MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 486, 20 April 1909, Page 7

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

,DR. NEWMAN AT TARANAKI STREET.

- Dr. Newman addressed a well-attended meeting at tho Mission Hall, Taranaki Street) ' last , night. Mn Thos. O'Neill -occupied the chair. -In introducing the (iandidate ho stated: that in his opinion Dr. Newman ■ was .the most solid man for the Mayoralty this year. ■' - lu opening, the candidate stated that the incoming Mayor would heed to be a man • who, could devote a .great deal 6f tune to;the duties df the position. -Ho had tho necessary time, findj .if elected,-would devote his best energies to furthering the interests of the ■vcityi- ;He had had plenty of (cperienco on publio bodies, including the City Council,. House tof Ropresent&tiveS,; and various local bodies.; Ho had been a member of tho . Finance- Committee both in Parliament and on the City Council j so that ho whs well quali- • fied to act at the-present time of financial stringency. The income for the year just ended'6x<!eeded the expehditure by only a small. amount, so that tho incoming Mayor and council would have to watch matters ' carefully, or there would bo a doficit at tho i end of next year. While he. advocated no ■ further borrowing for the year,-, there was ample;loan money .already in hand or, author-1 '.'ised ;'b'y' th 6' to tide them over a dull winter: Ho urged that the loans ait-1 thbrised for the WadostoWn tramway and tho : Northlaud 'water i supply, together with 1 a considerable' sum in hand from; _ previous loans, "should bt> spent. so as to minimise tho unemployed troUbledurihg what was generally expected to bo a bad winter. - Luxurr • ■ itfs,-in tho way of street paving, etc., could wait until things were more prosperous. He .condemned tfio city. milk;. supply, scheme .of the council as being too expensive, while ■ tho encLinjiew eould-.bo attanled by the much cheaper of inspection oF-i dairies and / supplying the milk in paper bdttles.. Referring to the acquisition by the city of the ■ gas' Works, lie thought that while -it- was a very desirable thing that the ;pe6ple should own their own gis works, they should wait fona while till the city. \vaß better able to '. ; the espendituro necessary for -the purchase...'- " . r'■ ... . ■ ,At the conclusion-of the address, Dr. Newman • was accorded a hearty vote of thanks and confidonco. . .. . f: : councillor Wisher at kelburne. ■■-.Ceiincillor'-Fisher addressed a meetulg of Vho electors at - Kelburne last ; night, Mr. ■ C.'- iH-.': presiding. There was (in attendance of over 40 persons. ;* v-'l'he /taudidato" dealt at 'length with, mun,icipal',questions genoraily-. In regard'to tho , iililk' supply, ho pointed out that, during . the . terih. <)f . the-, preseht' Council, . various .'had ■; been brought down> tho last one of which >was the only one that could bo • satisfactory,• bu,t -even this had ieriflus:-:defefitsi j- It proposed that -the milk ..-iroiii-^the'/ country :' sh'6Uld, ;i -be; : , delivered :;at the ?! railway station withiil ' ■ folir hours of milking,-that- it : should- thus come to tho " through the depot, where, after - being - it should -go- to -the'cdnSurrter.'■ ■ Th 6 charges for this , troatment were to 1 bo' l|d. per gallon, but lor-'iriilk delivered by road round about Wellingtoji, f -it wa^-orlly to bo id: per gallon, 'l'his v.mills is ■to be Sci6rttifl.ca.lly treated by ( tho dairyman, himself. ■ The candidate urged ■that,- 'if any; scheme was to -ho adopted) it would have, to be one in which; all the milk - consumed;- by-; ;thfe .citizehs- should pass • through-the same test. Ho believed that pifre .