CITY MAYORALTY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 481, 14 April 1909, Page 8

CITY MAYORALTY.

DR. NEWMAN AT BROOKLYN. In view of tho fact that tho Eastertido holidays had not quite run their course, thero was a. good attendanco of tho public at Fullford's Hall, Brooklyn, last evening, when Dr. Newman, one of tho candidates for tho city mayoralty, delivered an address to tho electors of that suburb. In the main, the speaker's remarks touched on the various aspects of municipal government and affairs traversed iu previous speeches elsewhere. Tho burden of Dr. Newman's address was economy in administration: in effect, to purchase needs with cash in hand, not on borrowed money. Tho city rates, he contended, should uot bo increased; onco rates went up they would never come down, ho assured his a.udieuce. A considerable margin of unspent loan moneys—he spoke particularly of tho Wadcstown and suburban sewerage funds, the latter being met out of district funds—was still available for public works in the districts scheduled for benefits under such moneys. The sewerage works at Brooklyn and island Bay, ho urged, were of vital importance to the physical well-being of these communities. Although Wellington City was the healthiest, compared as to its death-rate, in Australasia, yet its infant mortality was higher than the other threo centres in New Zealand; much of that could be traced to the inadequacy of the inspection of tho city's milk supply. The City Council had in view the establishment of a central supply depot, to cost £20,000. Added to that was an exponsivo staff, which, he pointed out, would cost £7000 annually. He was opposed to such a costly scheme, and claimed that the samo object—the health of the people—could be obtained by efficient inspection of cows, dairies, and factories, and tho institution of a system of supply by tbo medium of paper bottles. Referring to tho present depression, tho speaker mentioned as omens of better times that tho spring passenger bookings from America to England had sliown a steady and pronounced increase, and trade and industries in Britain wero showing unmistakable signs of reviving activity. For all that, ho urged caro and economy in administration, and condemned the tendency shown by administrators to spend lavishly during periods of prosperity, and retrench when adversity appeared. Tho administration of tho affairs of tho city should bo conducted on sound business lines. One of tho most important of tho necessities of tbo city and suburbs was the provision of suitable recreation grounds—(hear, hear) —and if elected, he would endeavour to do something in the direction of an extension of tho areas at present' available for recreation. (Applause) Replying to questions, Dr. Newman said that ho preferred tho principle of day labour to contracts in connection with tho city's public works; tramway extensions in tho futuro should bo put in hand only if cash for their construction were available, certainly not on borrowed money; street widening works wero, in tho present stato of tho financial world, luxuries which might well bo postponed; if elected to tho mayoraltv ho would undertake to see that waste and 'leakages in administration would bo investigated and stopped. Tho candidate received an attentive hearing throughout, and at tho conclusion was accorded, by acclamation, a vote of thanks and confidence.

COUNCILLOR FISHER AT KILBIRME. Councillor Fisher addressed a meeting of over 100 ratepayers at North Kilbirnio yesterday ' ovoning, Mr. Geo. Fear presiding. Tho candidate dealt at some length with the financial position of the city, and outlined a programmo for the coming year. He remarked that thero had been considerable criticism, taking tho form of suggestions that, if his programmo was carried out, it would moan' stagnation to tho city. As n matter of fact, a loan had already been authorised of £40,000 for tho Wadestown trams; and £22,500 for water supply. Thero was a £46,000 contract for the, Wainui dam now in course of construction", and thero was £15,000 for the abattoirs. Ho urged that beforo further money was spent on making cleaner tho already clean streets of tho city proper provision should bo mado for tho outlying districts, where, kcrbing, channelling, and metalling were necessary on hew streets. In answer to a question regarding tho Kilbirnio _ tunnel, Mr. Fisher pointed out that tho initial blunder in connection with its construction 'was ono that "could not bo easily remedied, • ami he would not bind himself by a promise to ask for a loan for the purpose of enlarging the present tunnel, or constructing a now ono. In rcferonco to tho matter of city drainage, tho surveys and levels for KiUbirnio we're practically completed by tho City Enginoer, and the work would bo put in hanil at once. It was absurd to think that suggestions should bo mado to expend money on luxuries in the heart of tho city when thero woro outlying districts suffering from diseases of various kinds through deficient drainago and lack of water supply. Tho mooting concluded with a vote of thanks and confidence and tho formation of committees.

MR. BOLTON ON TRAMWAY FINANCE. At his meeting at Aro Street last evening, Mr. 1 1. G. Bolton, a candidate for the Mayoralty, set out to justify his recent criticism of tho city tramways' financial methods. In dealing with sinking funds and depreciation, tho candidate pointed out that his criticism, to the effect that an insufficient amount had been written off for depreciation, was justified by information lio had just obtained in respect to tho position of tho Glasgow tramways undertaking. Tho figures for Glasgow, which city was recognised by everyone as most prudently managed, compared with those of Wellington, showed the following result: Wellington had written off 1 per cent, for sinking fund and 2j per cent, for depreciation; Glasgow, on tho other hand, had written off 2.20 per cent, for sinking fund, and 7.28 per cent, for depreciation and rescrvo, making a grand total of !J.4S per cent., as compared with Wellington's 3jf per cent., clearly showing that his criticism had been absolutely sound. Had Wellington, written off .to tho samo extent as Glasgow, instead or thero being a profit of £5000, there would havo been shown a loss of somewhere about £20,000 on last year's working, and even taking Wellington's writing-off for depreciation on tho basis of 5 per cent, instead of 2J per cent, —which would have been a smaller basis than the one Glasgow worked on —thero would havo been shown a loss of about £6000 on tho year's working of our tramways. But it was questioned if a 5 per cent, provision for depreciation would bo in any way adequate in the case of a tramways plant. If the tramways wero managed with tho object of earning tho voir best possiblo revenue, a handsomo profit m'ight bo shown, after a proper writing-off for depreciation, which would go to reduce the general rate and would enablo certain works to be undertaken out of revenue instead of out of loan monoys. Tho candidate referred also to tho local grievanco regarding the Aro btrcet terminus of the tramways, the lino haying stopped some distance short of tho point originally intended. Ho understood the present terminus mado tho working of tho tramways there a menaco to public safety. If elected lie would see that the terminus was extended to a point that would ensure safety. At tho close of tho meeting JMr. Bolton was accorded a voto of thanks and confidence.