A DOZING DEMOCRACY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1937, Page 8

A DOZING DEMOCRACY

Much has been heard in the last week or;two of. ratepayers' rights and burdens. One of the rights is to say how far the local authority shall pledge the properly, of the ratepayers (for that is what a rate amounts to) as security'for a loan. It is almost the same as if the local, body told properly owners, that it proposed to raise a mortgage on their property, and to make them responsible for the interest. Before doing so, however, the local body asks the property owners if they agree. One can understand the viewpoint of those who agree, reckoning the expenditure will give them good value for the interest. One can also understand why some say they want no more spending if it means more payment. But one cannot understand the viewpoint of the properly owner' who Avill not bother to say yes or no. Yet this is what almost three-quarters of the ratepayers of Wellington did this Aveek. They were, asked to say if they approved of loans aggregating £341,500. Of 31,585 ratepayers on the roll fcAver than 8000 were inter-' ested or energetic enough to answer. If Aye alloAv a big margin for ratepayers who were sick, absent, or othenvise hindered from voting, it must yet be apparent that half of those enrolled simply did not care. They just slept on and said it did not matter. Will they care when they see the result of their inaction? Will they blame the Mayor and council for Wellington's backwardness in air transport? Will they, to lake a small 'item, say that it is disgraceful that Wellington should have such an inadequate begonia house when Christchurch and Auckland have beautiful winter gardens? Will they care if the right of sanctioning or refusing to sanction loans is threatened because only a minority show appreciation of that right? Privileges not used are always exposed to the threat of curtailment or cancellation. All who value the ratepayers' rights should be more Avakeful and energetic iioav in exercising and thus safeguarding them.