Mr Acland,s Attack.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20362, 20 July 1934, Page 6

Mr Acland,s Attack.

Control of City

Christchurch Ruled By Caucus.

D ECL ARING that what was known as “ the caucus ” must ultimately destroy democratic government, as it enabled an organised minority to rule the majority, Mr 11. D. Acland, president of the Christchurch Citizens’ Association, in his address at the annual meeting last night, said that Christchurch was ruled by the caucus. Mr Acland said that he desired first of all to emphasise that the Citizens’ Association was not a political body. Membership was open to all citizens and all shades of opinion and independent thought, and its motto was, “ For the good of the city.” Any citizen proposing any project that he or she thought was for the good of the city was welcome to join the association. Its object was to obtain the best government possible in local affairs. “No pledge is exacted from any members or from any candidates for municipal office seeking the Citizens’ Association support,” said Mr Acland. “ Neither is any of its nominees when elected compelled against his opinion and conscience to vote for measures which he believes to be wrong. On the other hand it is an open secret that one man very prominent in local affairs whose party now controls the City Council has complained bitterly about having to support measures of which he does not approve, because a majority of the committee that controlled his election had ordered him to do so.

“ What is called the ‘ caucus ’ must ultimately destroy democratic government as it enables an organised minority to rule the majority. The governing principle of democratic government is majority rule, and it is the caucus which is ruling Christchurch to-day. a body with power but without responsibility.

“ The sound principle with regard to the ownership and management of public utilities, such as docks, harbours, transport, hospital administration and the like is public ownership with business management Ths principle has been a marked success in the City of London. Christchurch, however, has for some years adopted the principle of political control of municipal and local undertakings. “As a result promises to carry out all kinds of impossible and unfinancial undertakings have been freely made to the elector, and. as the ordinary elector is generally disposed to believe a great deal of what he is promised, he votes accordingly until he finds out that the promises have not been fulfilled. The outstanding case in New Zealand of this is. of course. * The Seventv Millions.’ For believing that promise, New Zealand electors have paid many millions and will pay many more in the future. A Privileged Class. “ Political control in the city has for about the last four •'’•ears resulted in the establishment of a privileged class of some 400 men who receive from the ratepayers, whose means of pavment have been greatlyreduced as the outcome of the slump, a greater amount of the national income they ever received before, and that at the expense .of the ratepayers who have far smaller incomes themselves and who are, in very many cases, relief workers near the breadline. On the ‘ cost of living ’ theory the money pay of the council employees should have been reduced, but politically that would have been bad for the party controlling the city to-day. The employees have received increases in real income at the expense of the citizens of Christchurch.

“ A man cannot be guaranteed a good standard of living unless the result or product of the wo r k fs of more value than is paid to him. If he receives more money or currency than the product he produces will sell for. then the difference has to be got- from someone, and in Christchurch it is got from the ratepayers, wlio«i there are a great number on relief work or out of employment.” Spending Power Reduced.

Mr Acland said that the political control of what were reallv business undertakings was gradually making the cost of local government more and more expensive, and the tax collector was putting his hand further and deeper into every ratepayer’s pocket and reducing his spending nower to the detriment of the city as a whole. Members would be glad to note that the possibility of injustice to residents in certain localities of the city had been recognised by the Chamber of Commerce and others interested eaually with the association in the important question of loans, conversions and consolidation of rates, now under the consideration of the City Council. He hoped that in this connection a snirit of equity would prevail throughout the discussion, and, as a result, that any injustice to one section of rateoavers as compared with others would be eliminated.