DETERMINED TO GOVERN CITY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18380, 4 February 1928, Page 2

DETERMINED TO GOVERN CITY.

LABOUR COUNCIL WILL NOT BE TURNED ASIDE BY THREATS. Declaring that he was keen for work and full of fight, the Mayor (the Rev J. K. Archer), who returned last night from what he described as his best holiday for many years, expressed the determination of the Labour City Council to govern the city according to Labour principles. “Since reaching home,” said the Mayor this morning, “1 have read with very great surprise a statement in the newspapers concerning the alleged attitude of the Christchurch butchers towards the municipal market. I. cannot possibly believe that they would do anything so stupid as to withdraw their slaughtering from the public abattoir because of the opening of a butcher’s shop in the market. “It may, however, be useful to state definitely and without any qualifications, that if they do this it will not. in my opinion, make the slightest difference to the attitude of the present Council towards the municipal market. As far as I can see, the market already is an established success, and is going to grow and be developed. There is only one thing that would lead to its abandonment, and that is an adverse judgment of the Christchurch public generally, but, so far as I can discover, that judgment is in the main 'favourable. “In any case, the position i s that at the last municipal elections the people placed a Labour Council in office, and while it remains in office it is going to govern the city according to Labour principles. “Not for a single moment is it going to be turned aside from its course by the threats of any interested groups, whether they be fruiterers, butchers, or anybody else. If the butchers do take the action which is suggested, the. Council -will deal with their conduct when it arises, though, of course, I am not now in a position to say what will be its line of action. “The primary aim of the Council will be to maintain a satisfactory meat supply for the city, and the citizens can rest assured that that will be done.”