MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17124, 20 April 1921, Page 7

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

CHRISTCHURCH.

J. Beanland, a candidate for of Christchurch, address- ' J a large meeting in the Brougham Hall, Sydenham, last uight Mr John Badfield presiding. Mr Beanland ?■' ins greeted with cheers on rising to «Jd«BS the meeting. Ho dealt fully _i t h the present overdraft, and explainS how it had been built up by the cost of material, ihe CounIflwas not like a business concern—it Sold not pass the charges on to the neople. and in consequence the rate &ack last year was not sufficient to ' carrr them on over the twelve months, although the overdraft had risen to £07,899, it would be reduced to £75 400 wnen the Council could sell > thp/debentures covering the amount ol £22.488, which had gone to financing loßns tnat had been authorised. He utronulv advocated economy, and it he wore elected would do all in his power to reduce the overdraft by putting aside a certain amount out of the rates each Vear for the purpose. He was a strong Sorter of a Town Hall, but at-the - tame time he thought it was advisable that the sewerage and high-pressure, water-supply should be pushed on before building an elaborate Town Hall; something modest might be built m the meantime. He believed it would be necessary for the Council to practise) itrict economy, but he did not believe In cutting down the present statt. Variouß activities must be carried on, ind the best results must be got fromj -itie'work which was undertaken-. _ A hdsrty vote-of thanks to Mr Beanland, B»ted by Mr Brown an seconded by MfDruryj was carried with great enthusiasm. , „ „ .(Jr. J. W. Beanland, Deputy-Mayor, address meetings of electors as follows :~To-night, Rugby street; Thursday; Waltham School; Friday, Beckenyjn Hall. All meetings, will commence F. Herbert and Mrs Herbert held' meetings at Leyden street Hall and Waltham School last night. Mrs Herbert gave a veiy interesting and instructive address on hospital work. Mr W. W. Tanner, in moving a vote - of "thanks at the Leyden street meeting said'that if women had not justiJed' their position before as members it the Hospital Board, the address deivered'that night proved that they ; ipw diil bo. Mr Herbert m his, addresses spoke in support of Greater Ohristchurch,' ft Metropolitan Board or Works, extensions to sewage, and 'Mfectricity, and" the water supply. He tinted out that these were pressing [tfigs that the local authorities should U in the interests of the health "rf-.the people, and he favoured these jr preference to other municipal activi- ■ which might come later, when <&tfmtiops were normal. A vote of ■tpjka and confidence wta moved at Party held a meetingat \ < BfaDmore road, last night. The 'l&j&ers were: Messrs F. R. Cooke Rem and the Rev. J. K. 'Jifcher. There was a good attendance, wf at the close a vote of thanks and pfaaonnft'in the*speakers was passed. J. McCombs, one of the candi- • ' toes for the CSty Council who is standjSginthe labour PartyVinterests, adi a meeting at - Linwood last jjtftKt. *Mr T. H. Butterfield presided. that'the association which arrogated to itself a title which 1 'belonged to the whole body of citizens, •fid which oalled itself the "Citizens 'i!ss<Aciatios>" was alarmed lest the Lafour "pa#y should use' its position on thV'Ooimw to force up the wages for Cotuhcil; Employees, and then use the standard bf wages thus established as a for