THE ELECTIONS AND LABOUR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 95, 24 April 1911, Page 3

THE ELECTIONS AND LABOUR.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — Owing to the Easter holidays, and my absence from Wellington, I havo only just spen Mr. M'Laron's letter of tho 13th inst. It is evidonfc from tho tenor of Mr. M'Larcn's letter that he is under a misapprehension regarding my lotter to the Citizens' League which you published on the 12th innr., or misunderstands my remarks. It is in no sense, nor was it ever intended to bo, an attack on tho Labour candidates, but applies generally to all candidates foi municipal honours. Mr. M'Laren should not bracket my name I with Mr. Towslcj's, as by so doing ho implies that -no are taking a united I htand against tho Labour candidates. As a matter^ ot fact, Mr. Tewsley aftd I have never discussed municipal matters toj gethor, nor havo we oven met each other for months, so any opinious we Jiave expressed aro quite independent of each other. 1 Mr. M'Laren is quite right in saying that "if Miluea fall one-half, and doublo the present rate in the £ was collected, the ratepayers would only be paying the same as at present," but my point was thai if values fall it will be due to inccmes from properties falling, as capital value is based almost entirely on tho income a property will produce, and, therefore, when income falls tho present rate levied by the Corporation would be more, merely felt by tho landowners; hence the necessity for economy. For instance, a property formerly bringing in £100 a year might hate beoii paying £20 a year in rates, but if this property has now I only a rental value of £75 a year, this £20 a year in rates is more severely felt by the owner. 1 admit that the landspeculator was largely responsible for tho recent boom in land, but this does not alter the fact, that the opening up of so much suburban land and the increased facilities for reaching tho suburbs has roliovod the congestion in the city, and thereby prevented owners from keeping up high values and rents in tho town and huburbo. Jn Wellington, as in other New Zsaiaud towns, we are freo from tho vorv large holder of city properties. Most of our houseb aro owned by the middle clas=, and tho workmen themselves, in very many cases, aro owners of their iwn homes It is on this account that I want to si>6 our, municipal affairs carefully and prudently handlsd. , 1 am not concerned with the largo landholder— he can afford (he high rates und cim look after hinjself. " ' In answer to Mr. M'Larcn'e invitation, I state unhesitatingly that, after being associated with him and Mr. Hindmarsh for four years on the council, "they were not guilty of extravagance or ijidiscro lion." Had I attended tho meeting of the Citizens' League, 1 should have advocated their being placed on tho citizens' ticket., as I think tho Labour ranks aro entitled to be represented by these two gentlomen. For the samo reason, I was a strong advooato of Mr. M'Laren's election to tho House. I cannot agree with all hie doctrines, but I certainly thjuk tho oouncil and the Hours should include representatives pi every shadj »fid ppin.

ion. Al, the samo time it must bo remembered that the other councillors wore also represe iting Labour interests, and I oannot recall a single instance where any class distincton was made in any of our deliberations. For this and other reasons I contead that tho Labour Party aro not entitled to ask tho electors to vote for eight distinct Labour representatives to tho exclusion, of others who, by virtuo of thoir training, are in my humble opinion better qualified to govern tho affairs of tha city. — I am, etc., A. S. BISS.