CITIZENSHIP

Waikato Independent, Volume XLIII, Issue 3947, 26 January 1944, Page 3

CITIZENSHIP

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES COMBATING APATHY (By the “Town Crier.’’) 1 came across a very tine tribute to town clerks in a book by Arthur Hopkinson called “Pastor’s Progress.’’ 1 caught sight of the title in the new Parish Library catalogue that has just been issued. Hopkinson says, “there are no men in England to-day who have a greater power for good than town clerks, and yet they are for the most part unknown. Mayors may come and mayors may go, aldermen may grow old and lethargic, councillors may change, but the town clerk carries the welfare of the town on his shoulders.” I am sure that Cambridge people realise how well they are being served by the one who serves this borough in that capacity. Fortunately, the forthcoming local government elections in May will not affect his status. His position in local government affairs corresponds to that of a permanent under-secretary in a State department, and where would the average Cabinet Minister be without ihe help of such permanent undersecretaries? The same applies to a 'mayor in his relationship with a town clerk.

Local Apathy. In past years comparatively few rate-payers have bothered about exercising their local government franchise. Apathy is harder to combat than straight-out opposition, and more good causes languish through the don’t-eare-ness of their should-be supporters, than from any ether cause. More honest and gratuitous service is rendered to the community through its local council than is generally realised especially during war time, and the best that can be expected from us as

citizens is, that we should take a greater interest in the affairs of local government in the future, than we have done in the past. Lionel Curtis, in his third volume of “Civitas Dei,” which is a classic on world citizenship, says, where care had been taken to enable people to manage their own local affairs, a sense of public duty will develop little by little, which in time will make itself felt in wider political fields. A people so organised will vote with a deeper sense of their public duty at national elections.” Duties As Citizens. As it is, we are not sufficiently aware if our duties as citizens. Me are satisfied to leave it to others, and, as already indicated, can hardly be bothered recording a vote at a local government poll. If we, as citizens of this fair town, were really of the heritage into which we have entered, we should see to it that our names were on the roll as eligible to vote, and see to it that we gave our support to those candidates whom we felt deserved o ur support. We owe far more than we realise to those men who, either as permanent employees of the council, or as councillors, have given and are stdl giving unstintingiv of their best for our common welfare. In many respects we are more beholden to local councillors and councils in general for our immediate comfort and well being, than we are to legislators and politicians, and the basis of our whole national life is unsound, if we are ncglectlul of our first duty as citizens. It behoves us, therefore, to see, before the end of this month, if we are on the local government roll; and then in May, at the election itself, to take tlie trouble to record a vote for those men whom we deem best fitted to be entrusted with local government affairs.