wages for all wdrkers. MAs.a woman," 6he said, I ,puj) {t to,.tha busincss nien whethpr the .argument' cannot he stated* conversely, ■tiub is returned :VLey\wUl use position 6n ine Conn,'cil to keep dow;a wages, or at least Help to set a wage stanoftra to suit thfitßselves as Mrs McCombs '• jftidj if elected, she would make,, it her 'business to discover if the women employed by the City Cquncil were remvjsg nuu W for .ooutl work. With •: tjia wonderful possibilities : of electricity in the home, it ; aeemed exceedingly unreasonable for \a Council of men to place mirictions on its ;iise in-the honie, in 'order to encourage its. use by manufacturers who' already hact steam and SS£ S which they were induced to ."Scrap. • Mrs McCombs said that recentpdd. a visit to the City Council £efectrioal show rooms, where she saw fSTOpy and "Various labour-saviffg ■ appli--viutceqfor use in the home; but seemH&that tha, Council was >ot studying of the housewives by en- - jfowaging their use in the homes. Re* -ftrtfoi# was also made to the housing '&im>lem, a«8 the speaker Baid that the had done Jittle or nothing f mffelWe jtbe situation, but on the' cOn4traiy«haa considerably- added\to, the by encouraging immigration Vfcsfoife there were houses available for nonimmigrants.: The successful sOluof the housing difficulty; required <Vfcef«wiperation ofthe Central tGovern.~ment and the municipalities. , The jfottsing problem was at bottom a naproblem, and any Tosses in qontherewith should therefore he /ideti6ut (if taxes nnd not paid for out Pirates. She considered that the rental Jflfi.iho" Huxley. fmtyy prohibitive so far as the working was concerned. Mrs McCombs also ajdvooited, the adoption of, municipal ___ I, NEW BRIGHTON. ■■ J.'- Gamble, a candidate for the Iriahtoil Mayoralty .addressed the lectors iifthe Pier Hall tea-rooms imday afternoon. There a good attendance. Mr .Gamble "On general borougjx topics, ana oon 'tea was sprVed. His main> o-night at 8 o'clock.- The Mayor, \ lubbkwhite) will Preside. . E. T. Mulcock and Mr F. ward been- nominated on the for the Mayorl'New?>Brigh,ton, Messrs C. Israel-, ad E. A.TCoaver, held a public ig in Hall last nig'it-. layor he chair,' and there was a latgo [socev':;.;' [sraelson said he tad been a nwun- ' the-Council for 10. years. He ten in a great measure tesponsible te . channelling and formation or g!s6gtain streets in west Brighton. He responsible in no smaH degree for 'to s-Rawhiti Domain, iljAich he claimed -to be* cne of the best assets. In regard to Ivement to the river Avon, it was line yewt ago that coal;: timber, iroduoe could be brought right np iver to the .New Brighton Jotty, 10 silting up of the waterway had prevented this. The Council and, tfy- recognised the importance of placing the river in a navigable Ho advocated the asphalting of hole of tbd paths in the'horough, for -this certain Bums of money i be' set aside annually. He was rour of linking up with the city, 3 would want some -aire guarantee Hew Brighton, in xlie event of this ining, 'would be fully represented, ould also whnt to know tlhat the collected in New Brighton would rat there. > XJr. Leaver said he lelt sure that had _ Kibblewhito agreed to accept };TOJnination F there, would have been Mayorijl election. - During the past ,p*o- yeari the Council'-had had a most time in tlhe matter of finance, J9p^ t yet the present position was KitisAll construction work should out oS lows,; and sot out of I-:.." - , , J '

