BLOCK VOTE WANTED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 200, 22 May 1944, Page 6

BLOCK VOTE WANTED

Labour’s Appeal At Petone A block vote for Labour candidates for the mayoralty of Petone, and district representation on the hospital, electric power, gas, river and harbour boards, was appealed for by Mr. Janies Cumming, M.L.C., when he opened Labour s campaign. He atatacked the Citizens claim, that it was a non-party organization, quoting a circular issued by i(s committee in support of his enticisni. As an example of Labour’s foresight and practical planning for Petone he said that the extension of May Street and the widening and straightening or Jackson Street were the work of a Labour council of which he was a member. Labour candidates were pledged to co-operation with the Government and any other local body for the development of the borough. A Labour council would establish a pasteurized milk supply, ensuring delivery at. the consumers door of a scaled, infection-free product Where there was zoning of food and fuel deliveries, vendors’ distribution should be entirely controlled by the council fully to safeguard consumers’ interests. Encouragement would be given to consumers’ committees to co-operate. Petone was too dependent on Wellington for playing fields and cultural requirements. Provision had mot kept pace with the population. Labour would right this defect. Labour would work tor more children’s play areas and, as opportunity offered, supervised youth centres. It would investigate the appointment of a vocational guidance officer for the Hutt Valley to correct the present lack as the result of which children and adolescents suffered. , , Every possible endeavour would be used to complete the Ud.v Street widening to the Hutt Road, sufficient public conveniences, including a women's, rest-room, would be made available, and representations advanced for better postal facilities in the eastern area. Bus shelters would be provided at Cuba and Aurora Streets. Labour, said Mr. Cumming, was the party of the people who paid most toward borough upkeep. It would see that their money was carefully and well spent by careful organization of borough works to prevent any waste in administration. In conformity with the plans under consideration Labour would see that the eastern area flooding was-eliminated.

With the gas and electric power boards, Labour held their functions to be the supply of light, heat and power, at the minimum cost to the consumer. Fullest co-operation should therefore exist in publicizing the best methods of using these facilities in the home. Wasteful competition would be avoided. Industrial development had been so marked that harbour facilities to reduce handling and transport charges required attention; Labour would impress this on the harbour board. Complete hospitalization in the Hutt Valley was Labour’s aim. including a 50bed maternity hospital. The fact that a 400-bed general hospital, outpatients’ department and nurses' home were neat completion was largely due to Labour’s past policy. Mr. Cumming appealed to electors to let them finish the job they had actually begun. Gear Island should l>c developed as a recreational Urea for all the people of the Hutt Valley and Labour would also investigate the abolition of river board rating.