VOTING CHANGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 281, 26 November 1937, Page 8

VOTING CHANGE.

CITY POWER BOARD.

ALTERATION APPROVED.

u WAS PLAYED THE game."

<Bj Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day.

"The Auckland Electric Power Board has played the game most of all, declared the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Hamilton, in the House of Representatives this morning when the Auckland Electric Power Board Amendment Bill was under discussion.

In moving the committal of the bill the Attorney Cieneral, Mr. Mason, who is in charge of the measure, said the main provision was to extend municipal franchise to the board's. elections. It was the application of generally accepted democratic principles. No other power board in New Zealand had a franchise identical with that of the Auckland board. It was a consei vativ e franchise belonging to times and ideas Ion" past. It was curious, as well as anomalous, that in the largest c 'ty in New Zealand tbere should be a franchise of so antiquated a character. It was purely a ratepayers' franchise now and inconsistent with modern ideas. Mr W. T. Broadfoot (National, "V\aitomo) asked whether all local bodies concerned in the power board's area had agreed to the bill. Had they asked for the amendment? "Not the Last Word."

"This is not the last word in franchise or in local government," said the Prime Minister, the Hon. Mr. Savage. "Times are changing. While lam afraid that some of us are sleeping local government iteelf is due for a big change. We have in Auckland a multiplicity of local bodies, and the time will come when there will be one local body running the whole lot, with departments covering various phases and activities, as we have them covered nationally.

Mr. Savage said he hoped the bill would go through without argument. Mr. Hamilton eaid mighty changes had taken place in New Zealand long before Labour came into office, and most of the changes were for the better. It was debatable whether the change being asked for in regard to the board's franchise was desirable. The board had fitted into the Power Board's scheme perhaps better than any other board. "Played the Best Game." "The board is going on very well, it works well and it has played the game best in New Zealand," he continued. Mr. J. A. Lee (Government, Grey Lynn): Not to the small domestic consumer. Mr. Hamilton: That is debatable. He said that it was important for all city areas to have cheap supplies of electricity. The bill was designed to make a political change in the franchise. The Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr. Parry): Is that not important? Mr. Hamilton said democracy could run amok. It was apt to destroy itself by going too far. Democracy had broken down in some parts of the world. "Not a Fair Deal." Mr. Lee said that the small domestic user had not had a fair deal in Auckland. In saying that he was not suggesting that the business had not been competently run. On the contrary, he believed it had been very competently run, and that the rates were exceedingly favourable to the large commercial user. Nevertheless, there was no doubt at all that the small domestic user had not been well treated.

Mr. A. S. Richards (Government, Roskill) said he could see no valid or intelligent objection to the bill.

The Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, said Mr. Hamilton had compared Wellington and Christchurch with Auckland so far as supply was concerned, but he would point out that in Wellington. Christchurch and Dunedin the franchise was exercised. Apparently, however, Auckland people were not competent to exercise the franchise.

Mr. Lee: He objects to the franchise for people on the Grey Lynn roll. (Government laughter.)

The bill entered the committee stages just before the adjournment at 1 p.m. Mr. Mason, in answer to a question by Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (National. Riccarton). said the rolls used would be the same as those used by the municipality. The short title was passed and tlie House rose at 1 p.m.

The bill was later put through Committe, read a third time and passed, with a technical amendment, suggested by Mr. Kyle and agreed to by the Minister, concerning the purging'of the rolls.