MR ROGERS' CAMPAIGN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 100, 1 May 1935, Page 8

MR ROGERS' CAMPAIGN

' NO POLICY OF HIS OWN" I STANDS FOR THE PARTY ADDRESS AT KEITH STREET The policy of Labour was again outlined last night when Mr \V. J. Rogers and several of his supporters in the forthcoming municipal elections addressed a well-attended and attentive meeting at Keith Street. Mr J. Johnston presided. Mr. Rogers, in the course of a reply to Air Ealconer, said that he would not borrow money unless the ratepayers authorised it. Borrowing was a matter for the ratepayers, not the vounc.il. He . also stated that he definitely belonged to a party, the Labour Party, and that be did not have a policy of his own. His policy was that of “the party, a democratic movement which had. as its principal plank, the careful administration of the city’s finances.” Mr Rogers contended that, no man could be anti-party. Replying to MiFalconer, who stressed that he was not anti-Labour, but anti-party. Mr Rogers said: “Party is as old as the, hills. It goes bavk to the Garden of Eden and is inseparable from life-” H W!, s a remarkable thing that in political life more thau one independent member had ceased to become independent when a Cabinet. Minister’s iob came along. , Air Rogers said that he had served for four years as Mayor and had been associated with public life since 1923. In 3931. however, certain groups of people desired a. change and he was defeated in the Alayoral campaign bv a margin of 149 votes. Mr Rogers declared that ho had no quarre. against, this, but attributed his defeat not to the efforts made to shift him from the Mayoralty, but to his supporters who. thinking his position secure, had not. taken the, trouble to vote. LfAal bodies must have good, capable men to govern affairs of the, city, he said. So far Labour had not been in control of local bodies in this city, or anywhere in New Zealand, for that matter, except in Christchurch. At Air Falconer’s initial meeting the, present Alawor had stressed the necessity of a capable man in the Mayoral chair. Air K(>gers had no quarrel with. this. But if suvh a super-man was required, why have 12 councillors? 'rhe town clerk was the ; municipal “housekeeper,” while Mayors and councillors came, and went. Air" Rogers repeated that he was opposed to anything in the form of a dictatorship. When he was elected Alayor in 192 i, the previous year had seen an inc tease in rates levied on Wanganui, from £83,000 the amount had gone, up to £117,000. It was quite poss-ble. that those in charge at the time could not have averted that, but no blame was attachable- to Labour. So fat as Ine, present regime was concerned, the march, of time was a big factor which had assisted Air Armstrong to bring down the aggregate amount of rates collected in Wanganui. Time had been an important factor, and would continue to be so. Air Ealconer had said the previous night that the statement that rates had fallen because of unemploved values was ridiculous. “The rating svstem. is in the. hands of the people,”"said Air Rogers. ” A poll van be taken to decide the issue.. Hundreds of ratepayers have benefited by the change in the rating system. 1 went back to the rating of unimproved values and vbu can ask hundreds of ratepayers if they have not benefited.” The speaker went on to say that Labour was a democratic party. “We definitely accept the assertion that we belong to a party,” he said. “It is a partv that is a growing power throughout the world.” (Applause). “Air Falconer asks if I would go in for a borrowing policy,” he continued. “I put it to you that Air falconer knows that I vannot go and, with the stroke of a pen, authorise the borrowing of a large sum of money,” Air Rogers continued. “That, is for the ratepayers to decide. During my term of office only two loans were raised.” He went on to say .hat 1927 was one of the worst vears. Since then however, the City Council has had £lll,OOO to help the city along. That money was from Government, unemployment funds. “This did not happen in my time, though I don’t blame them,” Mr Rogers added. The Labour Bartv did not propose to borrow, not unless such a procedure was asked for by a public poll. Mr Rogers said that he had no policy of his own. His poliw was that of the party, a democratic movement, with its principal plank that of careful administration of tlio city’s finance. Further details of the Labour policy were given on the same lines as at St. Paul’s Hall. Air. Rogers said his jiarty believed that money could be found out of the exHiequer for a great deal of footpath repair work. Furthermore, the Labour movement stood for the fullest publicity of all council and local body meetings. Citizens and ratepayers worn entitled to know whaf happened in their midst. Another policy was that of equal privilege to all City Council employees, aud the establishment, of an appeal board. •‘The man who sweeps the city streets is just, as important as the highest paid official,” the speaker declared. So far as the unemployed were concerned, his party would strive to get economic justice for the unemployed of New Zealand. Messrs. J. J. Scott, J. R. Cotlerili. H. Lawrence. and E. N. James also addressed the meeting. Their views will be published to-mor-row. There was a similar meeting held at Aramoho and speaker moved from one to the other. Labour candidates speak at, Wanganui East and Doric Hill to night.