A WIN FOR PROGRESS

Northland Age, Volume 6, Issue 2, 9 October 1936, Page 1

A WIN FOR PROGRESS

successful result of the Kaitaia Water * Loan Poll on Wednesday may be claimed as a win for progress, but it is rather disheartening to those who take a real pride in the town and interest in Kaitaia’s civic affairs that the voting on so important a proposal was so light. Not fifty per cent of the electors entitled to vote took the trouble to go to the poll. It is to be sincerely hoped that this lack of interest in local government affairs will prove only a passing phase. As the price of liberty is eternal vigilance, so the price of sound progressive local government is an ever watchful interest by the constituency in the proceedings and proposals of the local body and in the efficiency of its administration. A careless constituency is apt to begot a careless spirit in its representatives, and a lethargic public body is likey to become the tool of its paid officials. Kaitaia as a town has had rather a pro-

longed childhood —it is young for its years—but now it is approaching its period of adolescence, and there is every prospect of it making further rapid and very substantial growth in the next decade if its affairs are wisely handled. In the present formative period of the township’s growth, good or bad local government can have an incalculable effect for good or ill on its future.

The consent of the ratepayers having been given to the raising of the loan, the next step is to raise the amount at the prescribed rate of 3% percent. Tnis should not prove a difficult matter as the sum is relatively small and the security first class. So we may take it that an important factor in bringing Kaitaia into line witli modern towns —an adequate supply of pure water —should be an accomplished fact before the summer of 1937 is upon us.