Members’ Duties

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31091, 21 June 1966, Page 14

Members’ Duties

Sir, —At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Association for Mental Health, the president, Dr. H. D. Livingstone, quite rightly appealed for public support for the work of his association. He was, however, most critical of various bodies who were not represented at his meeting, and at the head of his list were members of Parliament. We all know that public spirited men and women are elected to Parliament so that they can be publicly kicked around. Freedom to criticise and an alert press are treasures of our democracy, but surely Dr. Livingstone should know that at present Parliament is sitting in Wellington. If my member was not present in Wellington on the night Dr. Livingstone held his meeting in Christchurch, I would want to know why. He was elected to represent me and John Citizen in Parliament. If every M.P. went home to every meeting he was invited to, Parliament would never meet. Perhaps a little reason, and respect for public men, would go a long way towards gaining the support local organisations seek. —Yours, etc, REASON. June 17, 1966.