More Industry Urged By Labour Candidate

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29057, 20 November 1959, Page 17

More Industry Urged By Labour Candidate

Labour believed that the prosperity of Christchurch depended upon the expansion of its industries and the volume of production in those industries, Mr C. B. Hall, candidate for the Christchurch City Council, told a Labour Party meeting at the corner of Madras and Salisbury streets last evening.

“Industrial development is important for Christchurch and a Labour council will do its utmost to attract new industries,” he said. Mr Hall said additional industry would help to spread the burden of rates and would provide more goods and services for the growing population. ’

Mr A- Galbraith, who is also standing for the council, said he was a keen advocate of a bridge over the Estuary from South Brighton to Shag Rock. “However, I am definitely opposed to the suggestion that this bridge Should be a toll bridge.” He said there should be no toll gate on a bridge that would be linking one suburb with another. Mr Galbraith said he also advocated the reclamation of McCormack’s Bay for use as a recreation area.. “This would be a great thing, particularly for Sumner.” .

He said he had advocated the reclamation at the last election and about three months later there had been “an influx of visitors keen on the reclamation idea.” *

There had been suggestions that a school could be built there, that it. could be cut up for building sections, or that it could be a business area, he said.

“However, they did not know that the land when it was reclaimed was covered by legislation that provided for it to be a recreation ground for the people of Sumner borough and the county of Heathcote,” he added. “Spendthrift Council”

Mr H. E. Denton, seeking reelection to the City Council and the Transport Board, said: “Never in the history of the municipality of Christchurch have you had a more spendthrift council than the Citizen’s Association council.” He said he had never known a local body run by businessmen to be successful.

“Businessmen are usually too self-interested and are very, very prone to look at the party from which they sprang. “These self-same businessmen have no confidence in themselves.

They want to employ consultants for the council, but they would not think of calling in consultants for their own businesses,’’ he added.

Mr M. A. Connelly, M.P.. standing again for a seat on the city council, said much had been talked about electoral reform. “It is not so much electoral reform that is needed, but a better system of enrolling electors.” He said that at present a person could go along to a polling booth only to learn he had no vote because he was not on the roll. “In the interest of democracy and the interest of a higher percentage vote, the council ought to take steps to make it as easy as possible for people to check to see if they are on the roll. “Another thing is that people should be able to enrol throughout the whole term of the council. Year in, and year out, facilities for enrolling should be available,” he said.

Mr Connelly said the ward system had not proved itself as a popular method of franchise. Both the Christchurch Transport Board and the Christchurch Drainage Board had the ward system, but usually drew only about 5 per cent, of the voters. “The city council system draws about 50 per cent, of the voters—--10 times as many. On the facts the present system is superior,” Mr Connelly added that less council business should be done in committee and steps should be taken to increase public interest in municipal affairs.