MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 426, 7 August 1928, Page 8

MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL

Sir.—Allow me a little space to congratulate Mr, J. A. Lee, M.P., on his outspoken condemnation of the Municipal Corporations Bill. I am not a supporter of Mr. Lee’s party, but I cannot help but admire his timely effort to put a stop to this anti-smiling, antihappiness faction. Just picture our bright little New Zealand if we are debarred from going to the races, from going to the pictures, going to dances, from smoking, drinking, or playing cards! Picture it if we are told: “You must do as w-e wish—wear a straight lace, with a look like a motherless foal.” But, sir, I think we have too many broad-minded men in Parliament to-day to give such wide powers to councils. Take the Auckland City Council as an example. It has made a hopeless mess of everything it has put its hands to, and to confer wider powers upon it would really be going too far. Some councillors neglect the work they are actually put there for in their endeavour to close this place and that, and to mind everybody’s business but their own. Surely, sir wo have enough confidence in the ability of our police force to keep law and order without giving such power to persons with, possibly, a narrow outlook. It behoves us, every one who believes in British justice." to watch carefully at the next election and to

return men w ho are not afraid to say what they think; men who would undo the stranglehold that these narrowminded persons are endeavouring to place on the community. DOWN WITH THE CRANKS.