Party’s methods attacked

Press, 5 October 1977, Page 6

Party’s methods attacked

The Citizens' Association had become ‘the most politically destructive group to' contest local-body elections' in Christchurch” because it! was so concerned about losing, said the Labour Mayoral candidate (Mr H. A. Clark) yesterday. He said that Citizens’! members had “chosen just' about every political adjec-' tive they could find to lower the standard of this year's Election. “They have no policy and • record of an inert, static council. Their only weapons •re attacks on L abour’s policy and its candidates.”

i Mr Clark said the over-1! ■ re-action to issues was losing |i i Citizens more votes thanp ;; any other issue. <; "The rating pamphlet put I - out by our North Ward can- ■ I didates is absolutely accu-h I rate and entirely based on figures provided by the Cityi ’Treasurer,” he said. ”The|' : Mayor’s outburst is a bad: slur on his own staff.” j The Citizens’ Association i : had not heard the last of the rates issue. I "Now that it has drawn . the community’s attention to ' it, it will have to suffer the: ' tgnominy of its position,”" Mr Clark said. Mr Clark said the pamph- i

i let showed actual council irates, and a graph was the (fairest way to describe the actual rating record. ■ “If we had used figures |for residential ratepayers ■only, we could have 'justifiably been accused of (being devious,” he said. (“Such a table would have ■ been even more damaging to Citizens.” ' More than 50,000 city (ratepayers were well aware jof "the true situation,” and would reflect this at the poll, Mr Clark said. “We iare prepared to be judged by the voters on our rating