Who has Control?

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 365, 5 March 1932, Page 8

Who has Control?

To the Editor. Dear Sir, —The vote of censure passed on Councillor A. E. Armstrong by the Drivers’ Union is really a vote of censure passed by a section of the city’s employees. The servants of the council control the various unions insofar as the City Council’s business is concerned, and through their unions they control the Labour Representation Committee, a body to which the Labour members on the council have pledged obedience. Thus we have control of the City Council by the City Council’s employees. Lincoln’s short definition of democracy was: “ Government of the people, for the people, by the people.” What the Labour Party gives us does not fit in with that. They give us government of the city by our servants, a thing that must lead to high cost and inefficiency. Thus it is that labourers sweeping the street get higher pay than skilled tradesmen can get in private employment, and the ratepayers are taxed to give them superannuation and to provide a sick benefit fund for them. They do not take their share of the sacrifices that have to be made; on the contrary, they get the benefit of the reduced cost of living brought about by the sacrifices of others. The president of the Drivers’ Union is also president of the Labour Representation Committee; he is also an employee of the City Council. Councillor E. Parlane, as a councillor, owes loyalty to the ratepayers; as secretary of the Drivers’ Union, he owes loyalty to the union. No man can serve two masters and Councillor Parlane is no exception to that rule.—l am, etc, X.