-.flulk was as essential for the welfaro .of. the citizens.;(especially .as regarded infantile -life), as; a pure water supply, but he considered ■' that tho; citizens were entitled to",have a .full and comprehensive scheme ■ placed'-before them .before . boing asked to embark upon, fan - entelpriso that involved so, much;; costi ,Continuing ■ his address, Councillor Fisher contended it_ was. absurd. : on the fact of that:iion-l)orrow-' ;'ing ;WoUld; -tho" ; • coming,year, for the fcouncil would,bo spond- , ing during. tllo. year more .than twice the amount,.ot bbrfew(!d .money .thai had been fixpehded last ■ year,, and .pilo could say i'j -fcli©j;o • : tHeCshape';6f.' ; mun-; lcipdl stagnation. .. v ; ~ <-;vr ■! •A, vote of thanks - and confidence Was Unanimqusly. earned at - the cbncluSioh of -tho ' -.vv,-, ' MR WILFORD AT WADESTOWN. ■ Itfr. Tl ,M. Wilford, Al.Pi,.one of the candidates for th<i city .Mayoralty, addressed ai crowded, meeting of tho electors at Wadeuto\\ti last o\en»ig, Jlr. G. Nash presidingIfl thi) .course of jus remarks the candidato . ttoyoted ,a : considerable partioiv. of. hit tithe to the financial operations of the City C6uncil,„ and contended that. the depreciation funds were judiciously caloulated, and the. small surplus .was an. indication that tho re-' . vehue derived had had Very heavy c.a]]s during thfi - year. -Ho ihstanced, in support . of 1 ..his contention, a certain expenditure in -works --of a permanent naturo out of revenue, explaining -.that' such outlays • would bo non-recurrent. Mr. "Wilford emphatically declared his _ support of the prill" ciple; 'of municipalised gasworks, • stat- ; ing ; : ; . that ' -statutory ' authority . should 1 °'} ta, ned, for their acquirement , after • the , basic Of. purchase had been arranged, . and --hrjt ■ "before. any . acquisition could -take place a valuation should be made,and tho purchase -price submitted to the ratepayers, so that all particulars would bo fully - understood ' before the purchase was actually, authorised. -In reply' to a que3tiottj^tto ; . candidate:, stated '.'that, he -was iii -.: favour .of. the tonstruction ,of a tramway to Wadestown via; the main- route, and considered that it_ should he the duty of the inconling cpuncil to pusli on the works a>s expeditiously possi bio. At' the conclusion of : ,the proceedings .a vote of thanl;3 aiid coiifidence., was, on the motion of, "Mr. Gotch, seconded by Mr. ''Hanratty, carried unam--BloUsly'r/''':';V;-Vv/^'.'-.' ■ •:'. >y i;i:r .ft.-J .'.-.'v r ■ ■ MR. BOLTON AT VICTORIA HALL. About 180 peoplo were present at Viclona Hall .last evening when Mr. F. G. Bolton addressed a-meeting presided over by Mr. A"; L. Jones. Tho candidate's address followed, the hnfis of his previous in-; the; main. He dealt in detail with tramways matters,, . and urged that,the appointinent^of.an expert .'manager yrith'a free liand 'would be in the : wterestSiOf tho city, He ciilitrovertcd Councriticisii as to the depreciaeqiiheotibn' with tile . tramways, that he did not know-where Councillor Ballinger had got lii/ figures, but his (the Speaker s) were taken from the annual report of;'the Harbour B.qard. (in the case of. the hoard)and'; in regard to tho, Glasgow trams from the "Electrical Times" of September 17, ; 19.08:/-'.In -respect.tb gasworks acquisition, his . advice was go.slowly.:but he certainly con--sidered -it advisableithat i ppwer should be sohght;ff6m. Parliament by an : amehdmortt to the; . enablo clectrio : light; works.' compulsbrily. . At,' present this , could.'"6hly.l)e agreement, but, under compulsory conditions,. the niattor (in view ot failure to agree) would go to the C'onipen- ; sation -Court," which would, arrange the purchase on a fair basis.. to a question regarding homes, Mr.vßpltbii thought .'thai the Governmeht was the-proper: authority to establish homes,;:, aiid;'.,made "reference, to a scheme .which he* had propounded .during his ' VPafliamontary, campaign. .He! ex-, plained,_in fegard to munieipal trading, that' before-tlie_ council shoiild think, of extending jtsscope' in, that-direction it was necessary ihat the tramways and electric lighting should .be placed, oh n payablo basis. ' • .At the. conclusion of , tho address, a vote of thanks and confidence, moved by Mr. Varlow, and seconded by Mr. Macintosh, was carried ; by acclamation.

