The Dominion. MONDAY, MAY 19, 1941. THE LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 198, 19 May 1941, Page 6

The Dominion. MONDAY, MAY 19, 1941. THE LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS

Broadly speaking, the results of the local bod} elections nm give satisfaction to a great majority of the public In Wellington City the poll, though in the circumstances substantial, was not a lai & e one, a fact attributed to various absence of many voters on war service, the inconvenience of Saturday as a polling day, am a tendency to regard the elections as subsidiary in importance to t ie major problems of the war. The surprising element in the result was the overwhelming defeat of the Labour candidates for the city council, hospital board, and harbour board, where they tailed to win a single seat, while the official Labour nominee for the mayoralty was also defeated by a very large majority in a straight-out contest. Reports from other centres at the time of writing also indicate that Labour has lost ground. . . The reason for this perhaps is not far to seek. It is symptomatic of a growing concern and resentment against the increasing aggressiveness of officials in the trade union hierarchy, their intolerance of free opinion and criticism, and the unmistakable manifestations of the spirit and methods of dictatorship. It is out of. submission to this domineering attitude that the Nazi and Fascist regimes have been built up and so far retained their hold on the masses who have surrendered their liberty of speech and opinion. _ Good citizens in our own. trade union movement who value their independence of speech and action —and these constitute the great majority—undoubtedly have watched the development of this intolerant and dictatorial attitude on the part of the dominating group with profound misgiving and growing resentment. They perceive the dangers that lie in uncurbed tyrannical tendencies. Symptomatic of their attitude is the widespread resentment shown _in such occurrences as the Nathan incident, and also in the ventilation in the courts from time to time of protests by trade unionists agamst alleged injustices on the part of their own unions. The result of the elections should have a wholesome and invigorating effect in the check which has been administered to the pretensions of those extreme elements in the Labour movement who have arrogated to themselves the right to impose their opinions and their will on others. In the results there is occasion for congratulation on the general Standard of the candidates elected. They include many whose past services have rightly entitled them to claim a renewal of the trust and confidence of the citizens, and there is also a sprinkling of new blood, young blood, that should be all to the good hi bringing the older and more' experienced in contact with fresh points of view. These are critical times, and the problems likely to arise will call for wise and prudent counsels, enhancing the responsibilities of those who have been appointed to take charge of our local affairs for the next three years.