FIRST SHOTS

Evening Star, Issue 22938, 21 April 1938, Page 9

FIRST SHOTS

LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS LABOUR'S CAMPAIGN OPENS POLICY PRONOUNCEMENTS The Labour Party opened its locaJ body election campaign at several public meetings last night, addresses being given by a number of candidates who are contesting seats on the City Council and other bodies. Dr D. G. M'Millan, M.P., was _ the principal speaker at a meeting in the Holland Memorial Hall at Caversham, associated with him being Mr E. Sincock, a former councillor, who is also seeking re-election, and Mrs M'Millan, who will be a candidate in the Hospital Board election. There was an audience of about 150, and all three speakers were given an attentive hearing, warm votes of confidence in the party and its nominees being passed. “PROGRESSIVE AND HUMANITARIAN " DR MMILLAN'S VIEWS OF COUNCIL’S RECORD . “What a change has been manitested since the citizens voted confidence in the Labour Party’s nominees three years ago!” was Dr M'Millan’s opening declaration. “At that time unemployment was rife, business wa s at a minimum, and the masses of the people were haunted by the spectres of insecurity and uncertainty. And what a change has been wrought by the ' progressive and humanitarian policies of the Government and the City Council 1 Business is prosperous, many of those who were unemployed have found > their way back to gainful employment, and pensions have been liberalised. Young people, instead of being told that there was no place for them, are now able to play their part in the industrial life of the country, while the standard of living of _ the masses of the people has been considerably improved. In the city unemployment re- • lief expenditure is reduced, the .rateable value of the city is increased, while the trading departments show profits instead of losses, or increased profits where small ones were shown before.” “CROOKED THINKING.” Dr M'Millan considered that if there was one thing the Labour Party could claim credit for it was that its nominees would always come out and state their policy. “ Our opponents don’t appear before the electors, who don’t get-a chance of seeing them,”-he said. If they did, few of them would be elected.” (Laughter.) He went on to - traverse the principles which had guided the Labour Council in its activities, and contended that the incoming Labour Council would be able to do even more for the people of the city. There had been criticism of its actions, of course, but in every case it was found that the critic was either biased * or ; was. not,, competent to express an opinion. Ifirtlus respect, Dr MJMxdan' ... produced the pamphlet of-the Citizens Association which was issued just prior to the last elections, and which he considered was fullof,; 1 misrepresentation and crooked thinking.”. WATER SUPPLY./ Dr M'Millan stated that one of the most important factors in the protection of tho health of the community lay. in tho provision of an adequate and pure water supply. The Deep Creek supply was completed in tJoo. It gave an additional 2,500,000 gal of water a day, and had it not been for this the city would have been out ot water many weeks ago. This summer s experience, however, showed that the council of 1932 made an error of judgment when it disregarded the engineer’s advice and assumed that the Deep Creek scheme “ offered a certain - prospect of adequately and permanently allaying the; water shortage _ difficulties.” There were at the time two - proposals before the council —the Deep Creek scheme to provide 2,500,000 gal a ■ day at an estimated cost of £IBI,OOO, and the Deep Stream scheme, to provide 5,000,000 gal a day at a cost of £380,000. Dr M'Millan considered that the time would eventually come when the Deep Stream scheme would have, to be proceeded with. And again, the mains had become so corroded that the supply of water was not adequate for a fire of any size. The relaying of the mains was now being given practical attention by the council. HOUSING. The candidate spoke of the council’s Lousing activities. It had been only too obvious for many years that hundreds of houses in Dunedin had been unfit for habitation, and yet the authorities hesitated to order their demolition until alternative homes had been provided, but now the Government and the City Council had embarked on a vigorous housing policy. Dr M'Millan here quoted the prophecies of the’ Citizens’ Association pamphlet in this respect that “ municipal housing schemes had invariably proved unsucSo they had—under Tory administration. This was only one of the “ fantastic, groundless, and ridiculous ” statements of the association. misrepresentation alleged. Dr M'Millan complained strongly of the misrepresentation given the council’s attitude to Mr Henderson’s retirement as electrical engineer to the city and his decision to stand for the council. The simple facts were that Mr Henderson’s term of office expired on March 31, and before he retired oh superannuation the council, as was its custom, granted him, three months’ leave on full pay. The effect of this was that, when ho was standing for the council he was still in the pay of tho council, and consequently would be disqualified from offering himself as a candidate. This position necessitated the action that had been taken. It had to be clarified one way or the other. LABOUR’S PRINCIPLES. Dr M'Millan also dealt with_ important drainage works in the city, the city abattoirs, the provision of wider recreational facilities in playing areas and reserves, and reviewed Labour’s achievements and plans under the following headings:—The protection and safeguarding of the health of the community; that the council should do its utmost for the less fortunate members of the community; tire operation of municipal enterprises so that they would show neither a loss nor an undue profit; setting private employers a good example by the sympathetic and humane treatment of its employees; conserving tho. Assets of tho commu-

