Grey River Argus MONDAY, April 29, 1929. LOCAL ELECTIONS.

Grey River Argus, 29 April 1929, Page 4

Grey River Argus MONDAY, April 29, 1929. LOCAL ELECTIONS.

The present week will see the public exercising throughout the country their right of choosing the administrators of local government for the next couple of years. While it may be presumed that the electors, on such an occasion, are, through personal contact with candidates and familiarity with their immediate environment, better informed as to the issues at stake, than when called on to decide national issues, it is nevertheless a fact that the local issues in many places are far less fully elucidated by popular discussion than are the State issues at the time of a Parliamentary election. It is. nevertheless, desirable I hat candidates should all give the electors a lead, and state the policy for which they stand. Where such an obligation is neglected, the public would be justified in I lie conclusion that “new blood” would do good. We believe that on the West Coast such a conclusion would be warranted. In other centres there is, on the whole, keener competition than there is here for office on local bodies, whilst it is noteworthy that where we have genuine contests here the electors do display a real interest in the qualifications of the ' candidates. In the case of such public men as upon‘re-election take the public into their confidence, the compliment accorded is more likely to be deserved than in those where the people arc left to exercise their memories as to past performances. For this treason, we should have preferred the candidates generally upon the West Coast to have given more publicity to the grounds upon which they seek the suffrages of the electors. It may not be yet too late to remedy the omission. It can be taken, as a guiding principle that those candidates who submit in definite and comprehensive terms the views which they hold to the public, are at least enthusiastic in their desire to promote the public welfare, even though it be also inferred that candidates who are content to let past performances speak for them may be no less animated by a lively sense of the obligations incumbent on local legislators. In the Greymouth municipality there is in prospect a proposal to borrow for sanitary and other improvements, but its civic advocates have yet to come forward personally and state the case for the project. There is a general impression that already the ratepayers have comparatively a substantial burden of taxation, and the question of how best the available revenue could be made to give the maximum benefits is one that at this juncture could advantageously have been canvassed by the aspirants for civic I honours. The progress of the town, which is .evident, cannot be claimed as the merit merely of its administrators, and in view of the confidence exhibited by private enterprise, it was to have been expected that the spokesmen of public enterprise would have identified themselves more directly and personally with the advocacy of its claims- For this reason. we think the electors may be justified in concluding that new blood would undoubtedly have its advantages, provided. of course, that such as is available utilises its opportunity to justify its aspirations in definite terms, in the ease of the Hospital administration, the record of the past term has been apparently a good one, and the statistics of the local institution tell their own tale, so that if there is any instance where the public should be looked to for its verdict without individual pleas, this might be one. Tn the sphere of County affairs, while little evidence of a desire to elucidate any points at issue has been given, electors may choose to compare for themselves the rating and works records of one Council with another, and in this respect we believe the West Coast has not a great deal of ground for complaint. The reading here, in view of local taxable values, is. such as will stand comparison with more opulent counties in other provinces, but even so, those candidates who arc known to stand for the fullest measure of public discussion upon every aspect of administration

are deserving of every consideration. There is always a tendency in every sphere of governmental activity towards committee deliberation, which, while it may facilitate matters for the members of local bodies, leaves the public interest dormant, and the public mind uninstructed. Therefore, a candidate who is known, to be outspoken, is, other things being equal, deserving of favourable consideration. The polls in reference to the weekly half holiday will doubtless be judged in the light of how a change to Saturday would be calculated to affect, not the country interests, but the welfare of the boroughs. In this instance, those who fear an adverse 'effect through a change have certainly taken the opportunity to state the case publicly from their standpoint, and it is not unlikely that the result will be an illustration of our contention that such a course is.the one best calculated to convince the people. It can, of course, be admitted that in matters of the most immediate local concern, the residents have certain facilities to form their opinion with less extraneous aid than in matters of wider import, but the truth remains no less for causes than for individuals that they are strengthened and advanced when they are demonstrably able to give the reason for the faith that is in them.