The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1914. "CAN'T BE BOTHERED."

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20013, 17 February 1914, Page 24

The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1914. "CAN'T BE BOTHERED."

A trifling incident in 'connection with last week's munjicipal ibye-election is fraught -with serious significance. Two electors met within a couple of hundred yards of the central polling booth. One was on his way to vote. He asked the other if he had voted. " No, I haven't,'' was the reply, "and I'm not going to. It's not worth bothering about." Uxfortunately it cannot be said that this person was singular in" his attitude towards municipal poltics and public 'affairs, in general. " It's not worth bothering about" is the slogan of apathy and indifference. Yet, curiously enough, it is usually those citizens who are themselves most to 'blame who are the first to cry out when things go wrong and they are called upon to pay for incompetent and extravagant administrations. Men and women Avho " can't be bothei'ed" to vote once in a while have no right to complain if, too late, they find that as the result of theio: own negligence public .money is being wasted and public services"ruinecl for want of the watchful and business-like care of capable men. "Local politics," says one writer, "are interesting politics, because any mian, if he chooses to fling himself into them, may be able to see the result of his ideas within quite a few years from his own front windows. But,' like every other form of politics, the one price which they demand is action ; and unless those citizens who are sufficiently interested to be good citizens take some sort of steps to formulate and propagate their thought previous to an election, they cannot expect to exercise any iniluence on the progress of their district on the election day itself. The progress of towns in every country depends on the liveliness of the local politics." This is perfectly true, and it seems to us that the necessary liveliness in our ow.n local politics requires to be fostered by something in the mature of definite organisation. The suburban ratepayers' associations point the way. The borough itself should have a similar organisation officered by citizens possessed of real enthusiasm for their town. Such an association would not only be capable of formulating progressive ideas, but its members would be in a position to keep a narrow and critical watch on what tha Borough Council is doing or leaving undone. Further, it would lead to a more careful selection of candidates for the Council, and by providing them with » definite ipolicy either to support or oppose, would imparb much more than a merely personal interest to the consequent elections. It is a great mistake to regard local politics as. subordinate and unimportant. As a matter of fact they aa-e really, of primary importance to tne citizens, who, whether they realise it or not, are vitally concerned in all that tends either to make or mar the town.