PART-TIME SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24606, 14 May 1941, Page 6

PART-TIME SERVICE

It is not an unfair suggestion that persons who permit themselves to be nominated for election to local bodies should have some reasonable cause for the expectation that, in the event of their election, they would be able to render to the public the service which they are offering. The efficient discharge of the activities of a public body depends in large degree on the fidelity of the. service of its members. Any dereliction of duty on the part of any members either impairs the efficiency of the public body or throws an undue burden of work upon their colleagues who do render faithful service. A distinctly imperfect sense of the responsibility which members of local authorities owe to the public is exhibited by persons who present themselves as candidates with the knowledge that in the event of their being returned it is a matter of physical impossibility for them to render a full measure of service. Dunedin has in the past six years had its experience of an inability on the part of certain members of the City Council to fulfil adequately the requirements of the office undertaken by them. In 1936-37 Dr McMillan attended only 32 per cent, of the meetings to which he was summoned, Mr Munro attended 54 per cent, and Mr Neilson 42 per cent. Except for some improvement in Mr Munro's attendances, the figures for 1937-38 were very similar to those for the preceding year. Dr McMillan was present at 34 per cent, of the meetings, Mr Munro at 62 per cent, and Mr Neilson at 37 per cent. Mr Neilson was defeated at the election of members of the City Council in 1938, and in the ensuing year Dr McMillan's attendances dropped to a mere 19 per cent, and Mr Munro's were 60 per cent. In 1939-40, Dr McMillan was present at 42 per cent, of the meetings and Mr Munro at 53

per cent. Dr McMillan's attendances in the past year at full meetings of the Council seem .to have been 31 per cent, of the total, and the percentage of his attendance at committee meetings is not likely to have been any better. There are three candidates at the present time for election to the City Council who are members of the Legislature. The statistical record of the attendances of members of Parliament at meetings of the City Council and its committees sufficiently indicates the extent to which these candidates are likely to be able to discharge their municipal duties if they should be elected. All voters who are not prepared to accept inefficient service from members of the City Council should not hesitate to withhold their votes from candidates who occupy seals in the Legislature.