LABOUR’S RECORD

Evening Star, Issue 22955, 12 May 1938, Page 7

LABOUR’S RECORD

STATEMENT BY MR M. SILVER- ■ ' STONE ’'V CITY’S WEALTH SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED “I appreciate the desire of a section the people to have me speak to them last night at the Town Hall, and perhaps to give me a parting cheer,” said.' Mr Mark Silverstone l in a statement to a ‘ Star ’ reporter this morning.;" . "r‘> • :Mr ; Silverstone said that his three years as. chairman of the Finance Committee had resulted in adding several hundreds of thousands of pounds of wealth to the city without adding to the interest burden. ■ Several works of importance were undertaken and were now in the process of construction, Mr Silverstone continued. The housing scheme had been an unqualified success, and was doomed to extinction under the new council. The employment of a large number of subsidised workers on various works had been of great advantage to the men of the city.

“ These will without doubt he considerably reduced, to the detriment both of the men and the city,” Mr Silverstone declared. Ordinary maintenance and new works, as well as necessary improvements, in the water supply called for a very large expenditure this year, and the engineer was asking for £43,000 over and above the estimated income for the water department. It would be interesting to see whether the council would proceed with this work and how it would finance it without adding to the burden of ratepayers. “It is noticeable that during our term of office there has been no increase in the general rates and no extra rate increase as the result of new commitments by the Labour council,” said Mr Silverstone. “The increase in water charges was . the result of the work undertaken by a former council in augmenting the water supply , from Deep Creek. All other new works by the Labour council have not added one penny piece to the rate burden. It will be interesting to ‘ see whether the new council during its term will be able to put up such a record as ours.” Mr Silverstone pointed to the Labour Council’s record in regard to the unemployed. In the first place, when it established a special fund, it subsidised their wages immediately up to award rates, and within 18 months it transferred to full-time employment about 500 men, and reduced the number of men on the No.. 5 scheme to about 300. As for the clerical staff and other employees in the service of the council, the balance of the 5 per cent, wage cut was restored, wages were increased, a holiday on full pay was granted to all council employees without exception, sick pay had been granted to the extent of two-thirds of normal pay to all council employees, irrespective of the length of service or where they might have been'taken sick. The pay was. continued until the employee was able to resume work.

“ It is not usual for me to be present on an election, night,” said Mr Silverstone in explaining his absence last night. “To my memory only on one occasion did I speak from the Town Hall steps, and that was during a byelection, when Mr Scott was successful.”

Mr Silverstone said that he was exhausted from the campaign, and, feeling indisposed, he did not come out, and retired early. In conclusion he said he desired to thank the electors who had voted for him, and added that it was possible they might meet on a future occasion 3in<|er more favourable conditions..