THE SECRECY OF THE BALLOT.

NZ Truth, Issue 99, 11 May 1907, Page 4

THE SE CRECY OF THE BALLOT.

Mr G. P. C. Campbell, who is hy grace of the Wand -Government, V-alu-ator-G'i'ner-al of the colony .and ex-Gamanantder-in-Cteef of our local i*»y.s>. of the 'Wull-doa; -brc-ed, is also a g'2'ntleanasi who -has had varied experience m amateur sporting circles ,m Wellington. Mr Campbell's, qualities are thus mentioned to help to prove that he is possessed of. comnwnsense, mot that there are not .hagjh paibiic officials lacking' itat .necessaiy quality. Now, Mr Oampbell was chairman of the recent meeting of the N.Z-R : U.' andi Mr. Campbell a-s the said 'chairman . was. not a success. If anything he was a miserable failure, and seemed to be very partial to the clifine which .lva^-been controlling the N.Z-R-U- more particularly since the said Union . "has become a plutocna-tic joint. H there was one thing more than another upon wih'ieh a little .daylight was n-ec-cessary it ivas the miano-Hlv'res of .the Management Committee of the N-^l. H-U- Being comprised of individiialsi who, are (notorious for Wv-i-hg their eves well cleared for the main .chance, it was necessary, not only m the interests of .delegates, but of the* public who pay aU the ; time, . that there should be* little- or no secrecy about the wav things are worked by the Management Committee and as thje Mana-gpment Committee had to be re-elcoted it would have 'been fwjv'isable that the nunvber of. votes polled by each- candidate should have been fonown and thus have. allayed j the suspicion that there had been la lot of wnre-pullfnir. Not only did Chairfmaii Caimpbell not disclose the numifoer of votes polled but he pointblank refused to give delegates the figures, and- urged several reasons fos, has reticence. One was that it was not the custom .of such " gatherings, and the other was that he did; riot desire to hurt the feelings of defeated oandifdafces. Of the former this much may be said that m most sporting bodies the' figures are published and otters do so when the desire is expressed by any member, and of the latter reason ''Truth" can only say that Mr Ca-mtfc&ell's eons id oration is curious m the laoc of the fact that some of the dele-

gates had very goad reason to test the feeling of the gathering regarding the fitness and probity of some Tttho were elected. Mr Campbell's obstinacy on this point has given rise to much comment and more strongly than ever emphasises the fact that cli^ueism is rampant m the N.Z.R. U. Mr Campbell, moreover, posed as a martyr, having been subjected to some straight talk by delegates, one of whom emphatically declined to withdraw a remark to the effect, that Campbell was burking the discussion. As a martyr, Campbell was ill-suited to the role as he and 'the clique," had things all their own way and will continue to have their Own way for another twelve months. Being given rope enough they can safely be depended on to skilfully hang themselves.