CITY COUNCIL VACANCY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19889, 28 March 1930, Page 17

CITY COUNCIL VACANCY.

CAMPAIGN OPENS.

CITIZENS' CANDIDATE'S

POLICY.

BUSINESS IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. The accommodation of the hall of the Chamber of Commerce was taxed to its utmost last night on the occasion of the address delivered by Mr C. E. Jones, the Citizens' Association's candidate for the vacant seat on the City Council.

Mr H. D. Acland, the president of the Citizens' Association, was chairman. The candidate was accorded an attentive hearing and at the conclusion was given a vote of thanks and confldenes* The" chairman, in introducing the candidate, said that he felt it a great privilege to introduce such a wellknown citizen as Mr C. E. Jones. He believed that Mr Jones woqjd finish with a good lead on Tuesday next. (Applause.) Mr Jones, who was received with applause, said that he had had a preliminary canter before the Women's branch of the Association. They were probably asking if he were going to trot or to gallop. Well, he had never been guilty of either. (Laughter.) He was not a professional politician, but an everyday business man, nevertheless he did not think that there was a bigger Bohemian in Christchurch than the man generally known as Charlie Jones. (Applause.)

A Strong Opponent. The fact that the Labour Party had put forth their strongest man he took as a compliment. It was a reason also why the citizens should put their shoulders to the wheel. It was no good growling, or talking in trams. If they wanted a change they must work for it, and vote for it. (Hear, hear.) When he had acceded to the request of the Citizens' Association to stand for the seat, some had told him that he ought not to put the community to the expense of an election. He had denied that he had done so. He did not think that either Mr A. S. Taylor, as chairman of the Citizens' Association, or Mr Archer, as Mayor, should say whether the vacant seat should be occupied by a Citizens' or a Labour candidate. It was a question for the electors to decide. The principle involved was that of doing their duty, and their duty was to hold the byelection.

Change in Public Opinion. Another reason was that opinions changed and sometimes changed very rapidly.. The Mayor's majority had dwindled from ten thousand to foiir hundred, and probably would dwindle more. (Applause.) In addition, there were 3000 more voters on the roll, and they had a right to expresß their opinions.

He hated blowing his own trumpet but he had been told that he must let people know what he had done. As far as municipal, or local politics were concerned he had done nothing, and not having* done anything he had no sins. (Laughter.) The candidate then detailed his activities in connexion with many institutions and organisations which served the community's welfare. He stood out and out against Socialism; he was an anti-Socialist. He did not think it was for the benefit of all that there should be this tremendous cleavage. All should be for the good of the City, and no Party should work for the benefit of one section. Everything should be done to keep down extravagance. They all knew that they were up against it, and that most business men had to look to reduced incomes. The prices of the Dominion's primary products were down, and that brought down the price of everything else.

Need for Economy. It behoved every business man and every member of a local body to watch every shilling of expenditure. -There must be no extravagance, and every shilling must be well spent and well earned. If there was extravagance, the ratepayers had to pay for it, and very, often they were the people least able to pay. Every working man was vitally interested in the way the City was run and how tie finances were handled. (Hear, hear.) He did not Btand for class distinction, or for the capitalist, but for the man and woman who were thrifty and liked to put some thing by for their old age so that they could be independent. He was out to do his best for the whole community, and not for one class only. (Applause.)

"Safe and Sound Business." "Safe and sound business" was their slogan, and that was what he stood for. He was ho magician, who was going to wave a wand over the Council, but he intended to exercise his ordinary sense as a business man for the good l of the community. (Hear, hear.) He did not know much about municipal politics, or whether the cement was wrong in Moorhouse avenue, or whether the second fence was necessary at the Carlton bridge. If elected he intended to use his intelligence and ordinary business sense when matters came up for consideration. (Hear, hear.) He urged | that private enterprise should be given greater opportunity.

City from Apathy. Apathy was what Christchurch suffered from, but he hoped that they would not allow apathy to creep in next Tuesday. If they lost the election the electors would be to blame. He trusted that they would wake up on Tuesday next, for though it would be April Tools' Day he did not want them to make a fool of him I (Laughter and applause.) Questions Answered. The candidate answered a number of questions. Regarding Mr George Gould's statement with reference to Cathedral square, Mr Jones said that, as he understood things, Mr Gould had only the good of the City at heart, and had no intention of filching anything from the City. Mr Archer had not been right in accusing Mr Gould of wanting to see women and children shivering in the cold and rain because there was no tramway shelter. He understood that, the Cathedral Chapter had offered sites for shelters just as convenient as the present one. He was in favour of a Metropolitan Board of Works, but it could not be carried into effect until they had a Greater Christchurch—until Riccarton, Cashmere Hills, and New Brighton were amalgamated with the City. Thanks and Confidence.

Mr D. .Bowse moved: "That Mr Jones be thanked for his able and in-

stroetive address, and that this meeting has every confidence in him as their representative." Mr T. Searell seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.

LABOUR CANDIDATE.

MR H. T. ARMSTRONG AT SYDENHAM. RECORD OF LAST THREE YEARS The Labour Party opened its campaign last night, when Mr H. T. Armstrong, M.P., Labour nominee for the vacant seat, and a former member of the Council, addressed about a hundred electors in the Sydenham Football Club Hall.

The Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer) presided, and Crs D. G. Sullivan, M.P., !• B. Cooke, A. E. Armstrong, and E. Parlane were also on the platform. The Mayor explained that the seat on the Council was rendered vacant by the death of Cr. P. W. Sharpe, one of the most valuable men in the Labour movement. There was a great difference between a vacancy and a by-elec-tion. In his opinion there was no need for an election, and there was no justification for it. At the last election the City had given its decision as to what men it wanted to govern for the next two years, and the seat belonged to Labour. Some years ago, when Mr C. P. Agar had resigned, Labour had left the seat vacant, but an Independent had won it. He did not think that if the vacancy had been on the other side of the table Labour would have contested it. However, they could not have chosen a better man than Mr Armstrong, and the Mayor was sure that when elected (as he would be) Mr Armstrong would give satisfaction, as he had done when on the Council before. Ex-Councillor Armstrong had not asked for the job; indeed, he had asked to be relieved of the responsibility. "I came prepared to defend the policy of the Labour administration, but bo far there is no case to answer," said Mr Armstrong. "Of course there is the cry that I am too busy to carry out the dual duties of Councillor and M.P. Well, I was on the City Council . before I was a member of Parliament, and I was on the City Council and Chairman of the Works Commi ee while I was in Parliament, and I do not think I neglected the work of either. No such cry has been raised about Beform or United members of Parliament."

Speaking in defence of. the Labour administration on the City Council, he said that they had made some mistakes, but the ratepayers should place alongside that the good work they had accomplished He was prepared to stand or fall by the record of Labour during the past three years. He would deal, he said, with the Works Committee as the body which spent most of the City rates. What Party had given better value for the money spent? He would say, however, that all Labour had accomplished had not been opposed by the Citizens' members. Some of them indeed had given valuable service.

Tho Streets. Up to three yearß ago nothing of a permanent nature had been done on the roads. During these three years over 23 miles of permanent roads had been constructed, giving 120 men permanent employment, not at 9s or 10s a day as some would pay them, but at 16s a day. "We are criticised for doing our work by day labour," added Mr Armstrong. "The other side want to bring the contractor in. I say that we have a competent engineer and a competent staff, and if they cannot do the work then they ought to be 'sacked.' But I know they can do it. The work was completed at about £17,000 less than the estimated cost of it. And all the other side can find fault with is A few; cracks in the concrete in Moorhouse avenue.

Cost of Administration. "Again the other side complained of the cost of administration. They asked for an enquiry; they had one, but we have never heard anything from them since. What the enquiry did reveal was that the cost of administration in Christchurch was £2 8s 7d per cent., and in Dunedin, the next lowest, £2 17s 8d per cent. Christchurch is the lowest in New Zealand. Against that we have more miles of streets to look after than any other New Zealand town except Auckland."

Tha Bates. "Then what about our newspapers, which are always so ready to find fault?" he asked. "They ask, 'Who raised the rates'? Now can you tell me that the rates wouldn't been raised if the Citizens' had remained in power? But have the rates been increased? The rate in the pound has been lowered. The increase is due to the revaluation of the City. I have given you some of the reasons for increased expenditure. What has been spent on the roads you will get back, and then we have had to find work for the unemployed. Could we let them starve? Money spent in unemployment was paid only in return for necessary and useful service rendered. "Another reason for the increased expenditure is that the Council, in view of unemployment, combined a four years' programme into three. But the work is being done.

Minimum Wage. "The other side quarrel with the rate of wages we paid the unemployed," proceeded Mr Armstrong. "They Bay we could have got the same work done for 9s and 12s. We, as a Council, are not justified in paying below the minimum wage fixed by the Arbitration Court of this country, and what is more, we are not going to. Then they complain of the increased wages we gave the City Conncil staff. Well, I was chairman of the Works Committee when this was done, and must take part of the responsibility, but I defy anyone to say we have added anything to the cost of our work, for we are getting it all back in increased efficiency. Tou don't get cheap work by paying low wages. "Then why .should the Labour Party increase the rates? We all pay rates, and we don't want to increase them any more than is consistent with progress. They are still the lowest in any of the centres of New Zealand. If we .have increased the rates by £22,000 we have given in return a'reduction of £30,000 in electricity charges alone. If we are entitled to the blame for the increase of rates, surely we are entitled to credit for this reduction. We have extended the use of electricity, whereas the other party, by their piecemeal methods, were restricting its use. The more electricity we can get you to use the cheaper we can give it to you. And we will give you a further reduction if you wiil give us the chance."

Questions and Answers. In reply to a question by Mr C. S. McCully, Mr Armstrong said he would not be in favour of giving Council work to private contractors. If the City Council staff was not competent to carry out the work they Bhould give way to others, but they had found that they were. Replying to another questioner, he said he did not favour the present policy of the Council calling for tenders and then giving the work; Jo the City. En-

gineer's department. If the Council called for tenders they should then give it to the lowest tenderer, provided he was competent to carry out the work. The Mayor added that they did not want to cloud the issue. They believed in doing the work themselves and not giving it to tenderers at all. That was their principle, . and those who could not accept that principle should vote against them. Cr. Sullivan answered another question about the increase in rates. He assured the meeting that if there _ had been no unemployment expenditure there would have been no increase ill the amount of rates collected. The issue was quite clear and simple. Would the Council find *£15,000 to provide work for the unemployed or would they let the unemployed starve? The other £7OOO of the £22,000 increase in rates was inescapable. Cr. Flesher, the Citizens' financial expert, had admitted this. The Mayor said that there was only' one enemy they had to fight in the election, and that was indifference. They should all see that Cr. Armstrong went in by a huge majority. Not only should they vote themselves, but they should all act as campaigners for the Labour Party. Mr Armstrong was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.

Mr H. T. Armstrong, the Labour candidate in the City Council by-elec-tion, will address meetings as under: To-night (Friday), 8 o'clock, in the Cathedral square; and to-morrow night (Saturday) •to friends and supporters in the Trades Hall, Glouoesfcer street, and Monday ac the Sydenham Park,, with. Mr Howard, at: 8 .o'clock.