COUNCIL AND WAGE CUTS.

Evening Star, Issue 21720, 15 May 1934, Page 23

COUNCIL AND WAGE CUTS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In your issue of the 10th inst. Mr R. Harrison expresses bis doubts regarding “ Ratepayer’s ” sincerity. It is a case of abusing your if you have not got an argument. The Labour representatives on the council had a glorious opportunity of proving their worth, but when it came to a question of principle they baulked at the first hurdle. Strange to say, this is what is taking place in various centres in New Zealand. In the Christchurch ‘ Press ’ a letter appeared in the issue of the 10th inst., a part of which I will quote, in order to refute the diatribe, aspersions, surmises, doubts, and jealousy expressed with regard to “ Ratepayer.” “ Christchurch is the stronghold of Labour even on the Tramway Board, where finance controls policy. Inter alia there are many who have cast their votes for Labour believing the Labour member to ho their friend. \1 hy is a man who is in most need forgotten, as he appears to be.? The men who held their positions have been lucky, and have not known the distress and anxiety of mind that these men and their women and children have xiassed through. Would there not be more spending power if more men were employed? I wonder if your correspondent is so callous and narrowminded as not to see the feeling expressed in those few lines, and that he doubts their sincerity.

How many think justly of the thinking few, , How many think who think they do ?” Mr Harrison paints a beautiful picture, a veritable garden of roses for corporation .employees, whose wages and salaries range anywhere from £4 a week to a thousand per annum, more or less, with no cut-throat coni petition. Ho states that municipal service should express the will of an enlightened democracy in the most humane and efficient manner but for those ratepayers without vision or ideals. _ This ideal and efficient state of affairs can he carried out at the ratepayers’ expense, whilst, they are competing amongst themselves to earn a crust, and some of. them on relief are getting £1 Is 6d to £1 17s 6d, married men with families. I do not think Mr Harrison is consistent. He did not seem to think the conned was_ very humane when it was inviting relief workers to form syndicates and go up into the wilds of Central Otago to cut the water race for the Deep Creek job. As for efficiency, 1 have my doubts. Take Wai(tort, for example, where money was poured away as if it was water running down a creek, and_ the council had to import an outside engineer when there arc swarms of them knocking about the Town Hall supervising works of which they have had no practical experience. 'Mr Harrison may tliink he has vision and ideals, but thej’ will not stand any investigation. —I am. etc.. Ratepayer. May 14.