A NEW ZEALAND PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 38, 13 August 1921, Page 5

A NEW ZEALAND PROBLEM

' DANGERS OF APATHY IS OUR PUBLIC LIFE DEGENERATING? (Contributed by the New' Zealand Welfare League.) . We have before us an interesting letter from a con-espondent who writes to justify himself in criticising our public men,, the Public Service of the Dominion, and some misdeeds of the Government. The writer is evidently an old colonial who deplores the too great laxity of our people in respect to their interest in public affairs. He need not have been in the least apologetic in regard to handling these questions. In a democratic country such as New Zealand it is most desirable that the average citizen should speak his or her mind freely. The- gravest danger .is that our democracy goes to sleep &nd leaves entire control to those in office. Recently one of the greatest, most experienced, and wisest of the critics of modern democracy, Lord Bryce, has told us in very plain terms I his estimate of our public men. In beiflg told that our Parliamentarians and public men generally are mediocre in intellect, lacking breadth of visiori and the higher'standards of taste, we are not being .flattered as a people. Our correspondent gets to the root of the matter when he urges that the ordinary people are to, blame. We agree that to-day there is less general interest shown in public matters by the. average citizen , than was shown twenty to thirty years ago. The early colonial was keener in inquiry and mare alive- to voicing his views, whether of assent or protest, in public meetings than we find the people now. It may be due to more of -the ■ Home-country Britisher being here, who has been used to growling privately and leaving it to the authorities, or owing to-the Dominion's expansion we'have x been drawn into so many petty concerns and interests as to have our minds diverted from the matters of public policy. City pleasures, with town and village imitations of same, have largely taken hold of our people 1 to the exclusion' of more serious interests. To 1 secure Jthe attendance of the public for the consideration of public questions the concert programnie is being found a necessary attachment to the, meetings called.' , , i APATHY AND INpOLENCE. Whatever Ijhe cause, the spectacle faces\us of general public apathy. It is a serious menace when thel democracy thus shows its, indifference to its own affairs of business. In vain we may talk of "Government of the people by the people" if the [people simply decline, to act. Leaving it .to the office-holder and the office-seeker is the great temptation to autocratic rule, intrigue, and in general misgovernment. Our correspondent thinks the poorer class of M.P. to-day is due to payment of members having tempted men to, take up-Parliament for the pay and honour, with little of other consideration. He says. "The old style of member was generally a man of ' a force of' character and ability above. the\ generality of his fellow citizens; «nd who on the whole had the public welfare'so much at heart that he was prepared to spend his time, his' money, and his talents in the service of the country." The present M.P., he states, is, with few exceptions, one who is content to hold his seat, attend to a few local routine and social affairs, and leave the important matters wholly to the Government. If this is so, .or. if there exists a scarcity of men of large capacity in. the political and general public life of our community, we think, that the people are themselves to blame. A people who are apathetic and indolent, or wholly engrossed in money-making or pleasure, cannot expect 4o have repre- , sentatives of great ability and high ideals. The" representatives will be like those they represent. There has been of recent years far too much cf a semifatalistic relying on chance and callingupon, the higher powers to do everything for us,' forgetful of the fact that it is the people who create the higher powers in a democracy, and on them rests the responsibiilty for good government or bad. Our correspondent writes of "neglect of precaution' being. a deadly disease,.which shows every pro-, mise of utterly destroying our apple in-' dustry." Who of the public cares? Yet, the stat« of every industry in the Dominion concerns us all. THE CALL TO ACTION. Having »f ought our way through ths Great War, we have as a people to face the stern necessities of the. fight for peace. Not a peace of apathy, of mere indolence., of eachi for ourselves and let. the country take its chance. There is an insistent call to all of us tliat we take a real, live interest in public affaira. The public services -.require examination because the national expenditure has increased until it has become a matter of serious concern. All departments of the State should be examined as to their cost, and the results secured. This should bo done, not in the spirit-, of panic, and certainly not in a mood of' indifference to the just -claims of 'the public servants /or years. The call on the average citizen to think about public affairs, to organise arid to discuss matters ■ with their fellow:citizens, was never more required than it is'to-day. The habit of considering matters only on a class or, sectional basis should be laid aside for the higher course of public discussion as citizens. In the earlier days of this colony, when public questions arose, the people came together readily to discuss them,,(without the bribe of a concert or dance to attract). Then the public man moved up and down the country, arid spoke on the leading questions of the time. Freedom of speech was every- . where respected, and education advanced'" accordingly. The call is for such activity now amongst the people of all communities. It is only by -throwing 'aside our apathy and recognising that if we aje to have good government the people themselves must act, that we can make the Dominion, what it should be. It is a work for all, and the call ia to each and every one_of us."