MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1624, 29 April 1919, Page 5

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

MAYORALTY CONTEST. MB DOTJQALL REPLIES TO OPPONENTS. Addresses were delivered by Messrs A. Williams, J. W. Beanland, and E. H. Andrew-!, candidates for City Council Mats for the St. Albans Ward, and Mr J. J. Pougall, one of the three contestants for the mayoraitv at the Young Men's Guild Hail last" night. Mr A. llobbs presided over a large attendance. Mr J. J. Poagall, who had a cordial reception, said that if he were elected mayor of the city he would have a good deal to say in regard to the matter of proportional representation. It had icen said that that method of election was not suitable for a place like Christehureh, but he would urge that the electors had absolutely shown that they desired that form of election. It was the only system that hail given all sections of the community a fair hearing. lie suggested that the city should l>e divided into two set-tions, anil that eight candidates tdiould be appointed from each. It had been said that they should not adopt proportional representation because it had not been generally'tried in various countries. That was no argument whatever; why should they not try an experiment if they deemed it desirable! In any case, it was not a new thing, but had been successfully worked in other countries. An election should be carried out without personalities whatever, and he strongly'deprecated throwing mud at an opponent. He must, however, protect himself. It had been stated in an advertisement that he was on the same platform as Councillor Flesher, and the question was asked as to how he could reconcile his advocacy of proportional representation with that fact. He would remind them that he had spoken strongly in favour of the system of election as against Councillor FlesheV, whose opinions he could no more help than those of Councillor Beanland and Williams.

Dealing with the question of canal Terras tunnel, Mr Dougall said that the people had to make up their minds as to wkat they wanted. The matter had been debated for 12 years, to his knowledge, and, unless they decided upon •©me course of action, they would be debating the matter 10 years hence. It bad bees said in an opponent's advertisement that he had stated that the amount of £2,000,000 would be lost if Lyttelton had to be "scrapped." His Opponents, in estimating a lesser amount, had forgotten that the whole town would praetieally cease to be. The eanal which it was suggested should now be made was not that-origi-nally suggested by the English engineers. The advertisement to which he referred very attractively held out that the citizens could walk or cycle to the berth of the Corinthic and other vessels; but how was it possible for them to do so in the case of a ship like the Corinthic when the proposed channel wonld only be 25 feet deep, and the draught of the Corinthic, loaded, was 32 feet. He was by no means opposed to a canal, bat the people had to make np their minds on the matter of canal versos tunnel, and a referendum could easily be taken within the next nine to 12 months. The City Conncil could not decide the canal question itself. He was keener than ever on obtaining a Greater Christchureh, particularly in its relation to the question of sanitation. When the Drainage Board put its proposals forward, as it would no doubt do very shortly, he thought they should all support these proposals in the interests of the health of the community, for, if any plague was propagated because of the bad sanitation in one place, the good conditions prevailing in others would not save them. The candidate aLso dealt briefly with the question of housing and the town ball.

Mr A. Williams said he made ■ no apology for again offering hia services, as he had endeavoured to represent them well and faithfully for 12 years. Now that the war was over they hoped that the embargo would be removed in reference to the borrowing of money by municipalities, and that they would be able to go ahead with municipal works. At the same time he did not advocate extravagance. The first question requiring attention was that of drainage. He believed that prior to the war the Drainage Board had everything prepared for an extensive svstem of drainago for Greater Christchurch, and if they had patience he thought they would secure that advantage. There would be a great saving to the public generally if the City Council, the Tramway Board, the Drainage Board, and other authorities were amalgamated. Unlike some of his colleagues, he was in favour of a Port Christchurch, and he thought the city boundaries should be extended. If they had a Tort Christchurch, which wonld appear in the directories of the world, Christcirnrch would be the greatest city in the Dominion. (Applause ) The streets of Christchurch, and particularly the back streets, compared rnore than favourably with the streets of the greater cities of Australasia, but they should not rest on their laurels in this respect. He believed that arrangements could be made to bring metal in from Birdung's Flat quarry, and he wonld use his best endeavours, if returned, to secure the opening of the quarry for municipal purposes \ reservoir ghanld ereeteil on the Port Hills in order to augment the water supply and to secure a supply for the suburban districts which would come into the Greater Christchurch scheme. They wanted the eity to expand, not only commercially, but from the point of view of beauty. With regard to the proposed town hall, he suggested that they were sadly in need of such a buildtag, and he considered that the question of a site as well as specifications should M submitted to a referendum. Mr J. W. Beanland said that he had been in touch with the road work of the eity more than any other councillor, and he contended that the Christchurch roads were the best in the Dominion. Ther had succeeded in keeping the roads up to condition, and this year the council had entered into contracts for the supply of 25,000 yards of metal, and the contractors had to put in special machinery for the work rf crushing. They were now purchasing 138,000 gallons of tar at 8d per gallon, as compared with 5d several years ago, and they would quite realise that that meant a considerable amount for road improvements. Before anything could be done ia regard to the sewerage system the whole question would have to be gone iato thoroughly, and a differential rate wonld hare to be levied, so that the outaide districts, such as St. Albans and Ri. carton, could obtain the benefit of the sewerage system. The-.setting up of a Commission wonld be a better way, fa his opinion, of settling the matter. He- hoped that the people of St. Albans, a* well as other districts, wonld rapport tie City Council in the proposed purchase of Elmwood Park, which might be converted into a garden suburb. In this connection the nutter of housing WMld be rery prominently before the

