The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, May 16, 1944, LOCAL BODY CANDIDATES.

Grey River Argus, 16 May 1944, Page 4

The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, May 16, 1944, LOCAL BODY CANDIDATES.

It is doubtless a reflex ,of the recent extension of the right to vote that candidates for local bodies are on this occasion more numerous than usual. . The legislation is therefore having a good effect. Even in the boroughs the number of aspirants for office proves to be greater than usual. That the public spirit of the. Labour Party augments that of other sections cannot be doubted. Even those sections must admit that to this extent the ideal of democracy is realised in a manner that would be impossible in the presence of apathy. People are apt to forget that the seeming stability of either a State or a district is maintained only by a process of continual, if gradual reform. It is noteworthy on the West Coast) as probably it will elsewhere be, that many candidates are this year coming forward for the first time. In itself that is an illustration of of the change which underlies. the appearance of a static form of affairs. Almost the only office in local politics which is this ■ year going by default is the mayoral one', there being no contest in any of the main West Coast centres. While the-fact may be regarded as a tribute to the Mayors who havebeen re-elected, this position quite as much as any other deserves to be competed for. It certainly entails a considerable amount of work, and in addition requires more than ordinary ability and discretion, on which account there is some excuse for thinking twice before entering the lists. In Greymouth, as also in Westport and Hokitika,' the citizens have during the past term had good reason to be grateful to their respective Chief Magistrates, even though not a few are unaware of the full extent of their duties. They are each deserving of con-

gratulation upon the evidence of public confidence denoted by their unopposed re-election. The num. ber of women candidates, while not yet very great, shows an increase, and this is a good sign, there being several phases of local body administration for which women are specially adapted. In the rural areas the growth in the entries is almost entirely attributable to the extension .of the voting rights to residents generally. In some parts of the Dominion this change has not been universally welcomed, but it would be a mistake to assume that the result is going to affect ratepayers adversely. Instead there may be a better return obtained for normal expenditure. While the farming community is at present showing more than ordinary activity in the way oi agitation, it is moved more by, commercial and economic considerations than by those of purely I local government. At the same time, they are entitled to expect in their environment any improvement calculated to put them on as good a footing as town dwellers, and the new voters may be able to lend a hand in this connection. It is worthy of note that both here and at Westport harbour affairs are more prominent than usual, consequent upon recent interruptions in shipping. There are various ideas as to what steps should be taken, but all probably involve no small outlay. It is well, however, to remember that true economy is the utilisation of the most available means to the best advantage. That is !a principle which. candidates generally should bear’ in mind, and if the election preliminaries are characterised by a recognition of it on the part alike of candidates and voters, local government should be thereby improved.