MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 18256, 21 April 1923, Page 2

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

MR GILCHRIST’S CANDIDATURE. Mr J. Gilchrist, a Labor candidate for a scat on the Harbor Board, addressed about sixty* workers during the dinner hour yesterday outside the railway workshops at the foot of Hanover street. Mr T. 0. M’Lennan, president of the local branch of tho A.5.R.8., introduced the speaker. Mr Gilchrist said that he had a shrewd suspicion that the Citizens’ League was simply the candidates opposing Labor. Dealing with the Harbor Board, he found fault with its constitution, stating that at least nine members represented vested interests. Two members under tho constitution were returned by nineteen shipping votes and one by sixteen votes of payers of dues. On top of that the men returned by tho popular votes really mostly represented the vested interests. H would give them an instance of the tendency to protect those interests. It occurred during the seamen’s strike. Goods being despatched from or arriving at the wharf were allowed seven days free storage before being charged demurrage. During tho strike the goods were stored more than tho seven days, and, taking the circumstances into account, the board made rebates on demurrage totalling £96 10s to Dalgety and Co., J. W. Swift and Co., and the Union Steam Ship Company. That might appear all right, but the point was that if it had been a lock-out instead of a strike, and if the union had applied to the board for a grant, the application would not havo been received the same as was that by the companies. They should remember that Messrs Holier, Loudon, Ramsay, and Larnach were elected on the popular vote, but had voted for this rebate. Ho did not blame the shipping representatives for voting in this way. They were simply carrying out the work for which they were elected. Another matter worthy of note was the transfer of the lease of seven sections from tho Union Company to the Westport Coal Company. The sections were held under one lease. The Union Company at first wished to dispose of the two sections that were built on and to throw tho rest back on the hands of tho board. Members of the board elected by the people voted in favor of that, but the board’ as a whole turned the proposal down. Tho , value of the •buildings on the two sections was £1,850, and the Union Company" proposed to sell to the Westport Company at that amount, provided the leases of the other sections wore disposed of at public auction. But they could not be sold at auction, and therefore they should have reverted to the ■Joard along with the others and the buildings that were on them. The Westport Company approached the board to take up a lease, and wanted to pay the board £825 for tho capital value. Tho board refused this offer, but not before some of tho members had made a strong fight to get it accepted. In fact, before the offer was turned down tho board wont to the expense of geting legal advico to see if a point could not be stretched to permit the agreement. The legal advice showed that this could not be done.

