SYDNEY ELECTIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1921, Page 4

SYDNEY ELECTIONS.

SYDNEY, Nov. 22 Circat efforts arc being mad© by the Civic Reform la-ague to put an cad to Labour rule in tbo Sydney City Council. The elections take place on December Ist. There are 13 wards'in tbo city, each returning two aldermen, and the elections are bold trienninlly. The existing franchise for tbo city elections is liberal to the non-taxpayer, almost to the point of absurdity—being much wider, lor example, than that of any New Zealand city—and three years, ago it was a good enough instrument to enable the Labour Party to win more ■ than half the seats, and thus to secure \ control. The party, however, aimed | this time at capturing a still larger j number of seats, and the State Lalxnir | Government, at their behest, introduo- , ed an amendment to the City Corpora- j tion Act to provide for adult franchise for the city area, with a month’s residence qualification only, and disfranchising the thousands of ratepayers whose businesses are ill the city and who reside outside. This Hill, under which a circus employee who was here tor a month would have a vote, but men like Sir Samuel Hordern would have no vote at all, duly passed the Assembly, but is certain to lie rejected by the Legislative Council this w«ck ; and this will result in another demand by the party, either that the Legislative Council be immediately “swamped” by the appointment of sufficient of its nominees for this purpose —no fewer than lti additional Labour representatives were put into the Upper House a few months ago —or, preferably, that Queensland's example be followed, and the Council abolished altogether. Labour lias no reason to he proud ol its record here on municipal politics. The aldermen are not paid for their services, and rumours of “graft” have been rife during the past three years. During their regime the indebtedness cf the city and the rates have both been heavily increased. It is impossible to say with truth, however, that tlie much greater ex|teiidiluie has purchased as much in useful municipal service or improvement as the smaller sums of other years. In some res|>ects. control of the services ha- been taken out of tlie hands of the responsible officers ot the Council, and banded ovei to union bosses, and it. lias actually been made an offence in cases ol electric light insinuations, which the City Council controls over the whole metropolitan atca, to employ in such connexion in any way any person abo is cm 1 n financial member of llie union. 1 1,,. <,nns ni di.. cv.-mig whe the i t In' t. .i' ■nt so employed is a lolly financial niember being throau upon the person ntpi.tying him.

I, i., a .-ill;. os f . I i Imt not a single ..' ~111 a 1 I. rman ibinisc!l a ratc. ..I-.;, aII bating I:...'ii c 1... Ic I oil the ■it ci qua i iti. a I nm. and. mo having In pay the piper, they have been pla - . - ■a great votc-catcbing nines at lie a'.cpaycis' expense, fur instance. they have abolisbi'O .'altirday work throughout lla- municipal service, raised the wages above tlie award rates, and granted innumerable holiday and othoi concessions: and the army of 31UU employees of the (nulled—the majority of whom live

within the city area, and many, at reduced rentals, in the houses and tints that llie City Council owns, having re quired a va>t amount of property through resumption—are naturally very desirous that Labour rule shall continue. Yet Labour has demanded a quid pro quo for its usity,” and from every employee levies have Keen made toward their expenses, nearly i.‘do()o having been contributed in this way so far. Kurtlior concessions are promised the employees if* Lti hour wins; and it is heino; pointed out by tin* party that if the Reformers win

some of tin* extraordinary concessions they now enjoy may be taken away. Tlii>, it can he added, will assuredly happen. Since tin* Labour Lord Mayors have occupied the chair they have pocketed the Cl‘)<>n entertainrncut allowance lor themselves. The present Lord Mayor (Mr Lambert), in addition to the allowance named, receives CHMW) a year as a member of tin* Federal Parliament (with a free pass over all Australian railways), is a paid member of various Hoards (including tin* Hoard of Health), and. till a few weeks aji'o, was also secret aiv of llie A.W.C. at a larec salary. . One person in the course ol evidence in a bribery wise in which a Labour al lernian is cniicei tied, remaiked: ‘‘We are uot in municipal jMilities tor tin* • noil of tiiir health.”

The prestige of the city has umhmbt- ! edlv been considerably lowcied since Labour has been in control. Tim Reform candidate* include (h*ueral Sir Charles Rosenthal. Sir Alien Tavloi. M.L.G.. Mr William Rruoks, M.L.C., Mr Lionel Courtenay (president of the Local Government Association of New South Wales), and l.i<*ut(‘olonel Charlton. Mi It. D- Meagher ox-Lord Mayor 1 ), wlm has broken away livii,i tlu> Labour Unity. is stamliiig ati n I ndopendent. 'l'lk' La bum raiuliipitrs include three Ivlin are members of tin; Stall' Parliament : Messrs Doyle, I’m kc. and Buckley.