MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1623, 28 April 1919, Page 9

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

CENTRAL WARD. MP. J. A FLUSHES SPEAKS. Two Citizens' Association candidates for the Citv Council for the Central War.!, Messrs J. A. Flcsher ami C. 8. Harper, their campaigns in the Montreal Street Hall on Saturday evening, the Mayor, Mr H. Holland, ! r ■

Mr J. A. Flesher, a present member of the City Council, at the outset sai>l that hi* own views on proportional representation were fairly well known. But as the question hail i»'eu raised by many candidates, he would refer to it. Tne system the council had voted out was not simply proportional representation, bat that of the single transferable vote. His main objection to the system was that it did not give the elector freedom of choice. An elector was able, under the system revoked, to vote far one person, but was bound to put the other candidates in a numerical order, however he felt concerning them. For municipal elections the aim was to select the best men. irrespective of their political colour. The proper place in his opinion for the proportional representation system was at the Parliamentary elections. Parliament was essentially a legislative body, but the City Council was an administrative one. It va* right that all phases of opinion should be represented where laws were made, bat where the work was admin iatrattve, those best fitted for the duties •houid be selected. The proportional system disregarded the individual sierits and accentuated party feeling. Thus an individual became a mere party cypher. One of the strongest advocates for proportional representation had claimed that even Bolshevism was entitled to representation. RegardIBs; the housing problem, the matter of the shortage was one more for the Government than the municipality. As to the question of the amalgamation of local bodies, the only practical one at the present time was the incorporation of the functions of the hj. «inage Board ia the sewerage area in the Christehur. hj City Council. All matters pertaining to rural and surface drainage could be left to the local bodies concerned. Municipal activities during the year had meant a turnover of ■early £1,000,000 and nearly £200,000 for tne varioos trading accounts. The electrical undertaking had represented 1270.000. The result of the past year's working of this scheme was not so satisfactory, and the surplus was not •amVient to meet the depreciation charges. The financial stability of this vadertaking should not be sacrificed for cheapness of sn|tply, and users had no right to expect electricity at less than it cost. In the last four years the wages paid to Citv Council employees had aearly doubled. Thus, in 1915 16, £29,000 was paid, and in 1913-19, £34,500 was paid. The position regarding the General Account had improved during the last two years to the extent of £I4,O<DO, whilst the rates were practically the same as when the council took office. The Superannuation Fund which had been instituted hail attracted 59 men, at a coat to the council of £1069 per annum. Their contributions amounted to £750. As the men learned to appreciate the magnificent benefits tor them, the numbers joining should largely increase.

VIEWS OF MB C. S. HAEPEE. Mr C. S. Harper stated that he considered the three most important questions at present were the housing proMem, electrical extension and sewerage extension. In connection with the housing problem, C'hristehureh lent itself admirably to any building scheme, as there was any amount of land available at a comparatively cheap rate. A Ho<lified scheme could be commenced to r-uill 50 bouses at a contract price, without undertaking any elaborate town-planning scheme. He would even suggest that city reserve*, where suitable, could be used for this purpose, thereby saving considerable cost. Although the present cost of building was high, it should decline from now on, and hor.-i.v4 suitable for workers eouM probably be built at a rental of 15/- to 20/- per week. If the rental was four.! excessive the deficit could l>e made up by the ratepayers. He would favour the tenants of houses acquiring the freehold if desired. There was no Question whatever that the extension of the electrical scheme would be beneficial and effect a saving in the cost of living. Sewerage extension should be pushed on as soon as possible, and the amalgamation of the Drainage Board with the Christcbureh City Council would effect a saving in overhead expenditure. He did not consider the Town Hall necessary at the present time. Other more important schemes made it a luxury. The canal had Iven brought into municipal politics, although it was not a question to be decided definitely by the City Council. He considered it was impossible to decide definitely whether the canal or improvements to Lyttclton Harbour wonld prove the more desirable and economical. The Progress League, however, was collecting data and whea this was available both proposals conld be easily decided upon. Bome of the main streets did not compare favourably with those in other towns. As an instance, a |>ortion of Papanui Road, Lower High Street and Lincoln Road were iu a bad state. The past methods of paving appeared to have been suitable in outlying streets, bat not where there was a continuous and heavy motor traffic. He would like to see an arrangement with the Tramwav Board and the Citv Council to work in conjunction in the layout of the main streets. Mr Harper dealt with the motor by-laws, which he claimed were inefficient. At the Bank of New Zealand corner a better system was needed. The speed there was regulated, but the traffic .-ertainlv not controlled.

DR THACKER'S CANDIDATURE.

