The Sun WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1914. THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 64, 22 April 1914, Page 6

The Sun WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1914. THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

A correspondent whose letter appears on this page emphasises the danger that undoubtedly exists at the present time of the Social-Democrats capturing the City Council. They are throwing themselves into the work of organisation with an enthusiasm that might very well be emulated by other citizens, and unless those opposed to Socialism bestii themselves at once, they might as well let the whole contest go by default. The Social-Democrats make no secret of their desire to extend the principle of public ownership, to commit the city to fresh undertakings, to raise the wages of the Council employees, and generally to embark on a spending policy. There is never any difficulty in discovering schemes for spending the people's money; the difficulty is to get a return that warrants the expenditure. It is very questionable whether the public is getting its money's worth at present -out - of • the administration of the City Council, and we could sympathise more freely with Social-Democratic plans for . the enlargement of the' council's functions if plans were forthcoming for obtaining the money by economising 011 the existing expenditure. In other words, if the Social-Democrats could show where money could be saved at present, or how they could improve on the existing man-, agement of the city's affairs, the citizens would be more likely to look with a favourable eye on new undertakings. But if there is one thiug more unpopular in Social-Democratic circles than economy it is efficiency; yet without economy in expenditure and efficiency in administration good municipal government is impossible. The Social-Democrats' candidate for the Mayoralty last night made a great point about the success of the Christchurcli tramway system, and left his audience to infer that if the public had not constructed its own trams the people would still be riding in old ramshackle cars I drawn by horses. It should be needless to point out that in Auckland a private company provides safe and comfortable cars, carries passengers farther for a penny, treats its employees quite as well as the Christchurch Tramway Board does, and j ja y s the city for the privilege. The same system mijjht have been adopted in Christchurcli, and the money paid annually for the concession would have provided the municipal quarry Mr Speirs is anxious for the council to obtain, and a few other things as well. The success of public ownership depends entirely on the quality of the management, and it is quite a mistake to suppose that the qualities which go to make a good labour agita-tor-are identical with those Avhicli make a man competent to control large business undertakings. If the Social-Demo-crats are successful at the elections, it is bound to be a pretty expensive business for the ratepayers. Labour is well represented on the council at present, and until its representatives develop more business ability it is in the interests of the community as a whole that they should remain in a minority.