LOCAL ELECTIONS CANDIDATES’ MESSAGES

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31802, 5 October 1968, Page 22

LOCAL ELECTIONS CANDIDATES’ MESSAGES

Mr E. C. Leach, a Labour candidate for the Drainage Board:

Mr H. P. Smith, Citizens’ candidate for the City Council:

Mr H. E. Denton, a Labour candidate for the City Council and the Transport Board: I have had long experience as a member of most of our major local bodies and lived

Local body elections will be held on October 12, voting in Christchurch City extending from October 7. To introduce candidates for the mayoralty, the city council and other local bodies in the metropolitan area “The Press” has invited each candidate to write his or her message to the electors.

I wish to thank my supporters of the last two elections and hope that this support will continue. Labour has had only five out of 14 seats on the Drainage Board and although not able to put all their ideas over, they have, by persistent and logical argument, been able to convince some of the opposk tion that at least some of our schemes are practical. We have tried to protect people from buying sections which are not suitable for building. Hundreds have been taken in this way because the board has not the power to stop this unless it has other local bodies’ support. A bill is now before Parliament to give the board this power. We have adequate staff for the first time in years, because they have all been put on public service rates of pay. They are on full planning schemes, so more use of our own staff is now possible, instead of

most of my life in Christchurch, so I hope to see our lovely city made more beautiful and prosperous by a development of our natural resources. I I nlieve in the establishment t a metropolitan board of M rks as a first step towards 1 timate amalgamation. As' i member of the city development committee, the airport authority, the parks and reserves committee and the electricity committee, as well as many sub-committees of the council and as a member of the District Roads Council, 1 have gained a wide knowledge of all the city’s problems. My experience on the council as well as on the Progress League, the Canterbury Provincial Patriotic Council and the Returned Services’ Association should fit me for the position of a capable and energetic local body representative to work for the betterment of Christchurch and a speedy fulfilment of the Labour policy.

To keep rates down the Citizens’ candidates support territorial amalgamation because this would spread essential costs over a greater number of ratepayers. Christchurch city's rate levy this year is $3.437m. (including water rate), and its wage bill is $2.6m. A great part of this is spent on providing services which are paid for by two-thirds of the people (the Christchurch ratepayers) but enjoyed by all. Examples are parks and gardens, cost $441,000: libraries, $184,000: traffic control, $342,000, I wonder how many of the residents of Riccarton, Heathcote, and Waimairi who are not ratepayers in the city realise that they have never contributed one cent towards the building of the Christchurch international airport of which they are justly proud. Amalgamation must be coupled with a ward system to ensure representation and an enlarged city council. The Labour Party proposal to amalgamate the Drainage Board and the Transport Boards is quite impracticable until the territorial amalga-

mation takes place, because both these boards rate over areas much larger than the city. The city could not rate beyond its boundaries, nor would it be fair for it to do so without representation.

Mr P. J. McAloon, a Riccarton Citizens’ Association candidate for the Riccarton Borough Council: If I am elected I will do my best to see that the progress achieved by the present council is maintained. In particular I will try to ensure that the citizens of Riccarton continue to get the best value for money and to see that rates are kept as low as possible without restricting amenities and services. Riccarton rates under a Citizens’ council should continue to be one of the lowest in any metropolitan area. For this and other reasons I would not support any proposals for amalgamation with Christchurch city without being sure that the proposals were for the benefit of the people of the borough and were agreed to by them in a poll. I would strongly favour continuation of the council’s policy of providing housing for pensioners and would explore the possibility of increasing the recreational facilities, particularly for children. I believe that being a younger candidate and with my professional training I can make a solid contribution to Riccarton.

Mr R. H. Stillwell, a Labour candidate for the City Council, Hospital, Transport and Drainage Boards: I am proud to be ona of the Labour team under the mayoral leadership of Mr J. Matheson whom I am confident will capably—both socially and administratively—emulate his popular colleague Sir George Manning. My message to ratepayers who annually put up the money to run our city is to make polling a “must” in order to obtain the urgently-needed change of administration to a Labour working majority. During the last 12 years of Citizens’ control, because of wasteful spending, rates have greatly increased to be a financial burden, especially to pensioners and those on lower incomes. My party’s policy includes: 1. Reduce the threeyear waiting period for pensioner cottages; 2. re-examine the master transport plan which is forcing hundreds from their homes; 3. purchase land for resale to prospective home builders; 4. encourage new industries; 5. that employees’ participation be encouraged; 6. set up investigating committess to study all aspects of City Council administration.

Mr J. B. Hay, a candidate for the Hospital Board for Heathcote, Halswell and Banks Peninsula counties and Lyttelton borough: During the last nine years it has been my privilege to represent the counties of the Peninsula, Heathcote, Halswell, Chatham Islands and Lyttelton borough, and to have been chairman of the finance committee for three years, and for the last three years of the institutions committee which deals with the day-to-day running of all the board's institutions. During this term the board has opened the Christchurch Women’s Hospital, which will be of great benefit to the women in the board's area, and completely renewed the accident and emergency department and established other special units. The planning of the rebuilding of Christchurch Hospital is practically complete and will be well under way next year, followed by other important works. The board now spends some s9m on the maintenance of all its institutions and with my experience over the last nine years I feel well qualified to continue serving on the board. I ask for the opportunity to represent you for a further three years.