TWO BATUBDAY MEETINGS. Dr. H. J. T. Tkaeker, M.P., addressed two meeting* on Saturday evening, one in the TlnVrnian Hall, and the other at the Linwood School. In l*>tb instances, Mm K. Hoppy and T. H. narker, candidate for the Central Ward of the City Council and the Lyttelton Harbour Board respectively, also addressed the electors. Br. Thaeker first made reference to the Port Ckrotehnrcb scheme and explained the legislation which would Ijc necessary before work conld he commenced. As the Hairier of Marine (Hon. T. M. Wilford) had practically given his approval to the Fcheme, the Knar-ling and Kmpowering Bills would go through as Government measure* if a *trong Liberal Government went back, as the speaker expected would 1.0 the ea«e. He proposed that the Lyttelton Harbour Board's engineer, a most ta|iable maj>. should le given six mouths leave of ahtenee to see what had been done in other parts of the world, then his report on the Cbristchureh scheme would le available for laving before the Minister. What Belfast, Dublin, Liverpool, Glasgow, Hnll and London had done, Cnmtehurch could do successfully. When

the way was cleared, the board could; either let the contract or do the work, itself. Recently, he had seen the board's j own dredge, working in Timaro harbour,! dredge up 1200 tons, two-thirds of it: solids, steam three miles out, discharge anil wash herself out and come back to. her moorings, the double trip occupying; only 52 minutes. Eight hundred tons of! the stuff had been put overboard in four minutes. Her engineer claimed that that dredge could in one year dredge an entrance channel and make a harbour ati the Heathcote sufficient to float the greatest dreadnought in the world. When I they had the port, there was no desire to; penalise the country people by extra dues j on produce either in or out, and, if need \ be, a clause could be inserted in the Bill prohibiting any penalty. What was wanted was to get their timber and their coal landed in the city cheaper than at present. With oversea boats discharging in Port Christchurch importers could see their goods as they came over the ship's side —they couldn't get near now, so had to wait until the stuff was in the goods shed in Christchurch. If importers could have immediate access to their good.-*, they; would refuse to accept damaged lots, the result being that shipping companies would become more particular in seeing that cargo was delivered in a satisfactory condition. Some people objected! that the population was too small to' justify Port Christchurch. What had the' population been when the tunnel was made? Anyway, he looked ahead, say 50 vears, when the population of Christchurch might be 400,000. Then other municipal improvements, which he sug-j ! gested would prove their value. He men- i tioned an adequate water supply (suffi- 1 jC'ient to supply the whole of the city and ; suburbs, also Lyttelton, and to irrigate the Cashmere Hills). That could be obtained from Woodstock, and, with it, a comprehensive sewerage scheme could be operated. A pumping station on the head |of the mole at the ]>ort entrance would I send the whole of the city's sewage out ! to sea, for when the port came the prejsent sewage farm would be built upon. ,The dairy farms at present close to the city would also be squeezed out. He : hoped to see milk brought in by electric haulage and from the Peninsula by fast | boats up the port. Fish, which ranked iwith milk as one of the most valuable I foods of the people, could be caught in Kaikonra to-night and eaten in Christ - | church for lunch to-morrow. On top of all that, they would have their fernsteamers berthing three and a half miles from the Square, with electrie cars running the whole route. Shipbuilding yards might easily follow when they had extension of hydro-electrie power, and perhaps Iby the mouth of the Avon or over by j Redcliffs could be a submarine base. j Further, the excavation of the port would I drain the site of the city and rid it of ! niuch of its damp, '' rheumaticy'' fogs. | After stating that he stood also for proportional representation and for the building of a town hall which would be a credit to the city, Dr. Thacker briefly summarised the benefits which he in his public life had secured for the people. Both meetings carried hearty votes of thanks and confidence. CANDIDATES AT LINWOOD.

Candidates for municipal honours for the Linwoo.l Ward—Messrs W. S. Godfrey and T. S. DaeTe—together with Mr J. J. Dougall, one of the candidates for the Mayoralty, addressed a number of electors at the Phillipstown Schoolroom, Linwood, on Saturday evening. Mr Dougall said that the Parliamentarians of Great Britain appreciated the value of proportional representation. He had been twitted with bringing in his advocacy of proportional representation as an "electioneering dodge," but he would remind them that he had advocated that system of election long ago. He considered it the fairest method of election that had yet been devised. Iu reference to the means of access to the sea, Mr Dougall said that the Government was solely responsible for the fact that Christchurch was so backward. Tho electrification of the tunnel was a national matter, and should be undertaken by the Government and not by the City Council. Mr Hiley, when he was brought out from Home, propounded a scheme for an adequate service from Lyttclton to Christchurch, but that was thrown overboard owing to the war. Opinion was so diverse on the subject of canal versus tunnel that it could not be settled by argument, ami the only method was to take a referendum on the question. Every yard they went outside they would get a vote against the canal proposition, and that was his reason for suggesting that the 10-mile limit should be imposed. If the people voted for a canal he would do his utmost to further its usefulness, but the main point was to get access to the sea, no matter in which manner it was accomplished. The housing question should be boldly tackled by the City Council, and he suggested tliat £25,000 should be spent in erecting dwellings for the workers. He did not think that the ratepayers would vote for an expenditure of £IOO,OOO, as had been proposed, but they would vote for a quarter of that amount. The municipality could easily make up the difference in rent between 12/- and 15/-, which was considered to l>e a fair week's rent for a working man. COUNCIL CANDIDATES. Mr W. S. Godfrey stated that if it were not for the Citizens' Association no one who was worthy of being elected would come forward. He did not agree with everything which had been advocated under the programme of the Citizens' Association. The matter of providing better municipal offices was a matter that would have to be settled at once. Before he could answer the question as to whether a canal should be constructed he would require further information as to its advisability. He did not think that in the meantime the canal was feasible. He considered that proportional representation was a good system of voting, but the ward method should be adopted on a representation basis.

