The Press SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1935. A Policy for Citizens

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21436, 30 March 1935, Page 12

The Press SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1935. A Policy for Citizens

The Cliristchurch Citizens' Association's programme for the municipal elections, announced in " The Press " this morning, is pleasantly surprising in its boldness and practical insight and shows that the association has recaptured the vigour and breadth of vision of those .who brought it into existence. The most important point in the programme is the last, which commits the association to work for a " greater " Christchurch." It is not important that the meaning of the term is not precisely explained, or that the means by which the city is to be enlarged are not discussed in detail. What is important is that many thousands of people who live within a few minutes walk of Cathedral square, who have the benefit of the services provided by the City Council, and whose interests are identihec! with those of the city, live outside its boundaries; and in many cases take little interest in its government. The aim of the Citizens' Association is; to bring within the city of Chrisfijhurch all who are properly citizens of Christchurch, and to give the city area some sort of administrative coherence. At present, as we have frequently pointed out, the city area has no conceivable administrative or geographic justification. Though on the west it is bounded by Rossall street and does not include the thickly-popu-lated suburb of Fendalton, it stretches far enough in a northwesterly direction to include substantial tracts of farm lands; while on the east it excludes Bromley yet takes in an area of barren sandhills along the estuary. Greater Christchur"h means something more than a larger Christchurch. It means more efficient local administration over the Christchurch area and a keener and more enlightened municipal consciousness on the part of those who live in Christchurch. Other points in the association's programme which are new and deserve special commendation are the ! promise to investigate means for eradicating the smoke nuisance, a proposal to establish a fund for the purchase of additional parks and playing areas, and an admission that present methods of traffic control are inadequate. In addition there are, of course, certain proposals and expressions of opinion which have been the fundamentals of the association's policy since its inauguration. A promise is given not to extend municipal trading at the expense of private enterprise and to curtail municipal trading departments where they are competing unfairly against private traders. Similarly, the association repeats its pledge to aim at a reduction in rates. There are, perhaps, only two points which might with advantage have been made more definite. One L the promise to supply " elect ~ic " lighting, heating, and power at " the lowest price consistent with " sound business principles/' This to mean, and perhaps does mean, that the association is opposed to the use of electricity profits for purposes other than cheapening and improving electricity supply. The other is the promise to seek reductions in " the administra- " tion costs of local government." If the association is thinking of local government generally in the Christchurch area, and not merely of the City Council, its policy must lead it to an examination of the possibility of reducing the number of local authorities. No doubt these and other questions will be adequately discussed during the election campaign. For the present it is sufficient to add that the policy matches in excellence the candidates chosen to advocate it.