revenue. In regard to river improvement, he thoroughly endorsed all that Or. Israolson had said. In the matter of beach improvements, he did not approve of the Council having entire control of the foreshore. He favoured the formation of an association to take over the matter of improving the foreshore. He favoured working on lines similar to those which had brought Caroline Bay into such favour throughout Canterbury. A swimming bath should be established in connexion with the beach improvement scheme. He quite agrees witli all that Cr. Israelson ; bad said regarding the footpaths in the borough. Ho did not at the present moment favour the borough linking up with the city. His policy was distinctly nonparochial ; he was out for the welfare 01 the borough as a whole. In answer to questions, Cr. Leaver said it was a disgrace to the borough that there were not proper conveniences for the public, but the.Council waa not to blame- for this. Cr. Israelson said there was a surplus in hand from the sale of firewood for the purpose of carrying out tihe Council's afforestation scheme.

Other candidates who spoke were Crs. Musson and Bissett, and Messrs A. Huime, H. A. Glasson, R. Snell, and J. Buxton. On the motion of Mr J. Gahagan, a vote of 1 hanks was accorded the candidates for their addresses.

TO-NIGHT'S MEETINGS. New Brighton—Mr T. H. Harker (Port Christchurch League candidate for Harbour Board). St. Albans—Mr J. W. Beanland v Mavoral candidate). Beckenham S2hool-Dr.-Tharker,7 30. Somerfield School—Dr. Thacker, 8.30. Pier Hall, New Brighton—Mr J. viamblet

SUMNEE. A public meeting wns held in the Sumricr Town Hall last night for taio purpose of enabling the candidatos_ for the Council election to place their views before tho electors. There was a large attendance, Mr G. F. Vllen, president of the Sumner Burgesses' Association, presiding. The candidates were allowed ten minutes each, and the following spoke:—Crs. T. E. Whitfield, C. M. Roswell, F. Gill, and W. G. Back, and Messrs.A. Holden, Rudge, E. Stocks, C. J. Wilson. V. E. Hamilton, and H. C. Jones. , At tho conclusion of the candidates addresses, the Mayor, the Hon. J. Barr, M.L.C., who is seeking re-election, replied to bome of the criticisms at the Council, and outlined tho present position of municipal .affairs in the borough. Speaking of the severance of Mt. Pleasant, he denied the statement that residents there had been refused a sympathetic hearing by tho Council. The road'ing of the settlement waa not of such a nature that the Council could take it over, and the Council had refused to do more than assist the residents to secure access to .tdieir < sections. The settlers there were paying rates on tho .capital value, and found) some of them doubled. He showed tha:> the building returns from 1915 to 1921 disclosed a roost satisfactory rate of progress, the total amount for permits last year being £23,237. He had always made himself conversant with the details of the financial position. A statement had been prepared each halfyear. If returned, he would continue the same policy. , A very iheaity vote of thanks was accorded the speakere. . Messrs F. pill and E. Stock havo been nominated for election to tho Sumner Borough Council.

WOOLSTON. . The nominations for Woolston Borough closed yesterday. For the office of Mayor, Messrs 0. Hill (the present Mayor-) and G. S. White have been nominated. There will be no election for the Council, as the' number of nominations lodged 13 one short of the number of seats to be .filled. Those nominated are; W. R. Blazey, J. L. Gant, L. N". G, Hart, G. V. Owen, D. Mcßae, W. J. McConnell, D. Ro.wse, and Jonp. Townsend.,,;, _ . . %-:i {

KAIAPOI. An influential deputation waited upon :Mr, J. H. Blackwell yesterday, and urgea him to allow himself to be. nominated for the Mayoralty. Mr Blackwell, promised to give hia answer to-day,

IN OTHER fLAOBS. . Frederick Nash, was elected Mayor unopposed, There are ten candidates for nine seata on the Borough Council. I' ■ Waipukurau,—Ernest Albert Goodger was je-eiected Mayor -unopposed. Dargaviile.—R. E. Hornblow was reelected Mayor unopposed. New Plymouth.—F. E. Wilson : was returned unopposed for the Mayoralty.

E.B.A. ATTITUDE. (PBISB ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) . WELLINGTON, AprillO. In view of the coming municipal elections the executive of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association passed a resolution requesting the> various Association's throughout the Dominion to adhere to the constitution of the Association by refraining • from active participation in municipal, politics.

CIVIL SEEVANTS NOT TO ASSIST ON POIiIING DAY. (KSESS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAH.)

WELLINGTON, April 19. . It is announced that the Public Service Commissioner will not allow leave to Civil Servants to assist. deputy re-, turning officers'at the local elections which take place next week. Such leave Ijas been granted in the past. The Commissioner, however, does not believe that-the principle of allowing Civil Servants to assist is a sound one, particularly at a time when there is a certain amount of unemployment.