Continuing, Mr Gilchrist spoke in favor o? a spirit of co-operation between the different public bodies when it came to questions in which they had a common aim. There were public works undertakings that they should approach with a willingness to co-operate, and' they would not get this co-operation until they had on ail bodies men united by a common object such as had the Labor Party members. The Labor Party were Socialists, and they believed in the socialisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange, and l they would like to sec a ferry service on the harbor that was owned by the Harbor Board. In conclusion, Mr Gilchrist said 1 there was a necessity for bettor accommodation, including baths for the laborers at the wharves and for a largo waiting room for passengers by the boats. On the motion of the chairman a vote of thanks was passed to the speaker. MR DOVE AT ST, HILDA. Mr J. W. Dove, Mayor of St. Hilda, who is a candidate for a seat on the council and the Hospital Board, addressed a fairly large gathering of ratepayers in the Coronation Hall last night. Mr D. C. Cameron presided. Ho said that Mr Dove, above all other men, had served the ratepayers to their great satisfaction for many years. Mr Dove devoted close on an hour to Hospital Board matters. Ho said he had served a good apprenticeship on the board, and was therefor© conversant with its affairs. He referred to the necessity of having a properly equipped hospital, and to the cost of maintaining it. They continued to hear the cry that the hospital rate was too high, and that the board should not levy on the contributory bodies to the extent it did; but the rate was not a very high one. It was desirable that tho Medical School should remain in Dunedin, and if Dunedin did not pay to retain this school Auckland would bo only too willing to take it. So long as Dunedin wished fo remain the educational centre of Hew Zealand and retain the Medical School, the citizens must pay tho piper. In other words they must be prepared to pay their part of the upkeep of tho hospital. Tho Medical School was a great asset, and tho rating was not very startling. For a property valued at £I,OOO tho owner contributed £6 12s 9d in hospital rates a year, and tho owner of a property valuo'd at £BSO contributed £5 15s 6d. They would therefore see that the rate in St. Hilda was not very high. St. Hilda’s contribution to the Hospital Board last year was £1,875. No member of the board was against the proposal to treat patients free ol charge, but it simply could not be done. It was absolutely impossible to run a hospital free of charge. When patients were discharged and the board found they were not in a position to pay the full charges, a compromise was generally arrived at. Tho board was being continually badgered because it exacted payment, but if it did not it would soon be in financial difficulties. It had been found necessary to a levy in order to keep going. Ho was in favor of free beds in the hospital, but that would only be brought about by nationalisation, which would be an advantageous step. Tho board bad always tried to reduce the liability of the ratepayers. The separation of South Otago from the Otago district had given tho board much anxious thought, as it meant a loss of £IO,OOO a year to Otago. He quoted the capital value and tho hospital rate charged in Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury, arid also mentioned the average number of occupied beds in tile hospitals in the four centres, the cost of maintenance, and the fees charged. They would see (he said) that notwithstanding the high levy tho board was keeping down the cost, as compared with other centres, with the exception of Auckland, which was the lowest. In regard to outside patients, a satisfactory agreement had been made in regard to charges. Ho had given a great deal of thought to the treatment of tuberculosis, and ho considered that this was a national question. Good results had been obtained at Pleasant Valley Sanatorium, but the board was not in a position financially to open Wakari. The furnishings alone would cost between £2,000 and £3,000. Tho medical profession told thorn that tuberculosis was rampant, and it would have to bo combatted more extensively. Speaking on municipal matters, Mr Dove said that results in the borough spoke for themselves. He had a report before him from the borough foreman showing what had been accomplished during the past two years, and ho would defy anyone to say that the borough had not advanced. He was not able to place the exact figures before them, but ho could assure them that the borough was now in a very flourishing condition. He had made certain promises when ho took office, and with the help of the councillors ho had kept those promises. Mr Dove referred to Drainage Board matters, and paid a high tribute to those who had given their services in this connection. Until certain drainage works were completed (he pointed out) no further improvements could be accomplished' in the boron ah. There was no better borough in Hew Zealand as regards town planning, and the new councillors should see that the borough was in time made “the garden beautiful.” They were all unanimous with itr Tad d in regard to

improved street lighting, and this was a question for the incoming council to consider carefully. The Domain Board had conferred a great boon on. the community in the work accomplished during the past few years. He concluded' by saying that he had been charged with changing his coat, but he stood to-day as he had always stood—cn anti-amalgamationist. He had served the ratepayers for over ten years, with the exception of a break of a few months; his heart and soul were in the council and hospital work, and he wished to continue service.

After a number of qr.Vtions had' been asked and answered to tho satisfaction of those present a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Dove, on the motion of Mr A. D. Edgar.

Lawrence.—The following elected: Mayor, Mr J. K. Simpson. Councillors— Messrs Alex. Arthur, T. H. Clark, Alex. Fraser, G. H. Martin, J. B. M'Kinlay, F. Robertson, James R. Smyth, 6. R. Talboys, and J. B. Thompson. The new members are Crs Fraser, J. B. Thompson, and Smyth. Milton. —Nominations for the election of mayor and councillors for the borough of Milton closed at noon yesterday. Mr Alexander Ronnie was re-elected mayor without opposition. Only three nominations were received for the nine seats on tho Borough Council—those of Messrs Thomas G. Henderson, James A. Stewart (members of the retiring council), and 'William A. Wilson (member of a former council). The other seven retiring councillors declined nomination. Nominations are now invited to fill tho six extraordinary vacancies. Mr Alexander Rennie was reelected without opposition as the representative of Milton on the South Otago Hospital Board. Balclutha.—Only one nomination was received for the office of Mayor of Balclutha—that of Mr S. V. White (a member of the previous council), who was declared elected. Difficulty was experienced in getting a council of nine, but the following nominations were received, practically at the last minute, before the closing of Die poll at noon:—Messrs J. R. Copland, James Guest, G. W. K, Wood, Felix M'Guinness, T. D. Pearson, D. R. Ash, John Gold, R. R. Stewart, W. A. Blair. It has since been ascertained that Mr M’Guinness’s name is not on the roll, and there will have to bo an election for one councillor later on. Only three of the new councillors (Messrs Copland, Guest, and Wood) were in the last council. For the position of Balclutha representative on the South Otago Hospital Board two nominations—Mr H. Simson (retiring mayor) and Mr G. W. K. AVood —were received, necessitating an election.