THE ELECTIONS FOR THE HARBOUR BOARD.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 33, 8 February 1908, Page 4

THE ELECTIONS FOR THE HARBOUR BOARD.

The elections for the Wellington Harbour Board never make any great ctir, and the majority of the people, as a rule, hardly even know that there is a contest in progress. It is an advantage that what is really a matter of hard business should bo free from the party cries and personal recriminations which often obscure tho business aspsct of a political struggle, but the penalty paid i'or tho exemption is that apathy which is tho greatest danger of municipal life. Corruption is a moro striking and intensor evil, but all tho way from Sau Francisco to Philadelphia and further still, municipal corruption can bo proved to havo for its accessary condition and predisposing cause a civic apathy which has bofiii carried to its logical pitch of indifference as to whether "' honest men or rogues rule tho city. We may bo thankful that in New Zealand municipal apathy haa not boen carried to so dangerous a length, and that the plunder of tho public has not becomo an established industry on the part of our local politicians. Honesty, which is tho essential requisite, can bo relied on almost invariably, and tho standard of capacity ia also fairly high. So far as the Wellington Harbour Board is concerned, tho standard may be said to be high in both these respects. Tho Government has sometimes abused its power of appointment and selected mon who would never have qu.ilifiod on tneir own merits. Tho eloctors also have made mistakes, especially in tho negative way to whicJa we hnvo referred. But the general result has been a very creditable one. Tha administration of the board has been efficient as well as honest, and M tho merit of its members has largely consisted in the ability to follow tho excellent lead of a permanont officer of extraordinary talent, it must bo remembered, that this specios of ability is not the commonest nor the least valuable part of political virtue. Of the elections to tho board which are to bo decided on Monday, it can safely bo - said that tho issues aro at least as important as any that wero ever before the electors. From the annual report of tho treasurer, and engineer,' which was published some thres w6eks ago, and also from the comprchonsive address delivered by the chairman at the last meeting of the board, tho exceptional gravity of the tanks that must ba faced at once was sufficiently apparent. Wo need not recapitulate Mr. Ferguson's estimates with regard to tho work in hand or to bo shortly . undertaken, or tho grounds on which Mr. T. K. Macdonald infers from theso, and other official figures (hat the board should get tho sanction of Parliament during the coming sossion to tho raising of a million loan. Whether the proposal be approved or disapproved, thero is at least no disguising its immense importance; and it is for the electors Lo choose on Monday tho men who are to settle this question and to control tho goneral administration of tho port during the next two years, fortunately there are good candidates, both now and old, offering themselves at both elections. To the payers of dues and ownera of ships, Mr. James M'Lellan, who has already rendered them long and valuable service on ihe board, comes forward once more as a candidate j and he has in Mr. C. W. Jones a rival of exceptional standing in the shipping world. Tho municipal electors have two vacancies to fill, and no less than six candidates to chooEo irom. Two> of these— Messrs. R. Fletcher and G. Shirtcliffe— have already done good work on the board ; and tho four others are : Messrs. F. G. Bolton (Mayor of Eastbourne), G. Wilson, W. T. Hildreth, and J. W. Copithorno. All theso gentlemen are citizens of good repute, but the new comers arc making the mistake of not sufficiently enlightening tho electors as to their views. Considering tho great expenditure tha-t must be entered upon almost immediately, we Would counsel the electors to choose for office those who. in their opinion, best combine the qualities of commercial experience, busineis capacity, and high character.