LABOUR CAMPAIGN

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21465, 6 May 1935, Page 17

LABOUR CAMPAIGN

WORK OF CITY COUNCIL DEFENDED

HOSPITAL HOARD CANDIDATES HEARD

Labour speakers who "addressed an open-air meeting of ebctors at the corner of North Avon and Stanmore roads on Saturday evening defended the administration of the city under Labour control and attacked the criticism levelled by the Citizens' Association candidates against that administration. Nurses' wages, reductions in rates, the consolidation and conversion of the city's loans, and roachng were the main topics discussed The speakers, Mr D. G. Sullivan, M P Mrs I. Parlane, Miss Mabel Howard Messrs J. S. Barnctt and H. E. Denton, were introduced by Mr H. MoxW. There was a moderate attendance of electors. There was an almost entire absence of interjections, each of the speakers being well received. Only one.question was asked. Mrs Prrlane, a candidate for the City Council and for the Hospital Board, dealt with the dismissal of the probationer nursed, claiming that they should have received three months training or three months' pay. If the board thought the uniform, which cost from S'.l to £ll, was necessary, it should provide that uniform; or else it should allow its replacement by a simpler and much less expensive one. Mrs Prrlane then discussed the work of the benevolent committee, of which she is a member, and described the procedure necessary before applicants for relief could obtain it. After filling in forms and having their homes visited by inspectors they then had to make an appearance at the hospital Mr: Parlane urged that more humrne treatment should be given those applying for assistance. Savin? in Kates Claimed Miss Howard,- the next speaker on the list, gave way to Mr Sullivan, candidate for the mayoralty, who delivered a brief address. Mr Sullivan confessed himself in dirhculties in answering the Citizens Association candidates, because, he said, they did not agree among themselves. Mr .J, f. Beanland, for instance, insisted that the present City Council had done wonclerfullv good work, for which he claimed some credit; Mr T. Mil liken and Mr M. K. r.yons, on tnc bthei hand had nothing but criticism lor it. The sneaker claimed thnt the Labour , administr.tion formed a record tha, had not been b?aten or even equalled. He dealt with the question of rates auotin« fmiires to show that tn--Labour Mavor and Labour City Council had s ":'d the ratepryers an averape of £23,000 in the last four years. There had also been very considerab e reductions in electricity charges, dir [ar'<elv to the work of Mrs McCombs These' figures, Mr Sullivan said, had been "taken by the Citizens' Association and twisted in overy possible way, and they lvrl b-en to a y un in their treatment of the £2O 000 th* council had taken tor the roll io local unemployment at a time- when there was no national legislation on the problem. The Government, he argued, made transfers from reserve fund-i-a matter on which tne Labour Council had been the Citizens' Association itself had done i, when in power. The latter party was heard of only at election time. A Question A questioner informed Mr Sullivan j that he had complained to the counci more than once about footballs am! j cricket balls that had come over the fence into his garden, but that nothuv; had been done about it. He threatened : Ito take legal action if it continued Mr Sullivan, faying that the matter mii'.t of necessitv he important to uremics! ioner as affecting his home, and therefore must be met with sympathy advised him to refer it to the proper person, Cr. T H. Butterficki. Miss Howard's Appeal Miss Howard, a candidate for the City Council and the Hospital Board, said that it was difficult for men to realise the woman's viewpoint, and urged the election of more Labour party women to the council. The present election, she said, was of a very different character from the last. Keform, with an eye to the general election 'later, was endeavouring to win a Labour stronghold. The Labour platform was almost the same as before, except that Labour asked forji mandate on the 40-hour week, she telt that if the Citizens' Association candidates were genuine in their desire to help the needy they could have done much more than they had. Miss Howard then >oke of wriat she termed "the most disgraceful incident in the history oi the Chris - church Citv Council," the non-accept-ance of the award governing the city destructor employees. She attacked M< Beanland. on the ground that he had twice voted for the proposals, but at the council meeting had voted against them. This latter action was not the real Cr. Beanland, from whom she had received much fair treatment—he had obeyed the cracking oi the party whip. ,-,,.-, One of the audience, departing, icmcrked that "it is time we had a motion of confidence." Miss Howard ended with an appeal to the electors to five Labour an absolute majority, to avoid the present uncomfortable dependence on wavering independents for a majority.

Local Body Administration Mr Denton, a candidate for the City Council and the Hospital Board deal with the reduction m rates quoting Hk ires used before by Mr Sullivan. He claimed that the Citizens Association, after its term of office, had left the streets in a most disgraceful condition. He referred also to the report of the independent auditors on ihe finances of the Tramway Board and read extracts from the leading -'.•tides in Christchurch newspapers condemning their state. .Mr Denton also argued that the Drainage Board rate was far too high and that its affairs had been grossly mismanaged H-- read further extracts from the newsp: pers to prove that the Hospital Board had given the lead m New Zealand in wage-cutting. . "If you want someone who will interfere with the wages of the councd's employees." he concluded, after discussing this subject, "don't vote foi Loan Consolidation Mr Barnctt, also a candidate for the City Council and the Hospital Board do;'it in detail with two subjects, the reduction in wages by the board ic, the consolidation and conversion of leans. In the first matter, he said the board had exceeded the instruction, of the Director-General of Health who had stated that he did not wish liymg expenses to be taken into account in making the 10 per cent, reduction I had, however, and the nurses, instead of having' their cash salaries reduced from £:io a year to £27, hadl duced to £lB IBs-approximate y a 40 „„ r (. cn t cut The members had Ishown i" this that, they had neither heart nor imagination. Outer areas formerly had to pay for amenities by raising a special loan Us cost being a charge against the special area alone. It was an anomaly thrt under such a system a . conceit hall should be a charge against the whole ci' . Consolidation of these lr -h" been achieved only after a courageous light by the Labour members of the City Council, and tne out-*-areas would reap the benefit. there, when they received their next demands, would find thrt they received very consideraole relief from consolidation.

A Labour candidates' meeting was held last evening in the Civic Theatre. There was a fair attendance. Mr It. Macfarlane presided, and the speakers wre Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan MP) Mr Clyde Cnrr, M.P., Mr H. 1. Armstrong M.P., Cr. G. T. Thurston, and Cr. T. H. Butterfield.