APATHETIC CITIZENS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 59, 24 October 1911, Page 4

APATHETIC CITIZENS.

“1 am emphatically of opinion that the people of Christchurch arc lethar<.;ic to a degree. Tl'.cy arc easily tho most apathetic people in New Zealand, and in comparison with the people of other towns they appear quite hopeless,” said the Mayor ol Christchurch to a “Press” reporter. “So far as the public men of the town are concerned there is absolutely no encouragement given to anyone, and it requires a good deal ol moral courage to attempt to promote any progressive work in tho city. W believer the City Council has appealed to the ratepayers to sanction any progressive work it has almost invariably mol

with a negative. The high-pressure waterworks may bo cited as an exception, but this matter was only approved of by the ratepayers after years of heart-breaking effort on the part of those who desired to see the city equipped with a modern highpressure water supply system, Many other proposals have been brought before the citizens only to be rejected, and the worst feature of all is that probably 75 per cent, of the ratepayers have not taken the trouble to go to the poll. Take, for instance, the question of the Provincial Council Chambers. I called a public meeting at the City Council chamber, and something under a dozen turned up. After the deputation returned from Wellington one would naturally have thought, if there was any interest being taken in the matter at all, that the general body of citizens would have responded to the invitation to be present at the meeting held at the Theatre Royal, but here there were probably less than 250 in the building. The only thing the people take to kindly hero seems to be party politics, but as soon as it comes to any question for the advancement o.” benefit of the city, then the people- seem to have no time at all.”