PUBLIC SPIRIT.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 4011, 10 June 1920, Page 2

PUBLIC SPIRIT.

The review speech on the borough '• ail'tih'i'j given by Air liuii'urd iaol iiiguL iio mayor ol iJuiiuiiig and Uie resignation oi the (jluurmaiisiiip oi UlO Uroiia County Council by Ai> Hugh Burrell, contained in a, letter before that body yesterday afternoon, remind us or' Uie tremendous amount of gratuitous work that is given to the service of the general public by iiiany men to the detriment of their own business interests and at the expense of their health and convenience. The names Burrell and Oroua arc synonymous, they have been inseparable for many years, to mention one is to think of the other. As Chairman of the Council Mr Burrell has spent himself ungrudgingly in tho service of a far-Hung county, and like so many of the Dominion's county councillors, he has done the work ol his riding and of the county Rouerall.v unostentatiously, and without any ol the poiiip of' a placeman or politician. Naturally, his fellow members decided to urge him not'to press his resignation, and they showed marked sympathy with Mr Burrell in his illhealth. AYe feel sure that the ratepayers and residents of the whole county will rejoice if. their Chairman can see his way to continue .in office ; but there will also be a general recognition of the fact that Mr Burrell has well earned a spell, if he desires and decides to take it. Mayor Hartord, again has earned the thanks ol the Feildi'ng community for giving an account of his stewardship last nignl.. lit did not receive the attendance lie deserved, for, as ever, there is a great laxity of interest in the affairs of the borough. The general run of ratepayers look to the small group of pub-lic-spirited men on the Council to guard their interests. His Worship, who has had a strenuous year, has done well for Feilding. whose credit and interest he has wholly at heart It was not incumbent upon him that he should give a public account or his stewardship or take the great trouble he was at to explain the position, to prospects, or the policy. That h should have elected to do so stands to his credit, and his action certainly has given an illumination of the future, for ratepayers who are now fully informed upon the position. If tlwu. were not small groups of e0 men in .every community, now would New Zealand get through 1s daily round and common task and the people be provided with all the moa crn conveniences for which they cer tainly do ask?