The Grey River Argus MONDAY, May 19, 1941. MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Grey River Argus, 19 May 1941, Page 4

The Grey River Argus MONDAY, May 19, 1941. MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

The innovation of Saturday polling has not by any means had the effect of,.increasing the percentage of voters, nor has it been characterised by success for Labour candidates. The charge had been made that the change had been designed to. improve Labour’s prospects, whereas it has nowhere in the Dominion had that- effect. it is not to be denied, indeed, that Saturday’s polling means in several centres a set-back for the working class in. local politics, but that is not to say for a moment that the Nationalist Leader, Mr. Holland, is justified in his suggestion that his Partv can find political capital in the- success of non-Labour tickets. Probably the outstanding cause of the very general polling ' decline is the one to which Labour’s critics will be the very last people to allude. This is, of course, the absence oversea and in the. camps and other military forces of the Dominion in tens upon tens' of thousands of the flower of the country’s manhood. Their names may be on the rolls, but the absence of their votes has manifestly reduced Labour’s vote to infinitely a greater extent, than that of the opposing element. There probably also has been a degree of apathy greater than usual on account of the. war. and perhaps the auti-Labour element, have in places seized on the situation to exploit public feeling 'when the Labour Movement’s attention has been focused on. the war effort. It is certain that the movement will not be at all disconcerted, being schooled over Ilie years in the experience of marginal variations of support, and with the prospect of a general election this year, the municipal preliminary will rally supporters for a more energetic and united campaign in. the coming months. In some instances, allowing for the substantial drop in total polling, the margins arc not. so- great in votes as the turnover in local body seats might, at first, sight suggest. Moreover, the Nationalist dements have nut far greater organisation into their campaign than the Labourites. and the lesson of this ought, to prove a useful one. Locally the aggregate, voting shows a decline relatively as great as anywhere else, and the. explanation is the same —that a large number of men are absent on military duty, while the opposition show-

nd earlier and more assiduous organisation. This not to deny the fact (hat the. “Citizens” ticket held its ground, nor to say .that their representations are not to be credited with having obtained a mandate and vote of confidence for whatever policy they may be about to follow. Having criticised their disin-, elination to go further than indicate a continuance of their past policy, it is only fair to acknowledge that this has had the endorsement of a definite majority, denoted by the re-election of their Council ticket, and of most of their other nominees. His Worship the Mayor is to be congratulated, nbt only on his personal success in being reelected by a substantial majority, but on the results of his advocacy as the principal spokesman for his ticket. At the same time, the Labour candidates in all the circumstances polled very creditably, those not successful being comparatively new to public life, and being to that extent at a decided disadvantage. They will in future be disposed to deepen their interest in municipal administration, and can look forward to attaining later the same success as those candidates who have been before the public for a longer period. They also were at a. disadvantage in comparison with opponents in the matter of means for conveyance of voters to the polls. It is pleasing’, however, to be able to compliment on their return those Labour candidates who 1 have polled better than several opponents who secured election. As has been previously remarked, the public generally is indebted to all candidates for placing their services at the disposal of the community, and itMs particularly gratifying to note that, however Greymouth voters may differ in other directions, they have been so strongly in favour of having the fair sex represented, as it should be, upon the Hospital Board, as to have placed the lady candidate very definitely at the head of the poll. To those retiring members of local bodies a particular meed of recognition is due lor their past services, as it has doubtless been owen to the personel following of successful opponents, rather than to any shortcoming on their part, that they narrowly missed return. -When there is a clear margin, as was evident in Saturday’s local polling, between tickets, it should satisfy all that the democratic principle has justified itself, and dispose everybody to take a reasonable and helpful attitude towards those who are shouldering the responsibilities of local government. Tn the county elections there have been some changes, which, resulting from boundary variation, east therefore :m reflection upon the retiring members. Those el edted have the ha rd part in front of them, and will have the best wishes of the community for a successful term of office.