MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND FINANCE.

Evening Star, Issue 22952, 9 May 1938, Page 15

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND FINANCE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir;—lt has been my lot during the last fortnight to have heard no fewer than 11 candidates. Eight of them have informed their listeners that the elec--tion is the most important one that, will ever take place. Every one of them emphasised strongly that it is important that the citizens should vote for their ticket and nothing but the ticket, one gentleman going so far as to say that everybody must be partial to the right or to the wrong, or to the old or to the new, the inference being that anyone who differed from him or his party was wrong, and that they alone were right. In my'early days my best friend taught me that good works needed no defending or advertising; they would speak for themselves. Judging by what is taking place, I must have been taught wrongly, for on no occasion can I remember so much effort and talk done by men to defend their actions and so much advertising done as to what they, would do in the future if returned. Owing to the bitter fight that is raging between the members named on the Labour ticket and those on the blue ticket it is practicaliv impossible for anyone other than these “ party ” gentlemen to place his views before the people. Such being the case, may I respectfully appeal to you to be allowed to: use the columns of your paper to place before the citizens a few facts—facts which will allow them to understand the financial tangle and enable them- to register an intelligent vote? Citizens who have followed the addresses given by candidates on both tickets will have noticed that each party have glorified what a success they have been to the city. Each party have claimed that the policy they support, oi have supported has been the best forthe people. Paradoxical though it may seem, both parties are correct, the fact being that previous councils diverted the profits made to a section ot their supporters, while the Labour Party diverted the profits made to a section of its supporters—so far as both sections were concerned they were small in number—compared with the citizens as a body. Judging by. the speeches made, it appears should either party be returned no difference in their policies will take place, both parties being representative of a small body in actual fact, the great body' of the citizens being used for their welfare.. It is over 17 years since I first brought to your notice the immoral way the revenue from the trading concerns was used. I hoped that when the Labour Party got into control justice would be done, but, sad to say, they have failed. To enable readers to see and understand where injustice arises allow me to show briefly how the revenue is raised. (1) We raise by airect method approximately 50 per cent—i e., rate. Previous councils raised approximately 66 per cent. The remainder is raised by indirect -method—i.e., profits from trading departments, licenses, rents, etc. I may mention in passing that the policy of Labour when in opposition is one of opposing indirect taxation and indirect methods. So far as the raising of revenue is concerned. it will be seen that should all revenue be raised by direct rate rates will rise. On the other hand if an increase of revenue is got by in-, direct method we must raise the charges for services given by the trading departments, etc., unless we borrow or transfer from balances or other funds. It will be understood that all balances, whether they be called renewal funds or by any other name, are derived from charges for services given or by excessive rates being levied. So far as the method of raising the revenue is concerned it matters little compared to how the balances are used. The injustice done to citizens by previous councils and present council lies in the way balances have been used. Previous councils carried over the profits of the trading concerns to the general account when the profits ought to have been used to do extensions that had become necessary. Extensions becoming necessary, loans had to be raised and interest had to be paid. This increased rates or prevented services being given by the trading department at reduced rates, the great body of citizens suffering and a small minority benefiting. In, support of the above statement it will only be necessary to quote Mr Henderson,, chief electrical engineer up to a short while ago. He said: “A few years ago w;e have contributed up to now approximately £250,000 to the general account, afterwards we had to borrow it Mck and pay interest on that amount. Inis year alone it has cost us £16,500 in interest.” It prevents us giving a service at reduced cost. . This method has also been adopted in connection with the other departments. Ino method of transfer of profits to the general account from the trading departments, instead of using it as a benefit to all section, benefited a select few. So far as the present conncil is concerned it has used some or the accumulated funds made by profits from the trading departments for the benefit of the unemployed and destitude. Its failure lies m the class of work that has been done by these t

people. While the work may have been of a useful nature most of it is not revenue producing or self-supporting, but will require revenue to keep it in order. . . , From the above it will be seen why the fight has become so bitter and why certain factions are so interested. It behoves the citizens to ignore the desire of the people pushing the tickets and .select men who they consider have courage and manliness to stand for justice and fair treatment to all and preference to none. What is- necessary at the present juncture is a policy that will ease the burden of taxation and increase the value of the people’s money. This can be achieved by administering the financial policy of the council in a fair and just manner, and can only be done by men who recognise that He’s true to God who’s true to man wherever wrong is done, To the humblest and the weakest, ’neath the all beholding sun; That wrong is also done to us, and thev are slaves most base, Whose love of right is for. themselves and not for all their race. I am, etc., ~ O. M. Mess. May 9.