LA BOCK AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21409, 27 February 1935, Page 7

LA BOCK AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

TO THE EDITOR Of TIIB I'Kf.SS. Sir, —I think you flatter the City Council employees' party, or detract from the credit of the Labour party when you refer to the Labour party as having control of our municipal affairs. It is definitely not the Labour party, though some of the leaders have joined it and obey it. The City Council employees, through their unions, control the Labour Representation Committee, and thvouuh the Labour Representation Committee the.v control the Labour, or so-called Labour, members ou the City Council. The president of the Labour Representation Committee or was until quite recently, a council employee. So we have the ridiculous position of a Mayor and councillors pledged _to obey the orders of a body over which they are supposed to exercise authority. No true Labour party would have kept the rates up against the workers as this so-called Labour party has. Most of the ratepayers in Christchurch

are working people. The cost of material has fallen, interest charges have fallen, the ratepayers' incomes have fallen, and rates should have fallen, and would have fallen if theie had been a real Labour party instead of a City Council employees' party.— Yours, etc.. A.B. February 26. 1935. i