KARORI'S AMALGAMATION POLL

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 138, 9 December 1919, Page 6

KARORI'S AMALGAMATION POLL

Go-operation among neighbouring local bodies—though, unfortunately, a' comparatively rare occurrence-r-is required fey mutual interest; and, wl|ere the circumstances warrant, contiguous Jpcal bodies —contiguous by waiter, pr by land— should be brpad-niinded eaough to gink their separate identities, and to unite, on fair terms, their respective forces. Today, |here is a strpng case for co-opera-tion at the very least—and possibly for amalgamation—as between Wejljpgton and the Hutt Valley; and, as between Wellington and the contiguous boroughs of Karori, Miramar, and Eastbourne, the case fqr amalgamation is so strong that the electors c-f Karori and Eastbourne—and possibly Miramar—are to he asked to depide the roatter by vote. Karori electors wijl poll to-morrow. A, great opportunity presents jtself to them, for if _!ey exhibit energy in their own affairs, record every available vote, and carry by a solid majority .amalgamation wjt.h Wellington, thejr example wU| help tho amalgamation party in Mii_m.i¥ and Eastbourne. Also, when these three amalgamiitipns have been eflfecterl, Greater Wellington will fee a stiil stronger magnet to the Hutt local bodies, to whom co-operation in public services such as wfttor supply is hecqmjpg a more vital matter every day; and cp-operation will almost certainly' b$ the steppingstone to amalgamation. J^.s the, march of time effaces parochialism, the superiority of centripetal' interests over centrifugal interests will become obvious and decisive. Karori electors have itj in their power tp hasten that cpnsuminatiqn by voting heavily, to-mqrrpw anjd by voting the right way.

If, however, they arc to do that, they must throw pff apathy. Two things fight against progress by- plebjspjte pr referendum. One is popular ignorance and the other is pppular apathy j and we are not sure, that the latter is not the more formidable. The history of the amalgamation negotiation suggests that Karori is by no means ignorant. On the Karori side the negotiation has been conducted With ahility, mi the main point pf tl(p Karori negotiators has been conceded, in that the Wellington Council has decided to take over the whole tramway liability. With the tramway liability, accepted, amalgamation becomes, an attractive proposition to Karori, and, we think, ought to be attractive to Miramar top; and we hope and believe that the electors rf those boroughs are of the same opinion. But, if they are satisfied, they must not let satisfaction breed the greater danger, apathy. It is the apathy pf electors that commits those sins of pnvission which so often anmunt to sips pf ccmraission. When a so.und. reform goes to. a popular poll, it is the plain duty of all its supporters to exercise their -pciwers; for the loss pf one vote may lese the dey, and ha who is not actively with the refprm is against it-