VOTING CAMPAIGN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27094, 31 May 1949, Page 7

VOTING CAMPAIGN

PROPOSAL TO JUNIOR

CHAMBER

TIME CONSIDERED RIPE “I would seriously suggest (hat the time is ripe for us to consider again the advisability of organising a ‘ Get out and vote ’ campaign. The object of this would be to try to educate the public to exercise its democratic right to vote,” said Mr S. Jacobs, national president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, at a tea meeting of the Dunedin Chamber last even-

ing. f Mr Jacobs said that how the people voted was their own business, mid the chamber would not presume to dictate. '“One of the objects of the Junior Chamber of Commerce is to safeguard and develop the interests of the community,” Mr Jacobs said “We are not interested in politics, but are definitely interested in good government, both local and national.” . In support of his suggestion that there should be a “vote" campaign, Mr Jacobs mentioned that in the last elections in Christchurch for the Tramway Board, only 25 per cent, of the voters exercised their right. There was a similar case 1 in Auckland. He considered that by not voting in national .or local government elections or in any other organisation, for that matter, people left the way open for the “ power-seeking few to take control. , , , “Another suggestion, Mr Jacobs continued, “ arises from the fact that at the last local body elections the various candidates found it difficult to find an audience. To overcome this I would suggest that before the election a public meeting could be organised by the Junior Chamber of Commerce, and that the opposing candidates be asked to speak at the meeting and give their respective platforms. I suggest that you approach the Mayor and put forward the idea and see the leaders of the various groups, requesting their co-operation in such a venture/’ Before he 'put forward these suggestions, Mr Jacobs traced- the history of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, which originated in St. Louis in 1915 It was' first known as the St. Louis Young Men’s Civic Progressive Association Mr Jacobs said, and in that title lay the key to what the chamber represented—civic progressiveness, the solution of civic problems by arousing interest in worthwhile projects. The Mayor, Sir Donald. Cameron, was the guest of the meeting.