LABOUR'S TEN POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 25426, 6 March 1945, Page 3

LABOUR'S TEN POINTS

SUBMISSIONS TO COMMITTEE ADMENDMENTS TO LOCAL BODIES ACT On behalf of 22,000 workers in Dunedin, evidence was given by representatives of the Otago Labour Representation Committee at yesterday's sitting of the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government. The representatives who presented the case were Mr W. B. Richards, who outlined a "10point programme," Dr D. G. McMillaiij and Mr M. Silverstone. The 10-point programme submitted by Mr W. B. Richards on behalf of the Labour Representation Committee comprised : 1. One person to have one vote, and persons who own property in more than one local body area to have the right to go on one roll only. 2. Local body rolls to be compiled from the parliamentary roll, the registrars of electors to assist local body returning officers to compile the roll. 3. The term of chairmanship of all local bodies to correspond with the term of office of such local bodies. Asked by the chairman to quote one anomaly in this connection, Mr Richards referred to the two-year term of the chairman of the Otago Hospital Board and the three-year life of that body. 4. Amendment to the Local .bodies Act to provide that in any case where a candidate applies for a magisterial recount in a local body election, and the constitution of the local body is altered as a result of such recount, the said candidate should not be called upon to pay the cost of the recount, and that in any case where the constitution is not changed, the magistrate shall apportion costs as he thinks fit. 5. That local body members be remunerated for local body meetings with a statutory maximum provided. . 6. That provision be made for sick and invalid voting at all local body elections, and that returning officers or deputies be authorised to issue voting papers.

7. That greater supervision be made of the counting and checking of votes at local body elections.

8. That all correspondence appearing in the Press during and immediately before a municipal election bear the name of the correspondent. "It is time we put a stop to this back-stab-bing," said Mr Richards. " We look upon our municipal elections as impoitant occasions, and we should take steps to avoid the disgraceful state of affairs which prevailed in Duiiedin at the last elections." A 9. That all members of the Harbour Board be elected on the democratic rote of the people. 10. That the compulsory provision in local body regulations demanding that employees shall become members of the Local Body Superannuation Scheme be abolished. MUNICIPAL FRANCHISE. " The present municipal franchise is in conflict with the modern ideas of democracy, because it is restrictive in its scope and retains the property qualifications disguised under the mask of ratepayer qualifications," contended Mr Silverstone. While it was true that no person could cast more thaii one vote in any one locality, since a vote couid be cast for each rateable property it was possible for a voter to vote in more than one locality provided he could reach the locality on the day voting took place. Ratepayers possessing more than one rateable property in any district might appoint non-ratepayers living in that or any other district to vote on their behalf. Advantage was taken of this legal provision by a large number of property owners. " The most unjust provison," Mr Silverstone said. " is the clause in the Municipal Corporations Act. 1911.1, which provides that the elector with residential qualifications ' shall , not be entitled to vote at poll taken on any proposal relating to loans or rates by virtue only of a residential qualification or an occupier's qualifications.' Tliis is a restrictive law giving special advantages to owners of property. " To-day the Government is the largest rented property owner in the country, and it is therefore vitally interested in local government - and finance, hut under the existing law it is for all ; practical purposes prevented from exercising an effective vote on anv loan or rate question submitted to the voters In Dunedin." Mr Silverstone added, " the Government is now

paying rates on about 500 houses, but it could not exercise an effective vote on any loan or rate proposal. The Municipal Corporations Act should be amended, making the residential qualification the only qualification necessary for all local issues." TRADING PROFITS. " A practice that is general in this country is for local authorities to use a portion of the profits resulting from their trading departments for the relief of rates." said Mr M. Silverstone., " In this city the council, when making up its estimates for the year, allocates a certain amount "from the profits of the trading departments for this purpose. In the last 15 years the average amount of profits so used has been over £30,000 a year. This sum is equal to'a'rate of 5d in the £, and is credited to about 20,000 ratepayers. This practice gives special treatment to a number of people who in some cases are not residents of the city. The Electricity Department contributes over 50 per cent, of the above-mentioued sum, and over 52,000 users of electricity contribute to the profits of the department. Most of them receive no benefit from this practice.

" The Act should be amended in such a manner." Mr Silverstone said, " as will compel the local authorities to use the profits from trading departments for the improvement and extension of the'industry and for the benefit of the consumers and users and the general welfare of the citizens, and not for the relief of rates."