 October 1954, Page 12

APATHY AMONG ELECTORS

“BAD OMEN” SEEN BY MR CORBETT DEFENCE OF DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES (New Zealand Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, Oct. 23. A fear that the lack of opposition and interest in the election constituted a bad omen in a country ruled on democratic principles was expressed by Mr E. B. Corbett, Minister of Lands and Maori Affairs, and National Party candidate for Egmont, in a political address at Bahotu last evening. There were 21 persons in the audience. “Tonight is unique because we are fighting an election without a fight. It is not a good omen,” Mr Corbett ‘■Democracy is a sacred thing for which men have fought down the ages. Throughout the country today, people are prone to rest on their laurels and not take the active interest they should.” Mr Corbett said he had been astonished to see that in an election for a vacancy on the City Council in Auckland only 8 per cent, of the electors voted. Auckland local government was beset with problems, but there was little interest in the election. “Taranaki had much the same thing with a harbour loans poll," he said. “When it comes to national affairs, it fills me with disquiet,” Mr Corbett is very often lost through apathy, and once the spirit of ruling through democratic principles is lost, it is very hard to regain. Other systems of government brook no opposition.” ... . _ . There was no opposition m Russia or China, Mr Corbett said, and no opposition in a democracy was bad. To-day there was a strange calm in the country that was not conducive to the best spirit of government and democracy.