PUBLIC OPINION

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 November 1950, Page 4

PUBLIC OPINION

Public Indifference Sir, —In today’s leader you complain at the comparative indifference shown by the public to the current elections. But is not the Press itself to some extent to blame for this? (For instance, there were five speakers at the Opera House meeting of the Citizens Association candidates and yet two very interesting speeches, that of the deputyMayor, Mr. R. Jack, and that of Mi. H. Jenkins, who gave a comprehensive review of the power situation of the North Island, have not been reported in either newspaper. Why is this? Further, Mr. Jenkins’ remarks con cerning the three candidates with himself for seats on the Power Board were of particular interest to the public, stressing as he did the qualifications for public office of Messrs. Hodge, McCallum and Pearce. His endorsement of these men from the public platform would influence many people in their favour, and interest the public in these candidates leading to greater concern in the elections. When meetings are inadequately reported (I was almost saying boycotted? to the extent of leaving out important speeches it is idle, if not hypocritical to complain of public indifference.—l am, etc., “A Member of the Audience. Limitations of space made it impossible to report all the speakers at the Opera House meeting of the Citizens candidates and in order to enable the views of each speaker to be presented with some degree of fulness several reports were perforce held out for the time being. By this arrangement a better coverage was provided for each speaker than would otherwise have been possible.—Editor.