FORMER MAYOR SPEAKS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21727, 9 March 1936, Page 12

FORMER MAYOR SPEAKS

ME SUIXIVAN’S INTEREST IN CITY ELECTION LABOUR'S ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE 1927 / “It is unusual fur a member of the Government to take part in a municipal election,” said the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, when he arrived to address a meeting of 40 electors in the interests of the Labour candidates for the City Council elections at North Linwood School on Saturday evening. •‘But here the circumstances arc unusual also,” he said. “It happens that Hie member this time is the retiring mayor. Everything that is discussed during the campaign is of very great interest to him, and this justifies the departure.” Mr Sullivan was received with prolonged applause. “I have had only the last half to three-quarters of an hour .in which to give attention to the features of the ejection.” he began; “but I have been confronted with a most extraordinary situation. It is such a situation as I have never known before. On tins occasion the opponents of Labour arc themselves making the case for Labour. They are by the things their principal spokesman is .saying, proving up to the hilt the claims of Labour. I have been reading a speech of Mr Bean land, and I discover he admits that under Labour rule the city has made most wonderful progress and that the rates have been substantially reduced.”

Reduction of Rates

Mr Sullivan than read extracts from a report of one of Mr Beanlands speeches in the election campaign, quoting figures showing the reduction in the city’s rates while the Labour party was in power. Mr Beanland had said that the general rate in 1924-25 was £124,393, but to-day the council was collecting only £113,099. Rates had been reduced and electricity charges lowered, Mr Sullivan said, during “the rule of the Labour party, which had had control of the council from 1927 to the last election. There had been no reduction since the Citizens’ Association gained power. The loin conversion was tire biggest financial operation undertaken by the council in 20 or 25 years, Mr Sullivan said, but the conversion and consolidation were opposed by tthe Citizens’ Association representatives, who said they would fight it to the last ditch. The Labour party alone was responsible for the benefit which the_ city would enjoy at the end of this financial voar —a saving amounting to about £17,000. Other local bodies not under the control of Labour collected rales amounting to £53,037 in 1924-25. Last year (hey collected £113,250, an increase of £59,413. There were however, two opposite developments going on at the same time. Rates with the Labour body were being substantially reduced, while rates with other‘local bodies were being increased. Good Wages

The Labour party had also itujrried out substantial improvements in the city. For instance, it had increased the mileage of streets laid in permanent material from 30 miles to a little less than 130. There had been no reduction in wages. Almost alone among local bodies in New Zealand the Labour council in Christchurch had kept the flag of good wagps flying. It realised that the reduction of wages and salaries constituted the biggest blunder in the history of the country. He would not say that the increase in unemployment was directly caused by the reduction of wages. Falling prices had contributed, but the point he would make was that the volume of unemployment was substantially increased by the reduction of wages. ■‘One thing is certain,” Mr Sullivan said, “that the Labour party in control of the council has achieved almqst miracles in its handling of the affairs of the city. The general tendency was to increase rates while the Labour party was reducing them. I have always felt proud of the wonderful results the Christchurch City Council was able to achieve in improving the amenities of the city. I feel it to be the absolute truth that what Labour has achieved has been wonderful- Compare our promises and our achievements, and I think our record stands very well.” Mr Sullivan was warmly applauded for his speech. A warm reception was also given the other speakers, Mr J. K. Archer, candidate for the mayoralty, and Mr R. M. Macfarlane, candidate for the City Council. Mr G. Harrison presided over the meeting.