The Times FRIDAY, MAY 2, 1941. Good Team Work

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 103, 2 May 1941, Page 6

The Times FRIDAY, MAY 2, 1941. Good Team Work

With the opening of the Mayoral campaign interest is being aroused in the conduct of the affairs of this city. Citizens generally are strangely apathetic over the handling of the manysided activities of any city, and in Palmerston .North they are no exception. The Mayor and his councillors work many long hours giving their time and the ripe fruits of a lifetime’s experience for the benefit of their fellows, and on the whole get very little credit for it. Almost the only time the average man sits up and takes notice is when he has, or imagines he has, a grievance. And councillors may come and go with a line record of valuable work to their credit without ever hearing a word of praise for labours unselfishly and efficiently performed for the geneial good.

It is, therefore, all the more pleasing and timely to find one of the candidates for the Mayoral office, Mr. Blair Tennent, paying generous tribute to the retiring councillors for the part they have played in the sound administration of the city’s affairs. His survey of the business of city administration given in his opening address serves to emphasise the magnitude of the services rendered and the extraordinarily efficient in which they are carried out. It would be hard to find in New Zealand a municipality which returns to its citizens a better dividend for the money invested. Indeed, the very smoothness with which the civic machine runs is perhaps one of the reasons for the lack of interest shown by those who benefit most by its operation. If there were more audible creaks in the mechanism and a few more breakdowns perhaps Mr. John Citizen would take more notice. Of a certainty he would begin writing letters to the editor and generally showing his displeasure in a variety of ways.

Mr. Tennent has called pointed attention to the “team work” of the City Council, and his survey shows how each councillor has played a valuable part in running the civic machine. The chairmen of the various committees were mentioned by name and recognition was also made of the support given by the members of each committee.

Outstanding among the records of service rendered is the transformation brought about in the municipal library. Mr. W. C. Black, as chairman, has brought broad vision and abounding energy to the task and ably backed by an efficient and experienced librarian in Mr. H. Greenwood has given Palmerston North a library which for the city’s size has no equal in the Dominion, and in some respects is ahead even of the largest of the libraries in the four main centres.

Mr. Tennent himself has had the administration of the city’s largest business enterprise, the lighting, heating and power services, involving an annual turnover of over £150,000, and the remarkably healthy state of the finances and the cheapness of the services is a tribute to his care and ability and to the work done by his committee.

In every other department of civic activity the same story of careful management and unremitting labour is unfolded. Our reserves are the pride of citizens and the envy of visitors, and as chairman of the committee whose function it is to supervise them Mr. G. Tremaine has ably carried on the tradition of his predecessors in office. Equally efficient have been the labours of Mr. J. T. Heatley (Cemetery), Mr. W. Mouldey (Abattoirs), and last but not Teast Mr. D. F. Smillie (Transit). Mr. Smillie has brought his wide experience to bear on a difficult problem, and the steadily increasing efficiency of the bus service is a tribute to his wise guidance. The three other members of the retiring council (Messrs. J. Hodgens, M.P., A. Grigor and H. Townshend) have all given valuable service in many ways to complete as fine a record of team work as has ever been given to this city in its rapid rise from a village to its present proud position.

And in thus drawing pointed, if tardy, attention to the unselfish and entirely voluntary labours of our fellow townsmen, we have no desire to belittle the work of the captain of the team. The retiring Mayor has filled his varied and onerous duties with his accustomed efficiency, but we are sure he, too, will acknowledge the value of the help received from his councillors.

Finally, these remarks draw attention to the fact that two of our most useful and popular councillors are not seeking reelection. Messrs. Townshend and Mouldey are retiring because of ill-health, a fact which residents of Palmerston North will deeply regret and all will join in wishing them speedy recovery not only for their own sakes but that at some future date they may be able again to serve their city.