- DEPRECIATION FUNDS. •The ..controversy... concerning depreciation funds .-between Councillor Ballinger and a couple of Mayoral, candidates still continues, ' Bpnakingto a; reporter, yesterday, Councillor lialhngec said: "My attention has been . ealled.-to a. portion ot the report of Mr. Wil- ■ ford's statements, and I wish to do him'tho : justico.'of saying that .lie said the average ■/vis* only; pent., on the Glasgow tramways, the 7J per cent.':referred.to .bv him • beiifg tho depreciation on rolling stock. - In fur f h<\r.,',referiaco ;to depreciation funds, I

should hko 16 show, in plain figures, the difference between the Harbour Board system and the city tramways. Both Mr. Bolton and Mr. Wilford are reported to say that the Harbour Board allow 5 per cent., wherelits' tho -correct fignire - after.allowing for 'pairs and maintenance, is 3.98 per cent., as reported on page 18 of the Harbour Board statement of accounts for 1908. Both the candidates for tho Mayoralty dro members of the Harbour Board, and must see that this 18 correct. The following figures are \taken from the report: 'The.gross pmount writtert oft for depreciation for the year ending September 30, 1908, was £30,388. Of this amount, £10,890 was spent on repairs and maintenance, leaving £19,489 as the net. amount written (iff the value of structures, plant, and machinery for the 12 moilths, or about 3.93 per cent, of the vafuo, £489,315, or practically the same as last year, 3.9 per cent. Tho council allows an average of 2} per-cent, for the same -year on a capital expenditure of _£450,057> which equals £12,376, and we paid out of revenue the sum of £14,130 for repairs and maintenance, or a total of £26,506, which is (equal to 5J per cent. ,-To make it perfectly plain, tho council allowed £7008 more than tho Harbour Board, and the council's capital account ,'was £39,278 smaller." , - , NOMINATIONS. Nominations for candidates for the City Mayoralty and the City Coulibil close at noon to-morrow. ■: Already the following nominations have been received:— Tho Mayoralty.

Alfred KinKcome Newman, nominated by Ada Dos LancTes, Frederick Walcott Burridge Groville, Alfred Henry Miles, Martha Campbell, and Richard Henry Edwards. . . * Francis Marion Bates Fisher, .nominated by James Ballantyne M'Eivari, hiercliant, and Francis Wallaco Mackenzie, surgeon. Other signatories are John Fenton, of Kilbirnie; James Ogdon, of Evans Bay; George Jennings Petheridkj of Wellington; and Joseph Nathan Isaacs, of Wellington. ' \ ' The Council. - Thomas Ballinger, nominated by Hart Laugdon aiid Henry Frederick Allen. John Smith, nominated by Charles Duncan Robertson, Asher Asher, and T. Bush,' ■John Aston, nominated by John Guthrio Wood Aitken and Finlay M'Leod. i Walter Hope Mol-rah, nominated by A. Simpson and Arthur YOtlng. '...- Fatk Cohen, nominated by J. A: Tripe, •and Paul Coffev. : Vilhelm Jensen, nominated hy George Luko, James William Evans, and Horace J. Archer. . ' • Henry Seaton, nominated by Henry Frederick Allen and Alexander Lawrence Herdman. Arthur Henry Fullford, nominated hy Thomas Mason Wilford, John Clark Urie, Ashton Buddie Fitchett, and Alexander A. Graham. . ; ; Arthur Hume, nominated by James Lockie arid James., Russell. , George Frost, nominated by James Godber, A. Lindsay, Daniel Cross Bates, Arthur Dowdney, ( John Dineen, Stanley Brown, W. Adams, and Harry Buddie.

