PUBLIC APATHY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 5 December 1927, Page 8

PUBLIC APATHY

AND SOCIALIST PROGRESS MUNICIPAL POLITICS IN ENGLAND (Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare League.) In the Old Country of recent, yearn the. socialists have made decided'progress in respect to municipal elections, and now control the local government of many important area's. This result is not due to any overwhelming increase in tho socialist vote, but is largely owing to tho neglect of citizens who are not socialists. The socialists do not make the mistake of underrating tho importance of local government. They look upon it as the stopping stone to National Control. With such political motive of self interest they _ place party and class in front of civic stability and sound government. They have won advancement by lavish promises very often leaving tho vital matter of finance to take care of itself even where it results in loss and abuse. In West Ham, Poplar, Chester-lc-Strcet, and many other places their administration has become perfectly scandalous.

What are the reasons then for their advancement? There are several reasons. The party basis on which elections are fought is one. It results in the splitting of non-socialist votes. Tho corrupting of constituencies by Socialist Councils is another cause.

The principal cause, however, is the general apathy shown- by the majority of citizens in respect to the simple matter of recording their votes. The Socialist Councillors and Guardians have in very many instances been placed in oflico not by the majority of citizens but by minorities of less than 25 per cent, of those entitled to vote. Taking the average voting at tho local Government elections it is only about 45 per cent, of the total electorate. In Birmingham where the socialists gained 8 seats at the election in 1926, only 42.3 of the electors voted. With Conservative, Liberal, Labour, Independent and general citizens candidates in the field those returned in a number of instances have not secured 20 per cent, of the vote of tho electorate. Talk about democratic government. It is somewhat of a farce to call such minority control real democracy. In Liverpool with six Socialist gains 41 per cent, voted. Numerous instances could be cited where the general apathy of the citizens has been the major factor in placing socialist extremists in otlice and later in power.

WITH WHAT RESULTS

Mr Harry Gosling, M.P., a member of the Labour Party Government, said :

Tf you arc going to have a real live Labour movement rates aro bound Jo go up." Alderman Scurr, Labour JM.P. for Sloping, in his book "Labour and the Rates," which is described as "a. policy for Labour Councillors," says "Labour policy should be directed towards increasing rather than diminishing locaV expenditure. If Labour gains control it will result in destroying once and for all tho miserable Gradgrind policy of the rate-saver."

This policy they have put in practice. In seven London boroughs where socialists are in power the average increase of rates has been Is 2d in the £, whilst in six other boroughs it has been 31s 4|d. In South Wales the socialist local authorities have effected such enormous increases in the rates as these:— Ehondda 235 per cent. Mountain Ash 205, Glvncorrevv 196, Neath 195, Ammanford 172, Port Talbot 166. Lest it be thought that this is purely due to local conditions it may be stated that in other boroughs o'f South Wales, where socialists are not in power, the increases have averaged 71 per cent and the very highest has been 92.23. The expenditure on outdoor relief in some English boroughs has been rather in the direction of encouraging men not to work. In West Ham relief was paid to families, in addition to their own earnings which raised their incomes to £5, £6 and £7 per week, being more than those in regular employment were earning. One result was that the number of unemployed increased by leaps and bounds.

In this borough, the Board of Guardians owed the 'Ministry of Health £2,000,000; and had an overdraft of over £200,000. The rates were 24s in the £ of rateable value and they wanted a further loan of £425,000. 'The result of the waste extravagance, jobbery and corruption was that tho Government abolished the elected board and put in Commissioners.

AFFECTING INDUSTRY

The experience of Sheffield shows kow> high rales seriously affect industry. There a socialist majority found a surplus of £45,000. That they spent and £119,000 in addition to their first year. held for renewals of tramways plant is transferred to establishing a municipal printing plant. The rates are increased another 2s in the £. Sheffield has 25,000 unemployed. Her steel industry output is 6,000,000 tons compared with 8,000,000 before the war. Foreign competitors have an advantage of about £2 per ton. Figures supplied by the Chamber of Commerce show that rates accounted for 3s per ton in 1914, 21s in 1924, and since then there has been a large increase.

One firm alone will Lave to pay £6OOO more in rates as a result of the socialist increase of 2s in the £. Before the war firms paid on the average of about £2 per year per man employed; now it is £7.

Mr A. J. Capron, managing director of Davy Brothers, one of Sheffield's most important firms of engineers and boilermakers, said "Local manufacturers are now paying rates out of a capital. Altogether we have paid in rates £IB,OOO out of capital in the last three years. Last year we lost £32,000 because we had not work for our men, and of that £6OOO was for rates." From such data it is seen that the socialists have their policy of increased expenditure and higher raies into operation with a vengeance. The facts presented should serve aa a lessen even to our people in New Zealand,