nity and guarding against extravagance in the borrowing and expenditure of public money; adjudicating between the various sections of the community without fear or favour. HOSPITAL BOARD'S DEFICIENCES LABOUR'S CORRECTIVE MEASURES Mrs M'Millan first outlined the primary purposes of hospital boards—the provision of hospital treatment and charitable aid for those in need. She defined the area covered by the Otago Hospital Board, which had to have a broad outlook, and work not only in the interests of the city, but also in those of the country districts. The population in this area was approximately 103,000. It had remained stationary for tho last decade, and consequently the board had a comparatively simple task, in that it did not have to meet the needs of, an expanding population. Mrs M'Millan discussed its system of financing its operations, and considered that it would be evident that the Government’s health insurance proposals, involving as they would an creased payment .to the board on behalf of the patients, would permit either of a reduction in rates or of a considerable liberalisation of hospital and charitable expenditure. In the past the Otago Board had financed all its building programmes out pf rates and Government subsidies, with the result that many of its buildings were inconvenient and antiquated, and prevented the best of service being given. “ I am in‘favour of raisin" loans, where necessary, to provide tho best treatment possible,” said Mrs M'Millan. ** The wards in the Dunedin Hospital are large and almost barnlike affairs. In modern hospitals the wards are much smaller—four-bed wards at the most, the advantages of which must be obvious.” The Otago Board was proposing to erect af new and commodious outpatient department next to the nurses’ home. A large proportion of outpatient work really consisted of general practitioner service to the poor, and under a national health insurance scheme this work would be done by doctors in their own consulting rooms, and out-patient services would be restricted to specialist and consultant work. In Mrs M'Millan’s opinion, therefore, the Hospital Board would be well advised to delay further action until the future policy of the Government could be more fully determined. ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS. Mrs M'Millan then outlined Labour’s policy in Hospital Board administration. The party’s first demand would bo for more adequate provision for people in need of out-door relief. The Otago Board, she said, was well known throughout the Dominion for its parsimonious system of charitable relief. She quoted the comparative expenditures of the Otago, North Canterbury, and Wellington districts, and added that the amount provided in this area was in many cases well below the minimum required to maintain health and decency. More adequate provision was also required for indigent people who needed medical treatment in their own homes. The northern . cities provided medical attention and medicine upon an efficient and organised basis, while the Otago Board endeavoured to eke out an unsatisfactory service with medical student attention. However satisfactory this was for the board’s finances, it did not meet the needs of the people. The Labour programme also insisted on an improvement in the treatment of the inmates of the benevolent institutions, in which the diet and living conditions left much to he desired. New and modern homes should be established for these people, said Mrs M'Millan. The antiquated and dismal buildings at Caversham were in a condition beyond repair and renovation. This institution was situated on a? valuable site, and if the land were sold the proceeds would be sufficient to erect modern cottage homes on the board’s land at Wakari. The fourth point was a new hospital for the aged and the incurable sick. It was essential that there should be a new hospital, instead of the institution being associated with an old people’s home. It should be adjacent to the main hospital, so that the patients could obtain the services of the resident medical staff. Improved conditions and pay would be sought for all employees not covered by awards. “ While it is recognised that award conditions covering hours and times of employment cannot be rigidly adhered to in a hospital, it is at least desirable that the spirit of Labour legislation should be respected,” said the candidate. “ Labour nominees stand for reasonable wages and conditions for all employees. At the present time, not only is the organisation of the board’s employees frowned upon, but one employee was actually dismissed recently because’ she approached the Labour Department to inquire if better conditions could not be obtained under the existing legislation.” CITY ALLOWED TO SLIP EARLIER LACK OF ENTERPRISE Mr Sincock opened by concurring with Mrs M'Millan in her comments on the Benevolent Institution. He , had visited this institution, and had come away heart-sick, he declared, to see the unfair treatment meted out to the old people there. It was most unreasonable to expect that people who had been together all their lives should be separated in the evening of their existence, and he was sure the Labour Party would do everything possible to provide happier and more comfortable surroundings for them. “ The nurses in these institutions are angels,” said Mr Sincock, “ but it is a shame on us all that they should be working for a mere pittance. If many of them had to depend on their wages alone they could not live. The Labour Party will endeavour to elect a board to see that they receive justice.” “ Tho Labour Party stands for humanitarian measures and actions,” continued Mr Sincock, “ and has no intention or desire to injure any section of the community. All we ask is fair treatment for all, and that we may do the best thing for our city and country.” The candidate suggested to his hearers that they cast their minds back to the days when Dunedin was the leading business centre of the Dominion. Since then the headquarters of many big concerns had been transferred to the north. Why? Dunedin was a great city, with wonderful assets. Its trading concerns, which included the City Council, were the finest in the Dominion, but in the past there had been a lack of enterprise, and now other cities were boasting of their development at the expense of Dunedin money. “ We ought to be able to spend money to help our own city,” added the candidate. Our back country is not as good as it might be, but as a city we could foster our industries more ‘than we have done, and could attract more people hero by letting them see that

