MORE ABOUT ECONOMY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 94, 22 April 1931, Page 15

MORE ABOUT ECONOMY

THE LEAGUE CANDIDATES

COUNCIL AND HOSPITAL

Well-attended meetings of electors were held at Kilbirnio ana Seatoun last evening to hear the views ot Civic League candidates for the City Council and the Hospital Board. Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, the Civic League and Batepayera' Association candidate, again outlined his general policy for a necessary reduction of rates by 5 per cent, and the lessening of costs of city services to the public to meet the present difficult financial position, [brought about by the drop in the value lof the country's primary products. No 'matter whether a citizen was a ratepayer or a rentpayer a reduction of rates would benefit him, for a part, at any rate, of the rates was passed on. Savings could be mado in street works expenditure (£20,000), reserves special expenditure (£SOOO at least), street cleaning (£5000), and by greater efficiency of administration and supervision. Ho was satisfied that when the council got down to it the total savings could be brought up to £35,000, and there was the further consideration of anticipated increases in revenue from fees, licences, petrol tax, etc. He was confident that a 5 per cent, reduction could be made at once. Mr. Hislop said that ho had underestimated rathor than over-estimated the possible savings. The council as a whole, he was certain, would lend tull support to an immediate policy of reducing the rates by 5 per cent, with

h, groat probability of making that reduction greater. The savings could bo effected without detracting from efficiency and without the dismissal of employees. Just as important as rate reductions wore charges t'ov services rendered by tho council to the public, he continued, and from inquiries he had made of the council officers could say confidently that a further,reduction in charges for electric power could be made this year. PEOM ANOTHEK ANGLE. Mr. 11. A. Huggins said that it had boon commented that candidates who had spoken of rates reduction had si> far failed to make more than general statements that it could be done. Ho was one who was definite that the rates could bo reduced. Ho and Mr. Hislop had approached the question from different angles, but had arrived at about the same conclusion. i

A total saving of £33,61)0 could be mado under various headings, as follows:—Streot works, £13,000; street cleaning, £3000; drainage, £4850; reserves, £8000; and special non'rocurring expenditure, £4750. A reduction of £33,600 in general expenditure, said Mr. Huggins, would enable the general rate of 2 1-ad in the & on unimproved value to be reduced to 2d, and allowing for the additional £10,000 or £.12,000 for interest charges which would have, to bo met for the first time tliis year, that reduction would easily allow for a 5 per cent, reductioii. The hospital rate was something over which the council had no control, but be,believed that by' careful administration hospital costs and rates could be substantally reduced. Less ,would be quired for general expenditure this year, as many important works Had been carried out as relief works.

If there was a will to put a road through the new tunnel, said Mr. Hislop, it could be done and it must bo done. Tho Tramways Department was one of the soundest, business concerns in the Southern Hemisphere, with ample- reserves and special funds. The loss on the transport .system was due to tho buses, not to loss on tram services. He was against tho running of buses parallel with trams. A NEW CANDIDATE. Mr. C. F. Lethaby, a candidate for the City Council, said that he had servr ed a useful apprenticeship as chairman of the Island Bay District Association, and stood as "a keen, alert, and watch-j ful candidate for the suburbs. 53 The! planks which he supported wore no | loans without polls, rates reduction, | non-tnuisforeiiee of departmental pro-j tits, bettor street lighting, and retention of the threepenny tram fare, greater attention to tho suburban.areas in necessary services, a uniform reduced charge for milk throughout the year. Ho was freo to devote his time fully to the city's business. SOUND CITY FINANCES. Mr. W. «T. Gaudin spoke briefly, saying that the city's finances were, in fact, very stable. Sinking funds now amounted to over a million pounds, and the soundness of that position would bo demonstrated whon loans fell due for repayment. The policy of tho council was to give back as much as possible to tho consuinors in Teducod charges for services, and had, in fact, given back a good many thousands of pounds by running buses at a. loss. Tho Electricity Department had made reconfc reductions in charges which meant £41,000 to the consumers. He would not favour such reductions in tho charge for any scrvico as would threaten to wipe out the year's profit. Tho last profits made by tho Electricity Department had been in largo part due to the arrangement mado with the Government for the supply of power to the Government from tho Evans Bay power station, which had justified itself time and time again; but there was no guarantee that the Government would require power from Evans Bay in the future. FOR THE HOSPITAL BOARD. Mr. A. T. Markman said that he had been asked to stand for either the City Council or the Hospita.l Board, and had chosen to interest himself in hospital affairs. There was room, he thought, for considerable. reduction in hospital costs, while maintaining high efficiency in the treatment of patients. There was too great a difference between the average cost of treatment and the fees collected. Hospital board meetings, he considered, should be hold in tho evening, for business men could not always attend in the day time. Far too much time was spent by members of the full board in detail which could be dealt with by sub-committees or by officers.