SPEECHES BY CANDIDATES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 490, 24 April 1909, Page 6

SPEECHES BY CANDIDATES.

DR. NEWMAN AT KELBURNE. Dr A K. Newman spoko at Kolburno. last night/ Mr. J. Burns presiding. Tho candidate alluded to his experience in local and national politics, and claimed that what he had done proved him to bo well qualified to ill tho important position of Mayor of the city. Ho had loisuro and tho desire to servo tho people; and, if elected, he would be prepared to devote , most of his time and his best energies to> tho service of the citizens. Speaking of municipal affairs, Dr. Newman said the revenue exceeded the expenditure by only a small amount, and groat care would have to be shown during the nest twolvo months in order to avoid a doficit, which would-lead to a raising of the rates—a thing to 'bo', avoided at all costs. Whilo he advocated'-economy, he did not contemplate stagnation, because the ratepayers had already authorised the raising of two largo loans to bo spent in providing

tramways. at, Wadestown and water supply for- Wadestown and Northland. There 'was already' in' hand a largo sum for Melroso drainage, public lavatories, and other works, and' these amounts, togethor with tho'loans before'mentioned, would provide" a considerable, amount of money to be spent during tho next year, and the ratepayers, should therefore bo satisfied that a fairly, progressive public works policy could bo carried out without any borrowing during the- coming twolve months at any rate. If "elected, he would at onco proceed to raise the loans that had been sanctioned, and put tho works 'in hand as soon as possible, so as to relieve any distress that might arise from unemployment during the winter months. It had been said that ho would propose retrenchment and reduction of wages' among tho corporation employees, but ne denied tho statement absolutely, as he knew there would be no need to go to that "extreme. Water supply for the high levels was absolutely necessary, and, if olected, he would see that the storage reservoirs for the various elevated portions of the city wore gone on with. ,Tho candidate's remarks on the milk question and the beautification of the city were well received, and at the close of his address he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks and confidence. COUNCILLOR FISHER AT TARANAKI • .STREET, The* largest meeting in tho Mayoral campaign to 'date was addreesed by Councillor Fisher at the Druids' Hall, Taranaki Street, last' night, Mr. W. A. Thompson presiding over*, an attendance of over 500 persons. The candidato said that it would be as easy for him to 'strew tho path to tho Mayoralty with promises as it was for any other candidate, but, so far as he was concerned, he preferred to take a-safe course. It was less than two years ago einco the .electric light works, then showing a profit of £22,000"per year, were taken over. At that time the Mayor predicted that within ton years the profits from tht enterprise would be so great that they would wipe out the' whole of the capital cost. Now we wero informed' that it would be 33 years_ before the accumulated profits were sufficient to wipe 'out the capital cost. Speaking with reference to tram fares, Mr. Fisner said that the whole system of tram fares should ',be revised. On one section at present a pasfftager could travel two "tiles for a penny, whilst on another section, less than a,quar-| ter of a milelong, the same faro had to .be paid. Ho referred to the fact that thoro had been considerable criticism,! taking the lorm of suggestions, that, if his programme was carried out, it,would mean stagnation to tho city. As a''matter of fact, a loan had already been authorised of £40,000 for the Wadestown trams,' and £22,500 for water supply. Thero was a £46,000 contract for tho Wainui dam now in 'course of construction, and there, was £15,000 for. tho.abattoirs. In this connection, however,, it was absurd to think that suggestions should be made to expend money on luxuries in the heart of the city when there, wore outlying districts suffering from diseases of'various kinds through,' deficient drainage and lack of water supply. ■ ' Aftor answering numerous questions, an enthusiastic meeting concluded with a vote of thanks and confidence, moved by Mr., A. Outhbertaon.

HQN. J. RICC :AT SYDNEY STREET. Tho Hon. J. Rigg addressed a well-attended mooting at the Sydney Street Schoolroom last | night, Mr. A. Parlane (chairman of the Lab- ' our Representation Committee) being in tho chair. After explaining his views in regard to reproductive enterprises to be carried out with a view of applying the revenuo to areduction of rates, the candidate dealt with the finances of the tramways and_ electric light departments. He had ascertained that the profit for the year 1908-09 in connection with the'electric light works was £4000, and the estimated profit for coming year was £5000, in spite of the fact that there would be a considerable reduction of the current supplied to consumers owing to the use of tho Osram lamp. An Tin teres ting development had occurred in connection with : this new lamp. It was originally supposed that the profits of the department would be diminished, but it had been found that, owing to the lower cost of current, tho number of consumers had.greatly increased, and had more ihan niacle up for any loss sustained. In addition to the £4000 profit, the sum of £6000 had been set aside for depreciation and sinking fund. Referring to the tramways, tho candidate'said that, with tho present profit-earning, it was no exaggeration to say that the trams, would pay off their original cost in twenty years. One of bis oppononts had been referring to a statement made by tho/prosent.Maporin connection with the time it would'take te pay off the cost of 'purchasing the company's interest in the electric light works, but the critic had omitted to take into consideration tho fact that extensions; and improvements.' had been continually mado since- the purchase. It was necessary to bear in mind in considering tho length of time- that would be required by the. tramways to pay off their original cost, that any such calculation must bo modified in viow of tho amount oxpended in further dovcloping the service. Referring to loans, Mr. Rigg said that there would bo no loans maturing in

tiieimmediato future, and, therefore, there. was-'hoVcause ".for. ..anxiety on that: account. A'loan'of £200,000, which matured during the past, year was r.enefred at 4 por cent., and after providing-1 per cent, by way of sinking fund (making 5 per cent, in all) the city was. theigainer by. I.per cent, as tho result of the renewal. , / In-conclusion, the speaker made an appeal to his hearers rto support the Labour ticket at ih"e poll. He was accordeda vote of thanks and confidence, '■ ; ;'., ; , MR. BOLTON AT NORTHLAND. :\ ■■ '■•. ■"•i- ''■ ■'■■.; • ■;■■ ' ■ '■' ■' ■ , ■ ''~'•■ '. ' Mr. H. Rose .occupied the chair at the ineoting addressed by Mr. F. G. Bolton at Northland last evening. After dealing with municipal matters generally. as outlined in previous reports of the candidate's meetings, Mr. Bolton dealt with the subject of tramway concessions to suburban residents. He pointed out that in Auckland the Tramway Company, whilst' charging 9d. return from the city to Onehunga, issued a weekly ticket to workers for 2s. 6d. (which entitled them to travel by any tram up to 8 p.m.), and presumably found that concession a payable one. Also the company made a concession on tho purchase of tickets,' selling a book of 100 tickets for 6s. 3d., by which means one could travel over the Ordinary penny section for Jd. He suggested that the matter of concessions such as these should be submitted for a report to an expert. The city should obsorve its contracts with the outlying districts, and see that a fair proportion of' the ratos collected in a district was expended on necessary public works in that district. The candidate also advocated the immediate com--mencenient of the Northland-Wadestown water supply scheme. At tho conclusion of his address Mr. Bolton was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.