THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21461, 1 May 1935, Page 16

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

CAMPAIGN- MEETINGS IN SUBURBS CITIZENS' ASSOCIATION AT SPREYDON A crowd of about 100 electors in the Spreydon district gave several Citizens' Association candidates in the municipal elections an attentive hearing in a hall in Somerfield street last evening. Although the speakers raised many controversial maulers, it was an unusually quiet audience for an election meeting and there were very few interjections. The hall was crowded and there were many women electors present. Mr H. C. Hurst, a candidate for the North Canterbury Hospital Board election, said that he had no quarrel with L:-bcur. He was born in a labour family. The Hospital Board election seemed to him just as important as the council election. He had had a long experience in commercial life, in which he had been helped by the city, and for which he had endeavoured to help the city back. Mr Hurst spoke with some warmth about references to "cuts" in the wages of probationers at the hospital. "I've heard seme blame Sir Hugh Acland, but get that out of your head," he said. "Remember that the Government has to subsidise the hospital and orders came from above. When they come, you have to do something about them." Mr Hurst said that he was certain that the nurses would get the "cuts" back again shortly. He believed that the Citizens' Association candidates would be returned, and that when returned they would take the matter up immediately, But it had to be remembered that the board had the men in Wellington to guide it. The speaker mentioned the training given the probationers, and their opportunities for qualification as nurses to. earn nurses' wages. Mr Hurst paid a tribute to the work of all nurses. "If it was not for some of the wee lasses I would not be alive to-day," he concluded. "An Efficient Harbour" Mr H. Holland, M.P., described the improvements effected in bringing the Lyttelton Harbour up to its present state of efficiency. He would have 16 years of service on the board to-day, he said. The plans of the board would make Lyttelton one of the most up-to-date ports in the Dominion, and persons qualified to say so already described the port as one of the most efficient in the southern hemisphere, for its size and the population of the city. It was also worthy of notice that the Harbour Board had very little borrowed money; all of that was borrowed in New Zealand. But in Auckland, about which much was heard, the board had £665,000 of its loans borrowed in England, on which the Auckland board had to pay the exchange when remitting its interest. "I am very fond of my work on the board, and it is work which does not clash in any way with my parliamentary duties," Mr Holland added, Abuse Deplored Mr E. 11. Andrews, a member of the , present City Council, touched on many phases of municipal administration in I a long speech. He deplored the introduction of personalities; and abuse into the campaign. It was not the intention of the Citizens' Association to do anything of that sort. Criticism of opI ponents would only be as it affected their work in the control of the city.

Mr Andrews described as absurd, and apt to be misleading, statements made by the Labour candidates, including the. Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.), claiming big rate savings during Labour's control. In claiming that the rates had been reduced by £23,000 a year the Labour people had not been quite playing the game, because they quoted the year 1930-33, when the Citizens' Association had succeeded to the control of the council by a couple of by-elections. It. was not quite fair of the Labour candidates to start at lt'3o-31. but rather with the year before. In that year they took the record amount of £282,. r ).'is out of the pockets of the people of the city. "In the next year we were able to reduce that by £23,184. That is the amount by which we. and net Labour, reduced the rates in thst year." Transfer of Funds Mr Andrews referred to transfers from the funds of other departments in the council to reduce rates which were effected under Labour control. The reductions made by Labour were made by transferring money from the i Municipal Electricity Department and j the quarries, he said. Mr Andrews es-1 timated that the average rate reduc-i tions had been: Citizens' year, £9351; Labour year, £6420. That was a long way from the £23,000 given by Mr Sullivan, as an average. Even that did not set out the true position, because Labour had a windfall of £13,000 a year petrol tax, against £BOOO in tiie citizens' year—a gain of £SOOO. The Labour council was also relieved of £II,OOO a year by the completion of the annuel payments for antecedent liability. They had also the benefit of the £17,000 a year reduction of interest on local body loans. Stating that Labour had" claimed to have saved £17,000 by the conversion of loans, Mr Andrews said that it was by a Government order and not the decision of the council, that the reduction was made in interest? on loans. Labour had no more right to take credit for that saving than the Citizens' Association. Mr Andrews also mentioned his work on the Unemployment Committee, and outlined his ideas for an improvement in means of absorbing the city's unemployed. Dr. John Guthrie, Messrs J. Carter M. E. Lyons, T. Milliken, and F. d! Sargent also spoke, and Sir Hugh Acland, candidate for the mayoralty, who was warmly received, gave a short address as well. Mr If. Williams presided.

LABOUR PARTY AND MONEY MR J. K. ARCHER'S CHALLENGE What he described as "a wicked statement by Dr. A. C. Sandston" was referred to in an election speech last night by Mr J. K. Archer, a candidate fur the City Council. Mr Archer said Dr. Sandston had made a very foolish and extremist speech, which he would not have expected from an educated man. He had said that the Labour party administered simply for money. This was a completely wicked statement. "I have been Deputy-Mayor for "two ycax's and I have given a great amount of my time and energy to the- work of the city," added Mr Archer, "but I have never taken a penny from it. We are not perfect in the Labour party, but. we do not play into each other's hands for money." MEETING AT MEW BRIGHTON A gathering of about 70 women supporters of Mr E. L. Smith, a mayoral candidate, met in the Oasis Hall yesterday afternoon. The convener was Mrs H. A. Bishop, and the chair was taken by Mrs A. Branch. Mrs E. L. Smith was introduced to the meeting, and addressed the gathering. Offers of help were received not only from those present, but also from a large number of women, who forwarded apologies for their absence.