TE AWAMUTU COURIER Printed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays FRIDAY, 12th MAY, 1944 THE ELECTIONS AND AFTER

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 68, Issue 5942, 12 May 1944, Page 2

TE AWAMUTU COURIER Printed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays FRIDAY, 12th MAY, 1944 THE ELECTIONS AND AFTER

THE closing of the electoral rolls in the borough to-morrow will conclude the preliminary stages in the arrangement of the local body elections which are scheduled to take place at the end 'of this month. The next phase will be the nomination of candidates on Monday. A developing interest is indicative of an awakening public concern, and that is as it should be, for it must be remembered that new and vast responsibilities will arise in the coming term. It can be hoped that the coming years will be eventful in that they will cover the transiticnary stages of a change from the war-time to the peace-time economy, and much—very much indeed—will depend on the capacity and the ability of the constitutional local bodies to cushion the effects of the change. There will remain throughout the inauguration of new programmes the accumulation of works which have necessarily stood deferred and on the fulfilment of which will await the -basis of future reconstruction. There can also well be the assumption that any progress nationally will be, in effect, the cumulative result; of local progressiveness. The call mqII unquestionably be for vision and foresight, courage and initiative, determination and effort. But, withal, there should just as surely be a new attitude in the electorate for an interest* which awakens in the election period to remain alert in the test which No longer should it be left to the elected representatives to carty the full burden of responsibility, only receiving any outward expression of public concern when criticism i« considered necessary. The public interest in local administration is reflected in so many of our conditions! of life that public attention not he occasional and spasmodic.- Therefore, it would be an admirable condition if, from the concern which awakens at this election, there could arise and endure a new spirit of public co-operation and understanding of the complexities and the difficulties as well as the idealisms and the purposes of the plans and undertakings that must await attention. The election will attain its purpose in the immediate functioning of the local body, but the real and proper purpose can be gained only if there is aroused an alertness and a desire in the electorate to share in progressive effort. That is the people’s responsibility which has its first expre" ' at the ballot box but which can have proper expression 6nly in so many forms of daily conduct.