now council. If the Government could be indaced to lend money at a low rate of interest, the matter might be dealt with. He thought that when the prices of material became less, which would undoubtedly be tho case in the near future, the houses would be built, but he did not consider the money should be expended by the City Council on any undertaking, such as that suggested, which would entail any considerable loss. Dealing with proportional representation, the candidate said that he did not think that the question should be settled by any council, but by the ratepayers. He had not changed his opinions on the matter, but if it came before the council again it would have his earnest consideration, and he would vote as he thought right, without caring for the opinions of those who might think he had "turned his coat." He asked Ihem to recognise that tho members of the City Council had done a considerable amount of goo 1 work for tho town.

Mr E. 11. Andrews said that the Citizens' Association platform was so progressive and broad that no one, not even the extremists, could find anything in it to object to. Tho health of the city was one of the chief questions which concerned the City Council, and the extensiou of the sewerage system was one of the things that were absolutely necessary. No doubt it would cost a considerable amount of money, but what was that compared to the health of the community? He favoured .getting rid of all slum quarters, and one way of doing so was to institute a housing scheme. It was an economic axiom that a man should not have to pay more than one-sixth of his wages in rent. With the prospect of the cost of material "coming down, he thought that the council could with advantage take up the question seriously. There had been a great deal of balderdash spoken in reference to municipal markets. Prom what he could gather, such markets had been a ghastly failure. He was in favour of the amalgamation of the various authorities controlling the city. A great many shrewd business men were precluded from serving on the council bocause of the absurd regulation which prevented the council from purchasing goods from them beyond a £5 or £lO limit. He was quite in favour of a limit being fixed, but such a small one meant that men had to lose business if they were in the habit of dealing with the council, when they sought election. He was standing fof the progress of the city and the betterment of the city. He was in sympathy with sane Labour, but it was inexplicable to him that Labour should have tacked on to it extremists and anti-militarists. If it could dissociate itself from that class, its day had come.

QUESTIONS. ! Replying to a question, Mr Dougall said that it would be feasible for the City Council to lend money for the installation of hot-water services where the owners were unable to bear the expense and the outlay. He was also in favour of special playgrounds for the children, in addition to the school grounds. "If returned, will Mr Dougall undertake to see that an inspection of houses is immediately undertaken, and, if unfit for habitation, will he see that they are condemned f" asked a member of the audience. The candidate replied that if a house was not fit for habitation it should I>e condemned. Replying to a question as to whether women in the service of the couneil should be paid the same rate as men, Mr Dougall said he thought that equal pay should be given for equal work. ADDRESS BY~MR McCOMBS.

The first meeting iu connection with Mr J. McCombs's candidature for the Christchurch mayoralty was held in the Choral Hall last evening. The chair was taken by the Bev. J. K. Archer, of Sydenham. Mr McCombs announced at the outset that he had already had the honour of having represented the people for a term of four years on the Christchurch City Council, during which period, he believed, he had been able to do useful work. As a member of the Finance Committee he had gained a very close insight into that side of the work, and he was so in a position to reply to Mr J. Longton's assertion that while Mr J. McCullough, a Labour councillor, had been chairman of the Finance Committee of the council (when it was largely composed of Labour members) the council had built up an overdraft at the rate of £SOOO a year, whereas the last council had avoided that. This, said Mr McCombs, was one of the "business men'' who sought their votes. Yet in that statement he was £IB,OOO wide of the truth. The true facts were contained iu the following table:—

* Amount not yet available. . The latest chairman, Cr J. A. Flesher, had increased the- general rate to 2|«l from 2jd, so levying an additional £3021 from the people. Out of that the overdraft had been ieduced by onlv £446. Mr McCullough had had two other Labour members on his committee.

