THE ST. KILDA ELECTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24607, 15 May 1941, Page 12

THE ST. KILDA ELECTION

TO THE EDITOR

Sir,—l feel honoured that a few words of mine written with the sole object of correcting a mistake should have drawn from Mr J. H. Hinton (chairman cf works for the past so: years) such a lengthy statement. I feel honoured also that Mr Hinton agrees with me oh one point, that is, that the residents of the borough are intelligent. I presume they will be intelligent enough to see through his diatribe. Mr Hinton attempts to prove that the result of the last poll shows emphatically that the electors voted against the intrusion of party politics into municipal matters. Was Mr Hinton not returned by the electors? CL course, he • was. and is Mr Hinton not a leading light in the Nationalist Party? Of course, he is; so hew does the result of the last election prove that the electors voted against party politics. To me it proves that the electors voted to be governed by the Nationalists alias Citizens’ Association alias Blue Ticket candidates. The electors will vote tor the persons who in their estimation will render the best services, and the only difference between Mr Hinton and myself is that I belong to the Labour Party and am proud of the fact, whereas Mr Hinton belongs to the Nationalist Party, but presumably is ashamed to own allegiance to it and prefers to go under the alias of Citizens’ Asociation, alias Blue Ticket. I thank Mr Hinton and you. Sir, for so kindly publishing the Labour Party s policy for St. Kilda. The Labour Party nominees, if elected, are pledged* to carry this policy into effect, which is more than can be said for Mr Hinton s team, because they have absolutely no P °May I, as an executive member of the Otago Labour Representation Committee, state the procedure adopted when formulating the different policies for the different local bodies? First, in the most democratic way possible, the O.L.R.C. executive, which is the ruling body, is elected. When election time comes around, the candidates are selected by the vote of the members. This is democracy as we know it to-dav, for which the British Empire has gone to war. The selected candidates, along with the executive, then formulate the policy, and the candidates pledge themselves to this policy, which is then placed before the electors The candidates must do everything possible to carry the policy into effect. Outside of the policy the candidate has a free hand. . The bogey of Trades Hall control is just a lot of moonshine. When an elector votes for a Labour Party candidate, he votes for a policy. . , . Now will our chairman of works, etc. please tell us in the same plain language (1) Who selected him and his team; (2) how they were selected: (3) who formulated their policy; and (4) what is their policy. Mr Hinton states that we of the Labour Party are only setting up a bogey for the purpose of knocking it down; and that the rates in St. Kilda have not been increased. May I refer him to the answer which he gave to a correspondent who claimed that as the Hospital Board demand had been reduced, our total rate demand should be reduced? The excuse was that as the total rate should have been increased the previous year, the rates would be the same this year to even up the deficit. Now we see by the latest report that the “ Town Cler.c says it may be possible to grant a small reduction. But why all this hum-bug? Why not come out straight and tell the ratepayers just what the position is and what the amount is that is required to run the borough instead of the town clerk promising something indefinite on the eve of the election? And why the town clerk? Mr Hinton informs us that in 1904 St Kilda will be free of debt. Just mere' assumption, because Mr Hinton cannot forecast what may happen during the next 13 years. We are also told that an up-to-date library would cost £BOO, plus attendance ana upkeep, and to do this would mean an extra rate, or some other allocation would have to be robbed. Mr Hinton then invites us to have a look at the water mains, which under his special supervision cost the ratepayers £6OOO. and —-mark you—without increasing the water rate and without striking a special rate; but ho forgot to mention, although I presume he meant to inform us, that this was done without robbing some other allocation or the renewal funds. Just, then, how and where did Mr Hinton get tlie £6000)

We would endeavour to get the £BOO required for the library from just the same source. Regarding the plots, Mr Hinton says that 95 per cent, of the people take a pride in keeping these in order. That may be true, but does that in any way relieve the council of its responsibility? And perhaps Mr Hinton will enlighten us regarding Culling Park, and tell us how it comes about that this park has shrivelled up.—l am, etc. , W. L. Ruitledge. May 14, [lt has been necessary for us to abridge this letter.—Ed., 0.D.T.3