Mr T. S. Bai-re said that he was not nominated by the Citizens' Association, hut was a nominee of the Linwood Burgesses' Association. Tlie Citizens' Association was supporting him, but lie had an absolutely free hand iu respect to tire policy he favoured. Although the Burgesses' Association was not so strong in membership as it might be, he, as secretary, might mention that the association had done good work, among some of the matters it had urged being the improvement of the tram service. He was a straight out supporter of proportional representation, and had been so for many years. He thought that the idea of revoking proportional representation was to keep Labour members off the council. A voice: That's it; be straight-out. The candidate urged that the sewerage system should be improved and extended. The cost should be made a general rate over the whole city. He was in favour of rating on unimproved values. It was absurd that they should have five local bodies iu ChVistchurch when one could carry out the whole of the work. He was in favour of the extension of the city boundaries. Local bodies should not be allowed to tinker

with reserves which would be the future rcereatiou grounds of the people of Christchurch. The City Council should compensate their workmen in accordance with the work they did and the high cost of living. He supported the extension of the electrical undertaking, the erection of a Town Hall, and the establishment of a fire sub-station in Linwood. The candidates were accorded a vote ; of thanks for their addresses. AN OPEN LETTER TO DR THACKER, M.P. IMy Dear Dr Thacker,— i You and I have much in common. We are both the product of Irish parents. Each of us had some education in Dublin, but later graduated through that noble university called "Hardj Knocks." I appreciate your worthy! qualities of brain; I know your kindly J . heart —your generous nature in private I life. Also I recognise the necessity of your pandering to the mob in order to hold office as member representing I Christchurch East, but in doing so I I would call your attention to the fact I that Queer. Elizabeth exiled one of her courtiers because he bowed so low that I he split his pants. | The herculean task which confronts you now is to hold dual office; hence I I warn you beforehand that you might lose both, aud become like the British commander who lost two ships and forfeited his captaincy. The times have changed politically —demanding a ; broader vision; and that you cannot ' change with them appeals to me almost 'as a personal sorrow. I realise your horror of stagnation and your wellfounded fears of oblivion, and thcre- : fore I do not blame you for trying to j cash in by discovering to New Zealand i the alleged fact that you are the j saviour of this country. You should boost more and knoftk less! You sell your product —chin j exercise—for the applause of the mob, i those who are the enemies of enterprise j and the foes of the human race. I make | no protest against your charges hurled at your opponents since political aspirants usualiv disregard the mud and its | (dingers. This, ou your part, is adverj Using, aud a chemical trace of piffle in publicity is allowable to a medical ' practitioner who is sorely pressed by | vaulting ambition. I do, however, regret i your lack of honour, since you pledged I your sacred trust to me on two ocea- ! sions, in the presence of Mr Longton, j that you would not oppose Mr J. J. Dougall for the Mayoralty, but on the ; contrary you would support his eandi- | dature. I passed this fact on to the | Citizens' Committee in good faith, with I what result? Do I have to supply a blue print? Very well, sir, here it is: You have succumbed to the temptation I of trying to place an old friend in a 'disgraceful light before the public, this | for the transient satisfaction of some undefined personal whim, and a desire to secure the applause of people who accept the philosophy of the BolshevikSocialistic element as gospel truth, and who regard tho Constitution of our country as an obsolete document. You probably would consider it rude, crude, vulgar and coarse to be bribed by money; but the bribers are abroad, and the love of the "spot-light," coupled with the will to vengeance have taken you captive, and the proof of this seduction you yourself supply. If you are to be judged by your utterances, you would give the right to every labourer to fix the amount of wages he shall be paid and change our form of government, so as to work the apotheosis of the weak, the i inefficient and the wasteful, sending Dives to hell and putting Lazarus in his limousine. Nevertheless, while I regret your actions over the mayoralty, in the capacity of a, private citizen I wish you well, and sincerely trust that Mr J. J. Dougall will be returned as Mayor. I yet believe there is a place for your services, if you can but realise that to-day the world needs builders and creators, not iconoclasts, sappers and incendiaries. Yours very truly, JOSEPH HAMLET.