Evening Post. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1908. APATHETIC ELECTORS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 35, 11 February 1908, Page 6

Evening Post. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1908. APATHETIC ELECTORS.

That thero were mcyre than twenty thousand persons qualified to- vote for the municrzial electors' representatives on the Harbtfir Board yesterday, and that the two successful candidates polled less than three, thousand votes between them, are facts which afford a sorr^ comment on the interest taken by tho average man in pu'/rlic affairs of tho very first importance. TAe city of Wellington without a tram f/jrvico, or even without a member of (Parliament, might still be a possible, 'a i liabitable, and cvon a prosperous place. But the city without its harbour is an unthinkable thing, since in that case there would be no room for a. city at all, .md its site w ould be even as Makara or' Pencarrow. Yet the people will turn out to vote at a Parliamentary or a City Council election, but when the future of their harbour is at stake they prefer to stay at homo. It' must bo sorrowfully admitted that, democracy becomes very much of a farce umter such 'conditions, and wo have reason 'to' be' thankful that in the absence of a reasoned and deliberate choice by the electors, the chapter of accidents nevertheless continues to give us creditable representatives. Mr. R. Fletcher may be said to have fairly earned his position, by the vigour which he displayed during his previous term of office, as well as during lm brief campaign. Public opinion certainly does not support him in his desire to sever entirely from, tine- service of the board the officer whose labours in such varied capacities have been a main cause of its success, but it recognises in Mr. Fletcher an honest and energetic man, who haß the courage of his opiniou3, and who had tho special merit of treating the election as of sufficient importance to bo worth \ a serious effort. It cannot be an accidental coincidence that the other successful candidate, Mr. F. G. Bolton, of whom the public as yet knows little except that lie is Mayor of Eastbourne, also took tTie pains to organise his campaign. Where everybody else loafs, th© man who pushes has obviously a great advantage, and the familiar truth is well illustrated by yesterday's results. Equally good citizens and men of higher standing in the commercial world were defeated by rivals who took more trouble to let people know that they wanted to get in. But in 'Mr. Bolton's case there is reason to hope that his professional and business knowledge may be of real service to the board at a very critical stage in its 1 affaire. Another newcomer is 'Mr. C. W. Jones, who displaces Mr. James M'Lellan as tho representative of the shipowners and payers of dues. His constituency at any rate might have been expected to treat the issue as a live one, especially in view of the fact that the board is practically certain to need to tap new revenue during the coming year; yet, even here only half of the qualified electors voted. The loss of Mr. M'Lellan, who has long been well known for hisy strong grip of the board's affairs, is a very serious one, and coupled with Mr. Shirtcliffe's rejection by the municipal electors, must bo regarded as tho most regrettable featurp of the elections. On the other hand, there is ample business capacity in Mr. C. W. Jones/ though, as the local manager of the Huddart Parker Proprietary, he may naturally have a difficulty in deciding judicially between tho claims of the shipping interest and those of the public interest with whiph they may be in conflict. Another new member, who should command the confidence of the business world, is Mr. J. G. Harkness, who will take his seat as the representative of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. It is unnecessary to refer ~in detail to the various grave problems awaiting t solution by the new board, as we have' recently reviewed then; at some length. The immediately pressing problem, anid one which by the manner of its settlement will very closely touch the solution of all the others, is the question^ of chairmanship. It is generally known that the retiring chairman, Mr. X. K. Macdonaid, will not seel: re-election, and it is an open secret that Mr. T. M. Wilford aspires to the position. Wo cannot think that it will be to the advantage either'of the Harbc«r Board or of tho candidate himself *that this ambition should bo gratified just now. Apart from the doubt in, 'the public mind as to whether Mr. Wilford has as yet acquired that grasp of the board's affairs which car/ only be obtained by a, very close p/id consecutive attention co-operating with a special faculty for business, t'j.ere is the fact that in the purchase of; the Patent Slip and other important matters the interests of the board and th^ Union Steamship Company are likely /La conflict, and that Mr. Wilford's close connection, bowi professionally nnd otherwise, with the company, would uvil him in an utterly ialso position jiJwjijjid to act at the same

time as chairman of the board. It is not a question of persons, but of principles. No man should be placed in this double relation, for none can fill it with, satisfaction to both parties. A pubiic officer who finds himself so placed usually stands aside in casos where the conflicting interest is involved, but such an abdication on the part of the chairman of the Harbour Boai'd during the next two years would mean tho enforced negleot of a very lfirgo part of his duties. The only ijemedy is to have a chairman absolutely tree from any such disqualification.