MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 220, 13 June 1933, Page 10

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

Address to Ratepayers WATCHFUL CARE NEEDED Civic affairs were reviewed by Dr. J. S. Elliott in an address to the Wellington Ratepayers’ Association last evening. . „ At the outset, Dr. Elliott • briefly surveyed the progress which the city had made during the past forty years, citing the immensely better -drainage system, electric light, the improved harbour facilities, the tramways, the city’s parks and reserves, aud the wonderful seaside promenade at Oriental Bay. as works ivhlch previous City Councils had given Wellington. “People have changed,” he said. “In older times they were more simple in their tastes, and all saved a little capital for a rainy day. There is not the same Independence now. and they expect the State or municipality to provide for them.” We now.had .the deferred system of payment in private life, and borrowing in municipal life. This borrowing had grown, aud two mayors bad told him that the Wellington City Council could not be nin on business lines, said Dr. Elliott. Nevertheless. there were certain business principles which had to be adhered to.

The electoral system was a deterrent to many good men, Dr. Elliott continued, as the electioneering was distasteful to them. He was not opposed to Labour, but he thought that the ticket system, with one class of man against another, was objectionable, as it brought out candidates who were not known to the voters. Dr. Elliott drew attention to the futility of the majority of the relief works, which only lowered the men’s morale. In the course of his remarks on the effect of the depression, Dr. Elliott pointed out the insecurity .of savings that had been invested in house property, much of which was now a burden. This depletion of the financial reserves was also the depletion of the funds which were a source of employment to labour.

Reviewing civic finance, Dr. Elliott considered that the balancing of the civic budget at the end of March. 1932, was very creditable to the last council. The city’s assets were £8,332,268, with an excess of assets over liabilities of £1,891.074, and this was not a big enough margin to warrant the slightest expenditure on non-productive borrowing.

“The present position will have to be closely watched by the rateir.iyers, who should act in sympathetic co-operation with the councillors,” Dr. Elliott said, “and there should be no borrowing except for purposes which will pay interest and sinking fund.”