, A representative of young New • Zealand, Mr. Albert H. Caseyj has been prevailed upon by a number of citizens and friends to offer himself as a .candidate at tho forthcoming elections for the City Council. Mr. Casey, who .is practising as a solicitor in the city, lias been connected with various local societies for several years past, : notably the- Debating Societies' Union, Wellington . Catholic Club,, the Union, Parliament, ■St;* Patrick's College Old Boys,-and various athletic associations. -.'Amongst those.,nommating ; Mr.; Casey will bo Messrs. Martin ■Kennedy, E. Balcombe -Brown, Wm. M'Lean, ,F. M'Parland, sen.) and. E.' Carrigan, J.l'. - Mr. R. Keone, an ,ex-Mayor of Melrose and ex-City Councillor; has : been asked to allow himself to be nomiiiated as a candidate :for "the. offibe of City' Councillor. -' Mr. Keene lias' prpMised r -matter,;.-aiid) ~if; . business arrang{<ttiMts,'. will ' perttiitj He - will probably accedo to tho request. ' KARORI MAYORALTY: A meeting of supporters of. Mr. W. A. liellow's candidature for ithe Mayoralty nf Karon was. held at Webb's Refreshment Rooms last evening. Mr. H. R. Dix presided, and m introducing Mr. . Kellow, stated that he • was a keen. business. man, whose services. woitld , be- of Value, .:in dragging the borough out' of the lethaigio, condition iiito which it' had falleil. ' ' ~.. Mr>.Kellow, in a brief, address, said that tliefo V<as ,rbpm for better' management of the '.affairs of ; the' borough. Last year £4000 ~;Was collected .ia .rates; but it was, difficult _to . see where it had been, spent. There was'.not',a decent footpath in Karori, but with the 'money; that'had been wasted tho. borough could havo been .'in a much better condition. A drainage sclieMo had 'become,, a necessity,, and whoever became Mayor .should take the matter in hand. ■Now^;that'houses .were being »built ,«n:4ofti sections, it was no longer safe to allow drainage., to ''flow' into the roads. The engineer had- told him that water could he brought to Karori at very little cost. Ho did not ask him by what means;: but previously it had Been believed that the-cost would be very heavy. Ho did hot, wish to speak against the present councillors and Mayor, whom he respeoted, but he differed from their methods. If elected ho would go. thoroughly into the question of the boiough s aftairs, to, see what was - paying and what : .was 'a loss, and, with the help of ■ tho councillors; remedy tho errors. He proposed to devote two houra of his time every morning to tho affairs of tho borough, making that sacrifice : in, the . interests of the district. After ho'had thus spent twelve months in restoring the' prosperity of the district, he . hoped to see other gentlemen, with tho borough's interests at heart, follow up tho work which he had endeavoured to set on foot. He hoped to make Karori eventually the Wonder place of Wellington —a, platie noted for ifo healthy qualities. If, however, a few cases of- typhoid aiid scarlet fever were aUowed to creep into tho district,, its good l name would be ruined. He ihteuded to servo the -best interests of tho whole borough, with no'preference for cither north or south. . .. ' Replying to Mr. Fowler,- Mr. Kell.Ow said that he was n'Ot.one of a committee alleged to have been formed to transfer ; tho tram line to another route. He did not think it feasible the niain road, and he would, favour no scheme that would be- to the detriment of Karori. In any case, he would ■ undertake nothing ; that would ■ not bo-likely to be a good speculation for the borough. To a further question from Mr. Fowler as to the lion-extension of the tram-line to the Pound, Mr. Kellow said that, if elected, 'he would endeavour' to work out a scheme that ; would suit, both north and If ill the past-there had not been siioh a muddle in the construction, they could have had the tram-line extended at almost no extra cost. ■ In 'further , discussion, it was ■ stated that tho present 'bus service was run at a loss of £11 per week. The usual traffic was about 1000 passengers a week, paying £5. At tho conclusion of tho meeting, a committee formed to support Mr. Kellow's candidature. . \-