we are liberal in our ways. At the same time 1 would like to say that there has been a remarkable development of our back country, particularly in Central Otago, thanks to irrigation, and if we can get this back country further developed it means that the city must grow also.”

Mr Sincock then spoke of Labour’s general principles in the administration of civic affairs. Ho lirist referred to tho council’s housing scheme, which would be continued, and which would provide people with the opportunity of securing their own homes at an ordinary rental spread over 30 years. It had also been suggested that the scheme should be extended by the erection of small houses, in the form of flats, for elderly people. The rent of these homes would be modest. From this and other measures it would be seen that the members of the Labour Party were striving to do something for their fellow citizens.

The candidate spoke of Labour’s progressive policy in tho opening of new suburbs and districts, and the provision with them 'of the necessary amenities. Ho then dealt with the clearing and widening of the Leith, and the strengthening of its banks, a measure that -would eliminate a flood danger in tho north end, and one that would be continued.

“ I want to say, in the matter of relief work, that, if the present Labour council is not returned to office, the subsidies, as far as the council is concerned, will be discontinued,” declared Mr Sincock, who went on. to comment on the outcry that had been raised when money from the renewal fund had been used for these and other works. There was no outcry several years ago when the Town Hall w-ns built after the ratepayers had turned the proposal down, and was built without debt to them. Mr Sincock here added a commendation of Mr Lewin for his foresight and initiative in this matter. There were other extractions from tho renewal funds, but nothing was said then. - But, because the Labour Council used some of these funds for the benefit, comfort, and of people in need an outcry arose. “ This is nothing more or less than greed on tho part of a section of the community,” said Mr Sincock. 1 TXT M'ARTHUR’S ADDRESS, “ I am standing on behalf of humanity,” said Mrs M‘Arthur, a Labpur Party candidate for the Hospital Board, at the Albany Street Hall last 22jght, Mrs M'Artnur’s address was comparatively short, the speaker confining her remarks to Labour s policy as expressed by Mrs M'Millan above.

