MR. M'KEEN'S REPLY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 123, 20 November 1931, Page 11

MR. M'KEEN'S REPLY

deferring to the statements made by Mr. Appleton, Mr. M'Keen stated to* clay that apart from the electioneering which Councillor Applcton had done at the council meeting—a - procedure* in itsolf hardly according, to the ethics of politics—it was unjust to say that there had been any hitting below the belt.

"I have said before and will ■ say so for the remainder of' this campaign that Mr. Apploton'a policy was to reduco the city rates by 10 per cent.," Mr. M'Keen said. "Ho knew that to accomplish I his meant the dismissal of men from the council. The fact is that 300 men wore dismissed bocauso :of his 10 per cent, reduction policy. "Mr. Apploton has made definite statements that he favoured an increnso in the 3s concession tram-faro cards, as a result of which thousands of people have been encouraged to live in the suburbs on account of the cheap transport. The position now is that in view of the prospective deficit in the city accounts, there is a possibility of 47 men being dismissed from the tramways, or as an alternative an increase in the 3s eoncesion cards.

"Mr. Appleton and othera at the council havo always been ho&tilo to the 3s concession cards, and it is now a question of whether those people who have been encouraged by cheap trans-, port to live in the suburbs are going to tolerate this increase.

"Mr. Appleton has during this:1 campaign been- concerned-, more 'with parochial than national questions, and his1 knowledge' of: politics appears limited strictly to those of the parish'pumpvariety." ■ , '■■„ .'■■'■' ; --1v:. ...'.'