RICCARTON BOROUGH ELECTIONS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18367, 28 April 1925, Page 11

RICCARTON BOROUGH ELECTIONS.

TO TH* EDITOR OF "THE MKSS." Sir. —On Friday there appeared letters in the local papers on the Riccarton Borough Elections written by candidates and other members of the Citizens' Association. The object was, of course, to get votes on Wednesday next for themselves and their friends, and the mean s the ordinary kind of political propaganda aimed at the manifesto and

speeches of the Labour candidates. It would have shown more courage and I less, disdain of the rights of electors' n the "Citizens" had followed the example of the Labour candidates. We issued literature'and held a meeting and generally' invited comment and criticism. The '-Citizens" are clearly afraid of ''facing the music" ; incidentally they save their pockets by doing their propaganda by the very cheap means of i letters to the Tress. 1 The most astounding parts of the_ letters are those which indicate that it is the intention of the "Citizens" to al-. low the Drainage Board to complete the sewer scheme without any attempt to provide a water supply other than the existing "tanks ori the roofs." justifying this hy saying that Christchurcn had sewers* forty years before it had a : li.p. water supply. Riccarton in this vear of Grace ,1920 is-.to begin where Christchurch began half a century ago, when as a little pioneer city in a new-ly-settled land it had everything to do, and of necessity' had to.improvise! If this expresses the mentality ■of the | Citizens no wonder that very many business men and others from whom we expected no votes are telling, us thai we shall be surprised at the large amount of support .we shall get and that they "are sick .to death of thepresent Council." What matters it tn these 'Rip Van Winkles that lots of houses at present have no tanks —the inmates pumping from the well as they need water: that many more have to fill their tanks by hand pumping; that rams, and windmills get out of order; that a filthy drain on one section is'on abominable menace to the health of the clean living people on adjacent sections? Wliat matter sill these tilings to these "Citizens"? "Let us begin".they say, "where Christchurch began half a cenOiry a<2;o." If- the." do ne sincerely trust that medical men and every person who cares anything for the health of the commiinitv will raise such_ a storm as will awaken even the "Citizens" to the fact that there are bounds to narsimony. . . .

Now in~t ;i line or two on the minor matters. The sweet condescension of Mr James F.*Peters is priceless. He was pipsent ;>r the meeting when Mr Richardson pointed out that our statement about rates »•»« contrary to fact—a s;:'at.eTn,?nt. .which th« chairman fMr Th -rnipsov'i immediately and unequivocally aerepted. He was nresent outside the Hall afte>- the meeting; nmonpst a group when if was explained how the error was made. He said nothing n " either oecae'oii. hut tv>w writes to the papers and says "I accept-- their anolosy." What a mercy. We do not need to be told that half Alliance street belongs to the Saleyards Company. The chairman on Wednesday in his opening remarks readily admitted that as none of the Labour candidates had previously served on the Council, they naturally would not be as conversant with details of borough administration as the sitting members. But we did know that detail, and also knew, which the "'Citizens", apparently do not, that the half of the road which at this moment is. largely, covered with' great patches of rank slimy mud is not on the saleyards side, but on the other. Because ilr MrCullough and Mr Daly said generous things on one or two points of borough administration, the "Citizens 1 ' unctuously interpret this as an admission that they are perfect in all things. It be bad party ganda to say some good word abouti your opponents. But we are not afraid of saying the good word if it be true, even though the "Citizens" have nothing good to say of us. If it be true, as Mr Ford Bays, that the maintenance of the cycle track on the West: Belt road is a responsibility

of the Christchurcli City Council, the Councillors.present at the meeting on Wednesday '(including Mr Ford) lnust either .have been iguorant of the fact or have forgotten it. But why in the world have not the Riccarton Council insisted ,on the City Council doing its job? We thought it was the parsimony of the Council which was responsible for the neglect. Evidently the true reason" is sleepy inactivity. .It.is silly nonsense to say that it is illegal to. spend money on compiling the rolls. The Council, through its clerk, spends a' certain amount at present in compiling, and printing the roll; a little more expenditure would give us a cor* rect roll instead of the sorry* mess wo now have. '

Lastly. Inexplicable .as it may appear to the '•'Citizens" we repeat that we iire not particulaily anxious a3 . individuals to get on the Council. But we are very very anxious that the incompetent rule of the "Citizens" shall be ended and that some representation of our point nf view shall be on _ the new Council. We would gladly have supported others but the. Partv put the duty on "us and we shall not fail'if elected.—Yours, etc., F. J. BRADXOCK, ' R. T. DALY. • , J. A. McCULLOUOH, G. H. THOMPSON. B. WILSON. , April 2fith.