TEN-POINT PLATFORM MR P. CONNOLLY ENUMERATES POLICY “ We believe that the Labour Party is oil the Treasury benches for all time, and it is therefore essential that we have a Labour Council in Dunedin which can co-opeorate with the Government,” said Mr P. G. Connolly in the Albany Street Hall last night, \when opening his campaign as a candidate for the City .Council. ' Election campaigns of the past had been won on catch-cries and slogans, some of which had been successful in swaying votes away from the main points at issue, said Mr Connolly as a prelude to an. attack on the Press. Great prominence was given to autiLahour news by the newspapers of New Zealand, which published such information under “ huge ” headlines and captions, and candidates under the banner of the Labour Party had no alternative but to come before electors and explain their policies. At the same time he realised there were two sides to every question, and he asked electors to weigh carefully the respective policies before coming to a decision. “ To date I have not known any of the opposition councillors to take the platform and explain their platforms to the public. They have carried out their propaganda by a brochure known as the ‘ Election Sketcher,’ ” Mr Connolly continued. The/speaker quoted and criticised several extracts from the .1935 issue of the publication. One point printed in the magazine related to members of Parliament sitting as city councillors, and he admitted that that question had also been raised within the ranks of the Labour Party. Those councillors, however, could act as a liaison between the Government and the council, while the present M.P.s had topped the Labour Party’s poll for the selection of council candidates. The Labour Party had introduced 10 points for this election as its local municipal policy—namely: Housing.—The present policy to be continued and extended. The houses already constructed had been well built, and wherever possible had been erected with New Zealand materials. The policy fulfilled two purposes in building new homes and- maintaining in employment the artisans of the city. “ Every home is a monument to the Labour Council.” Street Improvements.—The construction of new kerbing and tar-sealing. Works Progress.—Further improvements to the banks of the Leith to protect north end residents possible flood damage. Water. —A continuation of the present plan of replacing Sin mains by 4in mains, of which about 50 miles had already been laid. Sediment in the pipes had in some cases reduced their diameter to ItSin, and was not conducive to the delivery of pure water. Reserves. and the increasing of playing areas. Education.—Additions and improvements to the Public Library. Traffic Control,—lt is proposed to set up a Traffic Committee wholly and solely to deal with the traffic problem in Dunedin, which was the worst city in New Zealand so far as traffic control was concerned. The number of inspectors would have to be increased. Baths.—The erection of non-tepid swimming pools in the north and south ends of the city, at an estimated cost of between £3,000 and £4,000 each. Municipalisafcion of the milk supply. Relief of the unemployed, the speaker confining his remarks to pointing out the drop in the number of men on the No. 5 scheme since Labour took office. CIVIC PROGRESS ADDRESS BY MR J. MAGMANUS The address at the Albany Street Hall by Mr J. MacManus, a candidate for the City Council, chiefly concerned civic progress under the direction of the Labour Party within the last three years. The Labour movement had not yet taken over any industry ■whereby any injustice had been done’to the workers, said Mr MacManus. Supporting the proposed scheme for the municipalisation of the city’s milk supply, he traced the inauguration and history of the project in Wellington, stating that the capital city now drew on an area of 80 miles for its supply. He contended that under the present system there

