THE CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4319, 30 March 1901, Page 5

THE CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS

PLATFORM OF. THE MUNICIPAL • PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION. The Municipal Progressive Association —for membership in which all burgesses, whether ratepayers or not, are eligible—met last night and! adopted a programme which is to serve for the municipal elections as well as for future use. As finally adopted it is as follows: —' - ADMINISTRATION. 1. That the_ association support a complete reorganisation of the Corporation staff,, recent events having shewn this to be a necessity.! 2. That the association approves the principle of all Corporation work being done by day labour whereker possible. , ‘ MUNICH*ALISATION, That the association affirm the principle of municipalisation where it can be shotvn that tb© interests of the citizens can bo best served by corporate action, and approve!:— _ . (a) The scheme of the City Engineer for tramway extension, with the addition of a branch into Wordsworth street. (b) The acquisition of Miramar. (c) The purchase on equitable terms, and at as early a date! as possible, of the electric light works and gasworks. (d) The building of a Town Hall worthy of the city. ■ . , taxation. ... That rating on the unimproved value of the site of Wellington be approved as the basis for local taxation. In two planks, the (platform differs materially from that adopted by the Ratepayers’ Association. These arc the planks relating to the purchase _pf Miramar and the employment of day labour as against the contract system. The Ratepayers’ Association opposes the acquisition of Miramar and supports the contract system; _ A further conference of representatives of the two bodies is to be held on Monday night. In a discussion last night as to the action the committee from the Municipal Progressive Association should take at this conference it was agreed that they should retain the Miramar clause, hut should not insist on the clause relating to day labour if the Ratepayers’ Association representatives do not insist upon their clause with reference to the'contract system.