AGAINST SOCIALISM

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 190, 10 May 1938, Page 17

AGAINST SOCIALISM

Criticism By' Citizens’ Ticket Candidates “People fully capable iff managing Wellington’s affairs have banded themselves to combat the tide of Socialism threatening the whole country,” commented Mr. AV. J. Gaudin. a candijlate for re-election to the Wellington City Council, who presided at a meeting of citizens’ ticket candidates at Kilbirnie lust night. ( Outlining policy points, Mr. Gaudin emphasised that if candidates appearing on this ticket were returned, prudent, ■ economical" and businesslike administration would follow. The indiscriminate spending of money was opposed, and no proposal for raisins? loan money "would be supported unless sanctioned by the ratepayers. The only exception, Ml*. Gaudin added, would be in cases where work was required to be done under the Health Act. . .... „ Regret at the entry ot party politics into municipal and local body elections was expressed by Mr. C. R. C. Robieson, - a candidate for the hospitaboard. Referring to the proposed £<uo,ooo hospital building scheme, he said the care of the sick was a national affair which should not be-subject to political football. He did not agree with the proposal for a huge hospital in Wellington, particularly when the Hutt Valley, with a population of 50,000 people, was in need of a smaller hospital easier to manage. The time was opportune. Mr. Robieson added, for a move in the direction of preventing sickness. The policy of keeping people healthy was the wisest, and w_puld ultimately result in the hospital containing sufficient beds to meet all requirements. Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., a candidate for "re-election to the city council, said he had contested many municipal election campaigns in Wellington, but the issue now at stake were the grayest of all. If the people wanted a Socialist mayor, city council, hospital board and harbour board, they knew what to do on polling day. The' Socialists at the present time had several seats on the city council, and two more would give them a majority. Mr. Wright added that citizens’ ticket candidates favoured a much more moderate policy. He appealed to all electors to realise the seriousness of the position-and vote on polling day for sound administration. Hospital Policy. The £750,000 building scheme and the administration of the Wellington Hospital Board were criticised by Mr. J. D. Sievwright, who supported the policy of a district hospital in lhe-Hutt Valley, a convalescent home in an area to be selected, and a children’s hospital to be erected in a more suitable locality than . the present one. The hospital was. considerably overcrowded, said Mr. Sievwright, and the present board had done nothing to relieve the position. During the financial year, 1935-36, £57,000 was collected in rates, and last year a of £76,000 was collected. If the scheme suggested were adopted, the cost of each bed would be £2500. The citizens’ ticket, on the other hand, proposed a hospital in the Hutt Valley, the cost of which would be £250,000, at £lOOO a bed. Mr. F. A. Waterhouse, a candidate for the hospital board, said. -the building of a huge hospital in Wellington seemed . a negation of the very thing for. which people were alive. A big hospital was nothing to be proud about, and the only time anybody could be proud of a hospital was when full of empty beds. Mr. Waterhouse stressed the necessity of reducing the incidence of sickness. The only policy worth while was that of reducing sickness and improving the health of the people. He supported -the proposal to build in the Hutt Valley, and emphasised the advantages of a convalescent home in pleasant surroundings. A children's hospital was also very necessary, for Wellington, and the present position was by no means satisfactory. Harbour Development. “The secret of the success achieved by the port of Wellington has been the longsighted vision of those associated’ with it,” said Mr. A. Fletcher, a candidate for the harbour board. In a brief outline of the present board’s policy of development, Mr. Fletcher said many important items were on the programme. These included the building of a new shed at Pipitea Wharf, a new dredge now en route from England, a proposed new wharf at the junction of Thorndon Quay and Aotea Quay, the widening of the outer tee of Queen’s Wharf, and also the Jervois Quay berth, and the possibility of a new wharf, for handling produce, being constructed. between Taranaki Street and Clyde Quay. It was also proposed to dismantle the present ferry berth and the railway wharf, and to construct a new ferry wharf on the same site. - A railway wharf for coal would be built nearer Thorndon. Other speakers were: Messrs. T. C. A,. Hislop, candidate for the mayoralty, AV. Duncan (city council), and L. S. AV. McKenzie (city council). WISE SPENDING Speaking at a recent meeting Mrs. Knox Gilmer, citizens’ candidate for the hospital board, touched on the financial aspect of hospital administration. “What is troubling most people to-day?” she asked. “A sense of insecurity—a feeling that we are building on unsound foundations. 'The great idea appears to be that the road to progress and prosperity is to spend iis much money as possible—other people’s money it often is. Now. I believe in spending. I believe that it is a good thing to spend for the general betterment; for improvement in the standards of service in hospitals; for the es- 1 tablishment of better living conditions for nurses, for more cheering and stimulating surroundings for convalescents; and for the brightest and most comforting wards 1 for the little ones—the sick and injured ' children away from their homes and mothers. “I believe in spending to secure the best possible conditions in our hospitals for these things; but I believe also in spending wisely. I believe that the great weakness in our public administration today is that much of our public expenditure is not wisely laid out; that we do not receive full value for the money spent. That is against the public interest, and the public interest includes the patients

in hospitals, the nurses and all other*-. | It is against, the public interest because I there is, after all, only a. certain amount of funds available, and if these are not I well ami wisely spent there ultimately will : be a shortage' for essential requirements. ■ That would be a tragedy. So it is that if ] elected as one of your citizen representatives on the hospital board , it will be my constant, endeavour to en- t sure, so far as lies within my power, that ; every penny of hospital expenditure will ; be used to the best advantage and that I those who provide the funds, as well as j those who benefit, will feel satisfied that i their interests have been carefully safe- I guarded.”