MULTIPLE OFFICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20842, 8 April 1931, Page 12

MULTIPLE OFFICES.

Sir. —1 have bccrt waiting for an abler pen than mine to voice a protest against tlie action of the Labour Party in Auckland in choosing members of Parliament as candidates for municipal office. hi these days of stress, when questions of paramount importance are testing to the utmost, the abilities of our legislators, it is surely absurd for any member of Parliament, to imagine he has any time i<> devote to outside matters. It is not possible, surely, for any man to adequately fulfil his duty toward his constituents, and also fill such a position as, say, the Mayoralty of Auckland or even as a member of the Transport Board. Even in a suburban mayoral chair, the occupant finds it necessary to give some hours every day to carry out his duties successfully, and in the case of ilo city, surely a man must be prepared to spend practically the whole of his tiiuo (and a great deal of his own money) :n order to give the city of his best, llow on earth can any man do this and attend to Parliamentary duties in Wellington at the same time? The same applie.-. to a very large extent to the Transport Boarn: This body meets each week, while i'ier» are, of course, extra committee meetings, works inspections, etc., in between. If ;i member of Parliament iu elected to this board, what duties is he to neglect ? 110 cannot possibly do justice to both, and, in any case, his work and usefulness must suffer. Purely Labour must have good men to put up for these positions without calling on those already hampered by their Parliamentary duties. Personally I am very much surprised at the two gentlemen themselves'allowing their names lo go forward. They might be wise to read again the old Aesop Fable of the dog and the shadow and keep to the bon% they already hold, instead of losing all. Disgusted,