Mr McCombs agreed that the City Council was primarily au administrative body and because of that they should vote the Labour ticket, for Labour members had already demonstrated their administrative ability in public affairs. There was oue matter in connection with the finances of the city that should be tackled at once. Did they know that at present there were 47 different loans current in the city of Christchurch, and there had been no attempt to consolidate them? In the interests of efficiency aud economy of working there should be oue rate in each rating area or special rating district. Mr McCombs took the city's electricity department, ami, reviewing it, claimed that there had been no attempt to cut down the cost of installation. At present, in America, where wages were higher, the cost of installation per point was only half of that in Christchurch. Instead of keeping the price uji so that the citizens could make a profit out of themselves, they should, he maintained, bring the price down so that the Christchurch Gas Company would be forced to reduce its rates. Besides helping in domestic circles, cheaper power would foster the industrial development of their city, and so assist with the work of repatriating their soldiers. Of course ho realised that that matter was primarily one for the Government, but the Government had shown itself so incapable—so far it had only settled about 1000 men on the land—that they must look in other directions for successful repatriation. One of the most promising of those other lines of action lay, to his mind, in industrial development and the establishment of new industries. But they could never hare that while the price of the electric current was kept up. What they wanted was not men animated by business considerations, but

men animated by ideals for the welfare of the whole community. One representative of the Citizens' Association seriously proposed to appropriate the people's reserves under a building scheme, while another was nrging the need of more open spaces for their children to play in. And the first member went further. He proposed that houses suitable for workers should be built at a rental of 15/- to 20/- per week. If the rental was found excessive the deficit could be made up by the ratepayers. Did they Tecognise what that meant* It meant that the small ratepayer with two or three rooms would have to help to meet the deficit on the erection of four or fiveroomed houses. Compare that ill-con-ceived policy with that of the British Ministry of Reconstruction, which was that -which the Labour Party was supporting here. It proposed that the burden should be thrown on to the broader shoulders of the general ratepayer—that the housing scheme should be carried out by the State.

Adverting to the question of "administrative ability" of which the Citizens' Association seemed to consider it had the monopoly, Mr McCombs reminded his audience, that the Government Fire Insurance Department had been established as the result of a Christchurch agitation, initiated in the Trades Hall. The Christchurch City Council's accident insurance scheme, by which the employees had been better treated and the ratepayers saved over £2200, had been the outcome of Labour representation on-tho council. In that same direction, Labour Governments in Australia had amply demonstrated their administrative ability. In Christchurch, when City Council employees were moving off to the frout, the La ; hour element on the council urged that the soldiers' military pay should be supplemented so as to make the total exclusive of Sunday pay and extras, up to the wage which the soldier had had before enlistment. Labour had succeeded in that, and put tho policy into effect in one of those years in which it had reduced the overdraft.

Speaking of the. matter of a Town Hall for Christchureh, Mr MeCombs said that while, with the present cost of materials, they could not actually build, they should acquire a site, prepare plans, and get along with preliminary arrangements, for it was a disgrace to a city the size of Christchureh that it had not a proper hall where the citizens could meet on great occasions. It would be sheer humbug on his part, said Mr MeCombs, for him to come before them seeking election to the mayoral chair just because he held certain views on Harbour Board matters, therefore, he was not concerning himself with the schemes of other candidates. The City Council had no more concern with Harbour Board matters than it had with, say, education. But he did think that the Christchurch City Council had concern with the question of sewerage; and he was of opinion that the sewerage system of Christchureh should be controlled by the City Council. At the conclusion of the meeting, in reply to a question as to whether he was in favour of rescinding the 10 per cent, penalty on the rates of working men who could not pay by the appointed time, Mr MeCombs said that he certainly resented the principle whereby the poor man was faced with the prospects of much heavier rates than the rich man. If a penalty were necessary—and after all the City Council must get the rates in—it should go on by degrees, say one per cent, at a "time over a period of say 10 months. DR THACKER'S~CANDIDATURE.

