ELECTORAL REFORM
Sir. —"Jane Citizen," I take it. means election of the MP. by industrial and other groups. I his idea seems to he "taking on." The electorate councils system would harmonise with such views, because the local body members are already fairly representative of every section and interest, taking the Dominion as a whole.
For example, at Matamata. the Mayor is a lawyer, and the councillors comprise a chemist, a draper, a plumber, a carpenter, a motor-service proprietor and a butcher. Sporting interests are also represented by some of these. County councils are of farmers onlv.
A weighty point in favour is that local hotly members are elected under statutory law, open and public, and not ly any snap meeting engineered by a clique. Moreover, our local body government'is rooted in ancient AngloSaxon tradition, and is not an artificial, mushroom growth like the Fascist Corporate State. People are hostile to the party system. and the electorate councils approach provides a way out on the basis of centuries-old British institutions. Matamata. T. E. McMillan,
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19411023.2.28.2
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24103, 23 October 1941, Page 6
Word Count
174ELECTORAL REFORM New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24103, 23 October 1941, Page 6
Using This Item
NZME is the copyright owner for the New Zealand Herald. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence . This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of NZME. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries and NZME.