NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 114, 10 November 1933, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Compulsory Voting Suggested.

Referring to the last civic elections, the annual report of the Civic League^ remarks upon the large number of electors who did not trouble to vote, and states that representations have been made to the City Council, suggesting that the introduction ■. of compulsory voting for local; body elections would be helpful to all concerned, and asking that the council Bhould sponsor a remit to that effect to the next Municipal Association Conference,, This proposal was induced by a perusal of official figures relative to: the remarkable polling results which have been recorded in Australia since : the compulsory voting enactment . became operative. Although it is a national measure there, the league believes it would be equally successful if introduced in New Zealand in local government elections. Great Letter-Writing Country. The fact that New Zealand was a great letter-writing country, was commented on by'the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) at the annual reunion of the Wellington section, of tho New Zealand Post and Telegraph Employees' Association last night. It was an extraordinary country in this respect, said the Mayor, for over 77 letters per head of, the population were posted every year. ''I don't know what they are, but judging from my own- experience they must be 'accounts rendered,' " ho said. , • .■;'■■ ■ ' ■' ■ ■ . '■/..'; White Butterfly Pest. A warning that the present inconspicuousness ,of the white butterfly in Hawke's Bay may have given rise to false hopes that the pest had been more or loss wiped out was uttered today by Mr. J. Graham, who is co-operating with Mr^ J. Muggeridge, Government Entomologist at Palmerston North, in the liberation of parasites. ' Tho reason for the almost total non-appearance of the butterfly at present, said Mr. Graham, was that its breeding had been greatly retarded by the unseasonable coldness of' the past few weeks. It would be too much to hopo, he added, and too remarkable a coincidence, that the present rarity of the butterfly'was attributable to the liberation of parasites last year. Those parasites had brought about excellent results, but it could not be expected that they had done more than to keep their victims in check. The number of parasites liberated, however, was comparatively few, and more would bo liberated as soon as the weather conditions were opportune. Mr. Graham prophesied that it would be nearly the end of Decmnber before the butterflies appeared in force.

To Avoid By-elections. "Every effort, was made to save the city tho expense of a by-election, but, unfortunately, tho endeavour was not successful," says the annual report of the Civic League, referring to the last City Council by-election. "The council has since decided to submit a- remit to tho Municipal Association, suggesting that legislation be introduced providing that the three unsuccessful,candidates at municipal elections receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared 'councillors "elect,' and that they shall be eligible to fill any vacancy occurring during the council's term, of office, thus eliminating the expense cf a by-election. Wo hope this innovation will become statuto law as soon as possible." Matter for Congratulation. "When I was leaving my office this evening one of the officers said to me that it was understood I was - make an important statement tonight and I heard the same thing when I arrived here," said the Secretary of tho P. and T. Department, Mr. G. McNamara, in proposing a toast at the reunion and smoke concert of .the Wellington section of the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Employees' Association last night. "I think you will realise that today is not the, time to make important statements," said Mr. McNamara. "One can say.little with the exception that we have to congratulate ourselves on one thing—we have a job to go to tomorrow, and we can expect something in our'pay envelope at tho end of the month." Medical Witnesses Examine Plaintiff. The unusual procedure of the Court adjourning while four medical men examined tlic plaintiff for cardinal symptoms of a certain disease was adopted in tho Arbitration Court yesterday afternoon during the hearing of a compensation case. There was a conflict of medical evidence concerning the complaint from which the plaintiff was suffering, the point at issue being whether it was an injury sustained as a result of an accident or a disease. During cross-examination, one medical witness asked the permission of the Court to examine the1 plaintiff, and it was suggested by Mr. Justico Frazer, who presided, that the other three medical men concerned in the case should also conduct an examination. The Court'adjourned for about , ten minutes, to enable this to be done. Toadying in the Civil Service. "My message to yon is to stand firm to the association, for that is, what the' heads of the Department want you to do," said Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P., when responding, to a toast at the Post and Telegraph Employees' Association reunion last night. "The heads," he said, "have no thought for the man who is prepared to toady and condemn. The Civil Sorvice today is full of backbiting, toadying members. A man is afraid to talk to another man on tho next bench because it may somehow drift back. I am certain tho heads of departments think less of a man who is spying on his colleagues. If you stand firm to the Post and Telegraph Association throughout New Zealand you can rely upon the members of .tho Labour Party to do their best for you hi the Parliament of tho landi" Ward System Not Favoured. The Civic League in its annual report to members discusses the proposal that Wellington should revert, to the ward syste-i in the election of councillors. Whilst it was admitted that the ward system'enabled its representatives to keep in closer touch with routine details, this advantage was more than offset by the delays which occurred through inter-ward jealousies, consequently the requirements of a progressive community as a whole wero often blocked, and log-rolling became, rampant, says the report, referring to Wellington's experience under, the ward system. Another difficulty arose on the accounting side, of the city's transactions. It was necessary 'to . keep separate accounts for. each ward; and when such work as water supply, drainage, tramways, or electric light were undertaken, much difficulty was experienced in allocating tho capital expenditure and charges to each ward, consequently argument was rife, and scheming to unload on to the other fellow was often attempted by tho ward councillors. The league expressed its conviction that, though tho present franchiso may not be ideal, it is preferable to the parochialism which is a natural sequence •of the' ward system. ■_^