MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 483, 16 April 1909, Page 6

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

DR. NEWMAN AT NORTHLAND; '-• ■, ... .Tho Primitive Methodist Schoolroom at ; Northland was comfortably filled, last evening, when Dr. A. K. Newman,.one of tho can- . didates for tho city mayoralty, delivered v an address te tho electors of that suburb. Dr. 1 Nowman's. remarks were mainly on the lines of his previous speeches, with a special reference to municipal matters affecting tho Northland district. Mr. Isaac Clark,, who ? presided, referred to tho public record of tho f candidate, which had earned for- him the ? respect of the. community. In tho course of i his remarks, Dr. Newman referred to tho ; contemplated works - at Wadostown and Northland, involving a total expenditure of r £65,000 on tramway and water and drainago •! installations. These largo undertakings, no 8 said, should afford a measure of relief to the ? unemployed. There would bo a lot of unem- \ ployed to bo thought of during tho coming 6 winter. Regarding tho suggestion that pro- t vision should bo made for tapping the Wades- o tewn.tramway with a_ line from Northland, ho 1 thought that borrowing at present , was not 1 expedient.' The suggestion should, however, I be kept steadily in view, to be. materialised e in bettor times. The policy of the City £ Council should, he considered, havo regard to ' the exploitation of profitable works, such as ( . the tramways, gas, "etc., as well as unprofit- £ able undertakings, which, in the nature of £ things, had'to bo carried. At tho conclusion 1 of the meeting, a vote of thanks, moved by Mr., Chas. Gill, and Beconded by Mr.i S. Clarke-Johnston, was accorded the candidate. .. ... J COUNCILLOR FISHER AT ISLAND BAT. < ,-, A ; large audience assembled last evening 1 to hear Councillor Fisher at Island Bay. Mr. 1 R. Kurn was in tlho chair. Dealing with ] the' question of tram fares, the candidate > eaid that he had voted against the motion ) for the reduction in fares moved by the Mayor because the tramway engineer had ' reported against it on what appeared te bo ] the very soundest of reasons—that the pro- , posed reduction meant the carrying of pas- ( sengers at less than cost price. The Kil- i birnie peoplo travelled te tho Government ' station, a distance of 3 J miles, for 2jd. aver- .1 age .66d. per mile; Brooklyn to the Gov- ' eminent station, 2i miles, fare 2Jd., average * Id. per mile; Island Biiy to Government station, ;6J-, miles, fare 3d. by return ticket, c average .67d. per mile. The Island Bay resi- i dents were tlho only people in tho city who i could purchase break-journoy tickets. The I concession asked for meant £1170 per an- * num. to 449 residents, practically a ,conces- ' sion of £2 103. per head. Further than that, £ the concession asked for meant carrying tho 5 Island Bay residents at less than cost price, j and such methods of administering the trams s could only result in disaster., Brooklyn e would want reductions; Kilbirnie would want i reductions; and with an already too small t profit, the finances would not stand jt. ' T • The usual vote was carried unanimously, 5 on the motion of Mr. A. Manhire, seconded by.Mr. A. E. Odlin, who said.the candidate \ deserved special thanks for the comprehen- e sive manner in which he had dealt with local i matters. .'•■■'. ■ t MR. WILFORD AT KILBIRNIE. < Standing room had to be availed of at Mr. t Wilford's meeting at O'Donnell's Hall last t evening. The , chair was occupied by, Mr. ) Higginbotham. Mr. .Wilford's speech 'was t on the lines of his former addresses, but he' .' also dealt extensively with local matters, more particularly ' the., recreation ground . trouble, drainage, requirements, tunnel extension, and the':l6op line, of tramway from Constable '* Street ito Maranui,' the prosecution of the f Lyell Bay tramway, and the betterment ques- i tion and tramway facilities. The subject of , the expenditure by the council this year on s street improvements was touched on;' the ■' speaker pointing out that tho extraordinarily a large amount expended was £50,000, showing r that the council had given a great deal of a attention to the improvement of the streets, e He contrasted this sum with tho £20,000 ex- d pended on street improvements in 1905, and ° pointed,out that,.out of the £50,000 spent v this year, a! great deal wouldt not be imi- * mediately recurrent. J He also mstauced the amount expended by the council out of re- j venue.this year, detailing the purchase of the d fire brigade site, alterations to the water i mains at Rocky Point, the 'improvement of f the Te Ato Baths, and other matters' which ti would also not be recurring. ' t the amount expended, on the Rocky Point -V alterations would' be repaid by the Govern- a ment. The meeting concluded with a vote of ' thanks and confidence. s MR. BOLTON AT BROOKLYN. c • Mr. Bolton addressed a well-attended meet- i, ing at Brooklyn last night, Mr. Frank Jen- i nings being in • the chair. The candidate I emphasised the fact that, in view of the city's present large indebtedness, it was absolutely essential that business men should be elected to the positions of Mayor and councillors. I Personally, the policy he would pursue if I elected wonld be one of avoiding borrowing 1 unless on a reproductive scheme. He con- t sidered that many works proposed should bo l carried out, out of revenue, but at the same E time he admitted that large works, if abso- * lutely necessary and reproductive, must be f done out of loan money.- In his. opinion, * with careful management, especially of the j tramways and electrio lighting undertakings, B there should be a considerable surplus shown s which could be used in doing certain necessary n works such as tho completion of sports i grounds. Ultimately such undertakings a should show a large profit that would mean ' a reduction in rates. Ho considered that tho ? city should carry out its obligations to out- ? lying districts, inoluding Brooklyn, in the matter of drainage and. other necessary f works, and he also thought overcrowding of „ cars running to Brooklyn during certain hours l of the day should be remedied as early as t possible by tho council placing one or two \ of tho new cais now building on the route t ' At the conclusion of the address Mr. Bolton i was, on the motion of Mr. Hooper, accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. .■-.,-■ •■'-.' THE ROLL. ] ] The supplementary roll in connection with the forthcoming municipal elections will bo available to the public about Tuesday next. It contains 1907 names, • which, in addition to those on the main roll (28,239), make the F total number of electors 30,146.: " h Mr. J. J. Devine, solicitor, has decided te t allow himself to be nominated as a candidate for the City Council; ' . ' • Mr. Herbert Seaton, president of the New Zealand Shopkeepers' Association, and •an 6 active member of the Wellington Provin- !! cial: Industrial Association, has been, nomi- n nated as a candidate for tho City! Council bv a Meesrß. A. L. Herdman, M.P.. and H. F* I Allen. '■ '" : . ' [ ' ii Mr. Fisher speeks at the Northland School b te-night, and at Kolburoe on Monday night. Mr. Bolton will address the electors at the New Century Hall, Kent Terraco, to-night. a Mr. Wilford. sjeaks at the Sydney Street I Schoolroom to-night, and at. tho A'ro Street b Mission Schoolroom to-morrow night. a Tho Hon. John Rigg will speak iat Full- !? ford's Hall, Brooklyn, to-night. 1