CONTROL OF CITY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 116, 18 May 1944, Page 3

CONTROL OF CITY

REPLY TO MR. ROBERTS

STATEMENT BY MAYOR The Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, has taken exception to the reported remarks of Mr. James Roberts, Labour candidate for the Mayoralty, at _ his election meetings on Tuesday night, as being inaccurate and . reflecting upon his (Mr. Hislop's) administration over the past years. No fewer than nine glaring misrepresentations were made in a report covering little more than half a column, Mr. Hislop contends. . ■ Following' is Mr. Hislop's statement, the quotations from Mr. Roberts's speech appearing within inverted commas and Mr. Hislop's reply immediately following:— 1. "No essential railway or bus services has been cut for Hutt .Valley residents." The No. 2 Licensing Authority informs me that the Hutt Valley bus services were cut by 25 per cent, on the Minister's direction of June, 1942, and had a partial restoration of a little over 8 per cent., much the same as city services in 1943. An extra bus is run at 1 o'clock in the morning for employees of Griffin's factory. A bus is also run in the early morning and in the evening for employees of the Ford factory. As there are no trams in the Hutt Valley, those special concessions may be quite justified, but they do not cater for the general public. 2. "The Government had never refused any corporation in New Zealand either tyres or fuel where they were necessary to convey people to and from work." The following letter signed by Mr. Semple, when Minister of Transport, was received on June 29, 1942, by the Town Clerk: "In view of the deterioration in the position of supplies for motor vehicles in recent months, particularly relating to tyres, it is desired that the Metropolitan Licensing Authority review all those passenger services described hereunder." The Minister then "directed the authority to review the Kelburn-Karori, City Corporation, and New Zealand Railway bus services. Mr. N. C. Angus represented the Commissioner of Transport at the public sitting on August ■ 14, 1942, and stated that the Minister of Transport expected a reduction of 25 per cent, on the running of the buses on week-days and .of 75 per cent, on Sunday running.~_^£liesa reductions have been made, and a restoration of only 8 per cent, has been allowed by the Government Transport Department since that date. —See Commissioner of Transport's letter, dated May 11, 1943. 3. "The plain facts were that the council had all the authority it required to .take action for slum clearance." The council has not the power required. The Government knows that, and has been considering the necessary legislation for years. 4. "The Government had no power to build without permits approved by the council." The Government has power, and is not bound by city council bylaws. The Government has never taken out a council permit for any of its buildings in Wellington, and for many years gave no consideration whatever to the council's views. Now the' Government shows the council officers their plans, but often only after the building has been erected. 5. "Only recently, the Government had sought to build in Adelaide Road, but the council refused and had granted a factory permit instead." The council has not been asked by the Government to grant a permit for the erection of flats or dwellings in Adelaide Road, nor has the council granted a permit for a factory instead. The council's officers advised the Government Housing Department that the council desired to zone the west side of Adelaide Road for industrial purposes, and the east side for residential purposes. This is common sense town planning in order to avoid mixing upi dwellings with'factories. The Government can still do as it likes, and in fact has built Dixon Street flats higher than would be approved by the council, and is building a four-unit dwelling at Khandallah which is contrary to the council bylaws. . 6. "In the depression years the excuse was finance, but money could be found for war for the destruction of humanity." The council did not excuse itself on account of finance. The council has not spent any money for the destruction of humanity. On the contrary, the council approached the previous Government as well as the present Government, the last occasion being in November of last year, in order to obtain the legislation essential for dealing with the slum clearance problem. The council obtained a complete survey in order to get on with the job, but it is powerless to act effectively till the Government • provides the necessary legislation. So far it has failed to do so. 7. "It has 'socked away' £55,000, and now had £500,000 in the tramways reserves account." 1 The council has placed £55,000 in the reserve fund this year in accordance with the Act, and will use the money for rehabilitation work after the war. The total amount of money in the tramway reserve fund is less than half of the amount stated by Mr. Roberts. 8. "Lack of foresight had brought about the present position where tram tracks were dangerous." There has been no lack of foresight. Sufficient materials are available, but adequate man-power cannot be obtained.. The tracks are not dangerous and no accidents have occurred due to faulty tracks. 9. "Tepid baths were needed and Mr. Appleton had fought them all his life." This is a misrepresentation of a leading member of the councils over which I have presided. In actual fact Mr. Appleton has constantly supported the proposals.