MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21449, 15 April 1935, Page 18

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

TO THI EDIT OB OT THE PRESS. Sir, —Nothing that Mr Suliivan has said to his friends and supporters at the Trades Hall has thrown any new light on his extravagant and misleading claims as to savings to the city over the last lour years. The figiires I quoted have been left unchallenged and my statements left unrefutcd. It certainly docs detract from the credit claimed by the Labour party when it is shown that the alleged saving of £25,029 claimed in 1932-33 was achieved at an expense to the city of £!i7,984, made up as follows: 1932-33 £ Transfer from Halswell quarries .. •• 12,000 Transfer from M.E.D. 11,492 Transfer from suspense account for women's rest room .. 4,492 £27,981 I might have added that in the other years of Labour control the following transfers were made: — 1931-32 £ From electrical general account 5,500 From Halswell Quarries .. 5,000 1933-34 From electrical general account 15,000 1934-35 From electrical general account 5,000 From Halswell Quarries account .. .. ■ • 10,000 I have always strongly disapproved of the policy of raising leans as a charge against rates without the consent of the ratepayers, and two wrongs do not. make a right.

Surely the cream of Mr Sullivan's criticism ccmes when he says, in speaking of reduced electricity charges, that "he is guilty of very gross misrepresentation and a reprehensible intention to mislead the public not so much because of what he said, but because of what he did not say—his lack of frankness."* If he will refer to my earlier remarks he will see that I said that during the last two years the only reduction that was made in electricity charges was made on a motion proposed arid seconded by Citizen's Association councillors. This statement he has not attempted to deny. I did not deny that reductions had been made in electricity charges, but I do say now that these reductions were only possible on account of the very favourable position in which the funds of the Municipal Electricity Department were owing to the businesslike way in which the Municipal Electricity Department had been founded "by past Citizen Association councillors and owing to the very favourable contract for bulk supply made with the Government by past Citizen Association councillors. Mr Sullivan accuses me of "playing with words." The boot is on the other foot. He is reported to have said "The council's decision to convert the public debt of the city has meant an annual saving to the ratepayers of approximately £17,000." This is not a saving. He cannot refute my contention that it is not a saving but only a postponement of the liability. Moreover, 'in hif. latest statement he says that conversion imposed no burden on the central ratepayers. That is contrary to .feet. Conversion with consolidation has meant an extra burden of £ls per £IOOO of unimproved value spread over a period of 20 years to the ratepayers of the area within the city belts. Also it imposed a burden on Sydenham and the older parts of Limvood and St. Albans. I have already pointed out that the present Labour' Council in the dying hours of its existence has arranged an agreement with the drivers and labourers uvho comprise the bulk of the council workers) for a further period of three years, so that the question of these wages is disposed of for that period. If Mr Sullivan will read carefully the policy of the candidates he will see that the institution of useful works for the unemployed at standard rates of pay is advocated by the Citizens' Association candidates.— Yours, etc, T, MILLIKEN. April 13, 1935. to th 3 sorroa of th* pssss. Sir,—There is an old saying that a little knowledge is dangerous, and this is aptly demonstrated by the let-

ter signed "Nom de Plume" in your edition of April 12. For utter nonsense the letter would be hard to beat, and stuff such as that would more likely harm the cause he espouses. He says that the Tramway Board and Labour City Council pay their employees higher wages than outside employers because they could at any time risk their employees going out on strike. He also says that had a Labour board been in control at the time of the Tramway strike it would simply have had to concede the demands of the men, as it could not call for volunteers. It is safe to say that had a Labour board been in control there would have been no strike, and the tremendous expense that it caused the board and the public would have been avoided. It is interesting to note that from j 927 to 1933 the revenue of the Christchurch Tramway Board dropped to the extent of 3G per cent., while Wellington only dropped 19 per cent, and Auckland 16 per cent. Why the great difference between Christchurch and the other centres? Gross mismanagement and the strike. I have it on good authority that the Labour board has a substantial increase in revenue and passengers to show for its first complete year of management, thus showing that it pays to keep a contented staff. Surely it is better to have the good-will of a staff, as no business or public concern can ' be run profitably without the stall's co-operation. "Ncm do Plume" says that the Citizens' Association has never claimed to be anything but a Citizens' Association, and it is only the „Labour party that is labelled political. "Nom fie Plume" should get hold of one of the circulars sent out to numerous persons by the Citizens' Association a few weeks ago. and unless he h so steeped in prejudice that he is beyond redemption he would possibly change his mind.

The Labour parly deserve nil orcein for entering the arena of Municipal politic;;, as it is since then that the era of municipal progress commenced in Chn: ; tc!iurch. —Yours, etc.. KNOWLEDGL April 13, 1935.