might be difficulty in obtaining milk locally, as a shortage might easily occur, especially in a dry season such as the present, without co-ordinated efforts. The Labour Council had recorded substantial progress during its term of office, one noticable feature of its work being the decreased costs of running the gas and tramways departments. It was also worthy of note that the renewal fund, which stood at £98,599 in 1927, showed an increase in 1937 of £6,039. Air MacManus stated that he was standing for a seat on the council on behalf of hundreds of workers, and he would but reflect their wishes if elected. He urged support for Mrs W. Herbert, concluding by remarking that just as domestic economy was run by women, so should the women be represented iii the national affairs of New Zealand. • THE MAYOR AND MR WALLS QUIET MEETING AT MORNINGTON A quiet and appreciative audience of between 50 and 60 people assembled at the Mornington school hall last night when the mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) reviewed the activities of the Labour City Council during the past three years, and Mr R. Walls, a new candidate standing in the Labour interests for the City Council, the Harbour Board, and the Hospital Board, outlined the policy of his party in respect of those bodies. Mr Walls broke little or no new ground, but Mr Cox made one or, two statements which, he said, had not previously been made and which concerned vital matters of administration. Mr E. W. Wilson, who was in the chair, briefly introduced the candidates. LABOUR’S INTENTIONS. Mr Walls was the first speaker, and he opened by remarking that the past three years had been very happy ones for the Labour people, for whom conditions had charmed overnight, as it were, and upon whose faces a different expression could be noticed since Labour had gained control of civic affairs. The speaker eulogised the housing scheme, and promised that his party, if again given control, would see that the scheme went steadily on until all slum conditions had been abolished. Mr Walls also promised street improvement, particuarly in the suburbs, and declared that something would have to be done to supplement the water storage, which, he felt, was not yet adequate. In the matter of reserves and afforestation much had yet to be done. In regard to transport Mr Walls said that the time had arrived for the hill car sevice to be supplemented by buses, and he favoured running these buses to serve districts not at present being served. As to the present system of milk supply, consideration of the health of the people demanded munieipilisation of that supply, and this would bo (inaugurated if Labour were given the opportunity, though it might not be brought to finality during the next council’s terra. 'Mr Walls referred briefly to Public Library requirements, and went on to remark upon traffic control, which, he said, was at present conducted in Dunedin under Rafferty Rules.” But with the appointment of further officers this would be brought into line with the systems in force in cities such as Sydney. Speaking on hospital matters, Mr Walls said that more adequate provision was needed for outdoor patients, and it was proposed to build a place in which those people could be attended to in greater comfort. The employees of the Hospital Board, too, would, if Labour had its way, be adequately- paid and given facilities for meeting to discuss subjects pertaining to their profession. The inmates of the old people’s home would be given a new and better building, and a hospital for incurables would be a separate unit. THE TERRIBLE PAST. The Mayor began by remarking upon the deplorable conditions which had existed during the six years prior to Labour . gaining control of the city’s affairs. Unemployment and terrible hardships marked that period, said His Worship, but the Labour Council, against the advice of the Government, the Unemployment Board, the Commissioner of Unemployment, and of half the council (the non-Labour half) had used money from the renewal funds to alleviate this distress. They had been castigated for this, but the position to-day showed that the so-called “ raid ” had hardly affected the renewal fund, which stood at £464,000 instead of at the half-million pounds which it represented when Labour came into office. This meant that a sum of less than £140,000 which would ordinarily have been paid into the renewal fund had been used to relieve the dire distress which had existed. Through the activities of the Labour Council tbe wages bill of the city had been increased by £121,000, and in other ways over £600,000 had been spent by the council in the three years for the benefit _ of the population of the city, and without adding a penny to the general rate. The hospital rate .and the drainage rate, over which the council lad no control, had been increased, and one penny had been added, to the water rate, hut that had been set a year before Labour assumed control, "STEPPING THE FLOW.” Mr Cox, after mentioning numerous other beiefits which, he-, said, the people hid received as a result of Labour control, proceeded to deal drastically with the charge of divert-

ing the renewal funds which had been made against the Labour administration. This, said Mr Cox, was “ the one swan-song of the opposition.” But the fact was that nothing had been taken out of that fund, they had merely stopped the flow of money into it. The cry was just ” political flapdoodle,” for previous councils had all been in the habit of not only raiding but of diverting this samofund to other purposes. The speaker instanced the money required for the erection of the Town Hall; and another matter, which he said had never been published, was the diversion of money in 1934 from the pipeline renewal fund, the Waipon machinery renewal fund, the steam plant, transformer, meters, and appliances and other reserve funds, for the purpose of financing the driving of a new pressure tunnel at Waipori. He had no objection to tho use _ of the money in this way, but certainly objected to the effrontery of the people who now talked about the action of the Labour Council in “ diverting ” the fund as being wrong. Mr Cox emphasised the fact, however, that _ the Labour Council had diverted nothing; they had only stopped the flow into the fund. FURTHER HOUSING PROJECTS. Tho speaker enlarged upon Mr Walls’s remarks concerning housing; and said that it was the purpose of the Labour Council to extend the scheme by undertaking to build a home for any citizen who had a reasonable sized section and by tho erection of small flats for the accommodation of elderly men and women. These flats would be available at 10s per week for single people and 12s 6d tie 15s per week for married couples, so that those benefiting under the new pension scheme would be able to live comfortably. THE PASSMORE PROPERTY. Mr Cox touched upon the matter of the Passmore property, and said that the purchase was in conformity with the general plan providing for the acquisition of recreational areas. When Chiugford, in the North-east Valley, had been bought not a single councillor had raised an objection, and the Passmore property, with four times as much land, had cost only some £1,500 more. An Olympic swimming pool with every modern convenience in the centreof the city and auxiliary pools, one in the north end and one in the south, was another of the objectives of the Labour Council. POPULATION, TOO. Mr Cox concluded by quoting figures purporting to show that during the period covered by the years 1926-36 the population of Dunedin had dropped while the population of other centres had increased; all, he said, on account of the conservative, non-progressive policy adopted by councils previous to the advent of Labour. But Labour had “ stopped the rot,” and prosperity had now returned to tho city. Votes of thanks were accorded the candidates and the chairman. No questions were asked.