Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1884. A PATHETIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 34, 9 January 1884, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1884. A PATHETIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES.

Notwithstanding,:, the comparatively public body which takes to constitute a quoiuny'bbw of i eta' imy Uid announcemeat be lead m the newspapers that the usUal monthly meeting of such-and-such a body fell through for want of a quorum** ; ft Is '^weH-itiibwn '^rfcVthat P.* tfe9 ; meetings. q! every local or district body which we see reported, m Hhetl.paperii >are adjourned meetings, the members not having turned up; on >tbe business. Now there<is something v.er.y.objeetkm'.Able;'ii*/this .style of discharging one's public duties; and local government representatives should bear m mind that if the community which ..they represent did them the honour to »lecfc them to the position they hold, they did so, we presume, on the understanding that they embrace the labours ,of , the ofl^ce v a.s well tas Us honours. Bui an expression exactly tire reverse of this seeing to possess' the minds of a large number of ou&local" government officeholders. They seem to seek Anil willingly accept office when [a vacancy oscurs, but once ? m, unless they have, some particular en 3to serve, they treat; the affairs of tb,eir oftjee with indifference, and wh'eh ..'thie J day ot; meeting' arrives, discharge their duties to the ratepayeis whom they represent by lighting their pipe with the convening circulai', i tfich ; the muttered consolation " There will be plenty there withont me." Now, the, sms^5 m s^ jwj>]>rdjsohar£e^j his duty m this very^ perfunctory* fashion should bear m mind that every other individual .member is. just as lilcely as he is' to say exactly the same thing, and thus, m the case of a few being of the samp mind, the 'usual' ye«ult ensues— the meeting lapses' for want of a quorum, Now;, here, is Whfere "?lie 7 inj u*t'icc and uhkihdhdss of the practice lies ; Some men come from a considerable distance, at great peysonal inconvenience and, possibly loss, perhaps in 1 bad weather, over wretched roads, to discharge iheir duty to the public r and those who placed them m < office. They 5 -nave some particular matter of district importance to get arranged, and they are anxious to have it disposed; of ; as early as,possible. Th'ey-iirrive at the place of meeting, and to their astonishment and -no one, [With the exception of theeverpurlctudl" clerk* and the 1 omnipresent rcpoiters condoling with^eaqh other across the table, and debating as to the possibility of a impßjiing, , Perhaps, after waiting about hali-an-hour, another coimcillor or membf r arrives on the scene, and is greaily astonished that everybody is iiof there before him, though the changes are very great that he himself only lives a few cjoqr off. Cr A. enquires of Or B, if Ci 0. is coming,Jor if he has seen him. Perhaps the^ indispensible C. is strolling about town, having " his own business to attend to," After waiting, for some time, the other functionaTieT not" putting m an appearance, the clerk, with a troubled look, announces that «' thero isn't a quorum," and after fixing a day. Jbr adjourned meeting, they complainingly disperse. Those who; are disappointed at one meeting are not likely to come to the next,, and so it passes oft m the same unsatisfactory way. Members of local bodies shoujd bear m mind that by systematically #tayipg; a^ay frpm the meetings ; thoy r do not pay a high tribuip oi" r.esuept tg their brother members ;' indeed^ tlicfsB I-

who do attend and are disappointed, have every reason to feel aggrieved and indignant, m that theji^ valuable time has, through the apathy and selfishness' of others, been throwa away without any beneficial result, either public or private. If men accept public oflice> they should be preparedVto disc"ha^%e i-lirt duties of tlurir position j and if they find it inconvenient to do so, they should nob _vefco_ the business pf^ the body to which they iiej^gn^y^Meiit^: ing themselves from its meetings, out stand aside and. let others, have a trial. Again, unpunctuality, is another feature of our local bodies. 1 ' Ifa nießtihg is fixed for .seven- o!clook, come-about half-au-hour later and you are early enough. This, likewise, is a very unjuvst and aggravating practice, and .should not be so generally indulged ia. Members should , always pbserve the houry and endeavour to come as near to it a possible. By this a better spirit will exist, po tjniovwill bo lost, and the proceedings Will be over earlier, and disposed of m a much more satisfactory manner. ' \'< '•>'• '' > -4 ; ; : ;