Pr H. T. J. Thacker, M.P., addressed a meeting of Beckenham residents at the Beckenham Public School last night. Mr T. G. McGallau presided over a fair attendance. In opening Dr Thacker referred to the work he* had done at Trentham Camp on behalf of the soldiers. He had been instrumental in cleaning the camp up. However, he was not going to boast of what he had done, but of what he could do. The speaker then touched on the Port Christchurch scheme, of which he is an advocate. He said that in connection with the scheme the river Heathcptc could, be utilised for barges. As in some places in England, these barges could be propelled by electric motors, the current to be supplied from an overhead wire stretched along the centre of the river. The river would be thus converted into a minor waterway for the transport of groceries and such commodities. If Port Christchurch were constructed, a pumping station could be erected out on the mole it was proposed to build, aud thus the whole of the sewage from Greater Christchurch could be pumped right out into the sea. Dr Thacker also referred to a water supply, which could be obtained from Woodstock, aud which could be made to serve the whole of Christchurch, Cashmere Hills, and Lyttelton. An adequate water supply* was necessary for an efficient sewerage system. As to the milk supply for the city, this would be greatly improved if Port jChristc.hurch were constructed. Milk could be brought by fast steamers to the proposed port from North Canterbury ami Banks Peninsula. The milk from districts nearer Christchurch could be brought into the city by electric vehicles. Cool stores for the milk could be erected at the proposed port aud local depots could be established at various parts of the city. Butter and cheese could be handled in the same way. There were large quantities of butter and cheese being sent away,to England, and a lot was lying in the country going to waste; yet people were still paying high prices for these commodities. Cool stores for butter and cheese could be erected at the port. The supplies iu these stores could be drawn on when necessary. The port would also ensure a better fish supply for the city. Deep sea trawlers could come into the port aud so people could get fresh fish for breakfast or luncheon. The fish that was not required immediately could be put into cool stores at the port. As things stood at present the city of Christchurch had a patch-work fish supply, meat supply, and milk supply. It was wrong to suppose that if Port Christchurch were constructed Lyttelton would bo scrapped. Lyttelton would become a seaside resort.

The speaker then touched on the matter of garden suburbs. Ho said that good roads should be built through such suburbs. The kind of road he advocated was 0110 with a solid concrete base, and a surface of screenings mired with crude petroleum. Such roads should be built everywhere in New Zealand, and they would result in a great saving, because haulage over such roads would be easier.

Referring to the housing scheme the speaker said that the City Council should build houses for workers. In America many big business firms saw that their employees were properly housed, and the big firms here might well do the same. At the present time 400 houses were wanted in Christchurch. Many returned soldiers and their wives were looking for homes in the city and suburbs. ' He had always stood for the best

I interests of the community, the candidate asserted, and if he were returned 'as mayor he would look after the citizens of Christchurch as a good father looks after his family. He hoped that the coming generation would bo able to say that during the mayoralty of Dr Thacker the Port Christchurch scheme, and many other improvements had been carried out in the city of Christchurch. A vote of thanks to and confidence in Dr Thacker, as the - only suitable candidate for the mayoralty was carried unanimously.

CENTRAL WARD. THE LABOUR CANDIDATES. The Labour meeting held in tho Choral Hall last evening was addressed by Cr E. J. Howard aud Mr G. Manning, Labour candidates for the Central Ward on tho Christchurch City Council. Cr Howard opened with a scathing reference to the apparent apathy of citizens towards the coming conflict. Touching on the matter of the finances of the City Council, and "Brother Longton's" comment thereon, Cr Howard humorously remarked on the £4OO by which he and Cr Flesher—(laughter)—had reduced the overdraft —while putting up the rates. The Labour record of Mr McCullough showed up well against that. He was not .going to say that all the Citizens' Association candidates were "crookies" and all the Labour candidates were lilywhites with wings springing underneath —that all the brains were on the Labour side, with all the "vacuum tubes" on the other—but he did claim that Labour had its fair share of administrative ability, and while ho did not ask votes for E. J. Howard, he asked votes for Labour. Personally, he was not so desperately keen to get on to the City Council, but he had been chosen to carry Labour's banner. A certain member of the old council was described in "a newspaper who's who" as "one of the most successful business men in the city." Quite so! But every successful business man had made - his money out of the people. If they liked being exploited, then by all means put in the "successful business men." They were very nice chaps, all these successful business men on the old council. "But," exclaimed Cr Howard, "I could be nice too if I had their money. I'd shout you all cigars. I could do it without touching the capital, because when you have £2OOO or £3OOO in 'the bank it works the whole 24 hours—no Arbitration Court hours there.''

