A Civic Conscience.

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 1451, 27 March 1911, Page 2

A Civic Conscience.

Wjulk tho Minister of Education was inculcating ideas as to-the necessity for improved town planning in New Zealand and the necessity for what he calls "a rational civic conscience" here, his colleagues were doing their best) by legislation to debar the men best ftttel for service on our municipal bodies from taking part in the work of local government. By extending the very proper prohibition upon councillors of being contractors to the local body of which they arc members to include directors of any concern having dealings with tho municipality,. New; Zealand ha»s been deprived of very many of the men

best qualified to serve her in a public capacity, and has thus had the choice of the people so much limited when it comes to an election. The difference between an individual contractor and the director of a concern whose, interest is infinitesimal compared to that of the rest of the stockholders is co great that we are surprised at the Legislature not making any flistinctiou. For the individual contractor can easily make the choice between his private interests and tnose of the local body, but a Director is in a position of trust towards the share- ! holders of a concern, and is hardly i likely to abandon his fellow-share-holders in preference to resigning -is position on the local body. It is difficult enough ab present to get folk to serve on local bodies, but the manner in which residents are being excluded from office almost persuades one to believe that soon the only persons eligible as candidates will be those who are not interested in any property in the district in which they I live.