CITIZENS’ LEAGUE IN REPLY

Evening Star, Issue 18255, 20 April 1923, Page 9

CITIZENS’ LEAGUE IN REPLY

TO THE EDITOB. Sir, —Judging from your correspondence column yesterday, some of my friends must have put in a considerable amount of time on Sunday writing up, or rather writing down, the Citizens’ League. The average anonymous writer, like a certain class of patriot, is very ready with a blunderbuss from behind a hedge, and I do not propose to occupy your valuable space or weary your readers with replying seriatim to “ Reform,” “ Critic,” and “ Elector.” It will be time enough to take them seriously when they sign their own names to their correspondence; but for the present I will take the opportunity of making the following statement :

In the first place, ..the question before the electors is not the Citizens’ League or its sins of omission or commission, but who are the best available candidates for the City Council, Charitable Aid Board, and Harbor Board. Secondly, what is the record of the candidates, new' and old ? And in this matter the public can only judge by performances, not by promises. Has Dunedin better public facilities at lower rates than any other main centre in the dominion, or has she not ? Is our city in the soundest financial position of any city in New Zealand through good management, or through bad ? Have we made steady progress for the last twenty years, or have wo not ? It any one wants a definite answer to these questions or any other matter of civic importance, let him attend the meetings now being held, and listen with an unbiased mind to the accounts of their stewardship given by retiring councillors. As regards new candidates, citizens can only judge by their past record, business experience, and so forth.

Finally, let me strongly emphasise this fact: The Citizens’ League makes no attempt to dictate to any elector how he or she shall vote, or to deter any man or woman from coming forward as a candidate for any office. The league draws no distinction either of sex or party, class or creed—that, apparently, is the function of anonymous correspondents. Its General Committee simply recommends to the favorable consideration of the electors certain candidates in the light of results obtained in the past, and with duo regard to safe and steady progress in the future. The one and only objective of the league is the promotion of civic welfare, and that objective can only be attained by entrusting the direction of civic affairs to candidates of honest purpose and sound experience.—l am, etc., J. W. Smeatcn, Secretary Dunedin Citizens’ League. April 19.