He had talked for two years, Or Howard went on, so lie did not need advertisement through any "who's who." He left the electors to judge if he had faithfully and loyally car : ried Labour's banner. Soon after he got on to the Repatriation Board he proposed that they should lend the soldiers capital without interest. What consternation then! Still, the board had carried his motion and sent it up to the Eepatriation Board in Wellington. There it "went out with a bang." Mr G-. Manning said that the desire for a place on the City Council was not so much a personal matter as the expression of a wish to do something in the service of the people. The question of the cost of living furnished a great opportunity in that direction. They must fight,'first of all, for industrial freedom. Without it, political freedom v.ts little good. During the past few years there had been a time of unprecedented prosperity for a section of New Zealand. Something was wrong so long as only men of that class were returned to public positions. Rather should administration be in the hands of the people's true representatives, so that the working men might have a just share of that wealth which ho produced. The principle Labour stood for was the more equal distribution of the wealth of the country. Wealth consisted in materials produced and services rendered. Take butter. Three factors entered into its production—labour, capital, and land. Without those there could be no butter produced. When it came, it was sold at a price to remunerate those three factors in proportion to which had the greatest effective demand. Up to the present the least effective demand had been labour, since it had always been in good supply. Therefore, wages came after profit and rent (the earnings of eapital and land), the consequence being that the workers had a bare subsistence wage. As the values of primary products rose with the coming of war, it was only profits and land which benefited, until Labour pulled itself together and demanded consideration. Then a 10 per cent, increase had been granted all round. But the position was that, with the fall in the purchasing power of money, the return to labour had decreased,' while the return to land and capital had mounted higher and higher, prices being increased. His party's theory, was that before there was'auv increase in prices, the collectors of'rent and profits should be made to disgorge some of their 5 increased earnings. To remedy the present state of affairs, Mr Manning urged his hearers to put their own representatives into local body and Parliamentary seats. To preserve 'their own interests, let them vote Labour. If they would put the Labour candidates ou the City Council he would guarantee to give them food at cheaper rates than at present.

lii addressing a well-attended meeting in the Rugby Street. Schoolroom last evening, Mr A. D. Hassall, an independent candidate for the St. Albans Ward, emphasised the experience he had gained through his lengthy association with friendly societies' work and in his capacity as a member of school committees, licensing committees,, and burgesses' associations, and as an organiser iu connection with mayoralty campaigns.

HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION. ADDEESS BY ME HARKBE. Mr T. IT. Harker, a candidate for one of. the Christchurch seats on the Lyttelton Harbour Board, addressed a meeting in the Beckenham School last evening on the Port Christchurch scheme. He had given the subject serious consideration, and he had come to the conclusion that, in the interests of Christchurch and North Canterbury, a port should be built at the Estuary. Christchurch would never take its place as the leading manufacturing centre of New Zealand unless the port was constructed. The port would be built if energetic men who supported the scheme were returned to the Harbour Board. In the past, men had got on the board on the Port Christchurch ticket, but they had not fought for the scheme when they met with opposition. Mr J. J. Dongall (a candidate for the Mayoralty) had been one of these men. With regard to the proposal to duplicate the tunnel, Mr Harker said that this would cost £1.000,000, at least, and the interest on this money would nave to be found by the community. This would mean an addition to the already excessive cost of taking goods through the tunnel. On the other hand, the surplus revenue of

the Harbour Board would pay the Interest on the loan necessary to carry out the Port Christchurch scheme. Mr Harker said that if they returned Dr. Thacker as Mayor, and a good proportion of councillors who supported the scheme, it would go a long way towards its accomplishment.

Deficit Cbairnian of Financial General or Finance Year. Hate. Overdraft •r,d 37,281 Committee. 1912-13 H. R. Sorensen 1913-H 3d 43.182 H. B. Sorensen 1914-15 2{d 46,170 H. It. Sorensen l<>15-lfi 2}d 38.860 .T. McCul lough 1516-17 2jd :W502 J. McCuIIough 1917-18 2jd 37,756 J. A. Flesber 1918-19 2<d • J. A. Fleshcr