SUBURBAN COUNCILS. A reporter made somo investigations 1 yesterday with a view of ascertaining what candidates there were for the suburban borough councils for the elections on April 28. In a number of. cases there was a lack of defmiteness, and very few nominations, have been received as yet, Councillors and would-be-councillors seom to be hanging back until the last moment. , . , . '' Miram'ar. —A deputation,consisting of Councillors Brodie, Bell, M'Leod, and and Messrs/ W. Ferguson and J. M. Geddis, waited upon the Mayor of Miramar (Mr. C. J. Crawford) yesterday arid asked him to accopt "homination for a further term. Mr. Crawford replied'that he contemplated retiring owing to excessive calls on his time. Ho agreed, however, to come forward if Councillor Bell was a candidate for a scat on the council. The latter accoptccl tho suggestion and Mr. Crawford accordingly consented" to •staild. It is expectcd that Couhcillors M'L(x>d : arid Cooper will come forward, but Councillors Brodio; and Witt have not ,vot declared their intentions. Nominations closo on Thursday.' .' . ' Eastbourne.—Thero will be no lack of. candidates for -seats on the Eastbourne Council.

Tho Mayoralty will have to be decided' between Messrs. H. W.' Sliortt and Ji Barr. The following are on Mr. Shortt's ticket for tho council: Messrs. D. Robertson, T. Foley, C. Russell, S. Ross, W. J. Organ, H. SanJ. Morris, and Dr. F. W. Mackenzie. It is anticipated that another ticket will bo arrangod. Two or .three other candidates are almost certain to como forward. Those nominated so far are Mr. C. Russell (nominated by Messrs. C. J. Holworthy and J. Thompson) and Mr. Hi- Sanson (nominated by Messrs. W..F. .Sliortt and S. G. Ross)., Nominations close at noon tomorrow. Tho following members of the present council are not seeking re-election: — Councillors C. M'Keegan, G, L. Bannatyne and D. B. Howden. Councillor J. Danks- is 4 possible candidate. Karori.—ln nil probability thero will bo only two candidates for-the Karori Mayoralty, Messrs. C. L Daseiit (the present Mayor, who has had ono year as Mayor and fifteen as councillor), and Mr; W. A. Kellow. It is understood that the four following are retiring: - Councillors E .Hammond, Agmen Smith, F. J. Lissington and E. Harris. Tho other five, Councillors J. F. Spiers,. R.. Wedde, C. Cathie, W. Bradnock, and J. G. Raine are seeking re-election. . Tho names of the following gentlemen are mentioned as probable candidates for seats on the council: Messrs. H. E.Dryden, jun.; G. Welling, Hildreth, B. G. Burn, and F. D. M. Walmesley. Nominations close to-mot-row... Onslow.—The borough of Onslow has cently heon subdivided ane\v, and now consists of three wards, Khandallah, Croftoii or Ngow, and Kaiwarra. "Mr. J. G. Harkness, the present Mayor, will in all probability bffer himself for ro-cloetioii. The follbwinr;,' aro probable candidates foi - the council:—Khandallah - Ward—Councillors • Pliminer and Watson, and Mr. George Nash, formerly a couiicsillor and at present representing tho borough on the Hosnital' Board. Crofton Ward—Councillor Aplui and Mr. G. W. Darvall. There is . a rumour that Mr. Jno. Holmes, sen'., will also stand. Kaiwarra Ward—Councillors Kiehian; and Lyiineberg and Messrs A. Carver aiid W. H. Bowden Ngaio Ward—Mr. A. H. Gibson is a- candidate for the Ngaio WardMr. F. M. M. Fisher Will address the electors at Brooklyn this evening, and tomorrow evening, at 7 p.m., Maranui; 8 am,. Victoria Hall, Newtown. Mr. T. M. Wilford speaks at Northland to-night; Druids' Hall, Taranaki Street, tomorrow evening; and Roseneath School on Thursday evening. Mr. Pi- 6. Bolton has mapped oiit his meetings, for. the next week. To-nightj ho speaks at the Druids' Hall, -Taraiiaki Street. Hia other dates are advertised to-day. Dr. and Mrs. Newman are to meet .the ladies of Newtown at the Riddiford Street committee roonls to-morrow afternoon. . The Hon. j. Rigg, M.L.C., speaks at Wadestown to-night; and at Kilbirnie tomorrow evening. ■ ■ i