MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 492, 27 April 1909, Page 9

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

DR. NEWMAN AT VICTORIA HALL. A'good audience, including many ladies, assembled to hear Dr. Newman at Victoria Hall last night. Mr. Caliis occupied the chair, i The speaker dwelt at length on the.state of the city's finance. He said that they city revenue might fall in dull times, and that there was an overdraft of £30,000. Unless care and prudence were exercised during the coming year there would be , a bigger overdraft, and tho danger of higher rates—a stato of a.ffairs to ! be greatly dreaded. All luxuries must wait for a year, which would be no great hardship. TVith the new loan to be raised there was in hand a good deal to be spent out of the public works fund. If this were spent, during this winter a considerable amount of work could bo dono which would bo useful in a dull time. , The sewerage loan (part not yet expended) should bo spent on actively increasing -the sewerage works—so necessary to the health of the people. Dr. Newman ' spoke at length on recreation grounds, and said that Wellington was badly off in this respect. Many little' pieces of ground on the Town Belt could be levelled off, which, though not big enough for men would be most useful, for children. The speaker went on to say that he was an ardent believer in the modern ideas of citv government, which should be for tho welfare of the people. Rome was not built in a day .but, if year after year, a policy of- beautifying the Town Belt and* making watering places, such as Island Bay, Maranui, etc., attractive,were pursued, Wellington would attract crowds of inland folk, have a "season" for sea-bathers, and would presently be a most attractive, place. A philosopher wished inscribed on his tombstone,, "I leave the world a little better than I' found it." If elected liq would work so that, at the end of the i year would - say that he. had made Wellington a little better than lie found it. At the - conclusion of the address the speaker was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. MR. FISHER AT THE TOWN. HALL. Tho Town Hall was crowded last'night, when Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, M.P., spoke in furtherance of his candidature for the Mayoralty. Mr. Richard Brown presided, and Mrs. Fisher occupied a seat on tho platform. Mr. Fisher's speech was largely on the lines of his previous addresses. . He urged that, in tho future, moro attention should

be dovoted to the development of the suburbs, wliero Jio considered that monoy could be' more advantageously spent than in the central portions of the city, Referring to the tramways administration, ho maintained the correctness of his previous statements as to reduced fares on the Island Bay section, and quoted the authority of the tramways engineer. Ho would not give privileges to Island Bay people which were denied to others, and lie would not carry any section of the community for less than cost price. He thought the whole of the tramway sections throughout the city should bo reviewed. Unless the electors wpre careful as to tramways administration, Parliament might liave to step in and safeguard their interests. Hiß objections to borrowing would not load to stagnation, as lie recognised tho desirability of pushing on with the provision of water supply reservoirs for tho higher suburbs, and tho urgent need for duplication of tho Wainui main. A debate on the Sunday concert question between the candidato and tho Rev. J. J. North (as reported under another heading) then took place, and finally Mr. Fisher, after answering several questions, was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. ■ MR. RICO AT ISLAND BAY. Tho Hon. John Rigg, speaking at Island Bay last night, objected to the pessimism of some of the candidates in regard to tho financial prospects of the city.. Ho saw 110 reason, so long as monoy could bo borrowed on favourable terms.. wliy any adverso circumstances would affect; tbo City Council. After referring at length, to the tramway system and t tho . depreciation fund, the speaker expressed tho opinion that tho system was a very satisfactory one, especially in view of the fact that the'capital should be paid by twenty years. The lighting debit, lie-remarked, consisted largely of works that should have been.paid for out.of capital,'and that therefore, the service was not in n. bad position at all. Dealing with tho overdraft of over £30,000 (as stated previously in TtiE Dominion), Mr.: Rigg considered it very small in. proportion to the revenue. The amount.of money likely to bo available for expenditure■ during the year, was. about £160,000,'. including £60,000 of unexpended loan money. If elected he would'see that no time would be lost unnecessarily in raising .tho loan money authorised in-connec-tion with the ,Wadestown' tramway and water supply to meet unemployment. : Ho spoke in a complimentary way of the present and future beauties of 1 Island Bay, and emphasised the necessity of the City'.Council's doing all passiblo towards' improving the suburb and means and cost of access to it. The question of issuing monthly tickets ;on the tramways would havo to •be considered bv the City Council. IHO concluded by asking' for support of the, Labour candidates on polling day,,as they were men who had no axe to grind and would do their best for tho community.; . 'The'candidato was accorcled a vote of thanks and confidence.. MR. BOLTON AT KELBURNE. An unlooked-for circumstance prevented Mr. Bolton from, addressing the electors of Kolburno-at the hour;arranged last night. It appears that there was a misunderstanding about the hall, and when Mr. Bolton arrived it was locked up. • All entry was effected, but it was fi.3o before. the candidato was able to commence. ; and, .under tho circumstances, the attendance was good.-. Tho chairman, Mr. .A. R. Meek, in introducing tlie speaker, mentioned that he had known him .from boyhood, and'thus he knew and believed in Mr. Bolton's qualifications. The candidate, in the courso of his speech, detailed his municipal, market proposal, and dealt with tramway, • management.'. Ho pointed out that sooner or later a connection must be made between the ! ICarori tramway, and tlie .Kelburnc ca.blG service, as the city was now, suffering a loss of revenue on that account. He enjpha'sisedv the necessity for due consideration being given to outlying districts; in that a fair proportion of tho'rates paid by thorn should , bo expended in their own districts. ..The candidate also dealt with the milk supply, acquisition of tho gaswovki, abattoirs, tramway sinking funds, and other matters. At tho conclusion of tho address, Mr. Bolton was accorded a ;unanimons vote of tlianks and confidence. . "At 7.15 p.m. Mr. Bolton addressed a large audience at'the ..corner'of Boulcott and: Willis Streets. ' .. MR. WILFORD AT NEWTOWN. Over four hundred electors assembled in St. Thomas's Hall, at Newtown, to hear Mr. Wilford last night, tho chair being occupied by Mr. Thomas Wallis. . - In the course of his address, which was mainly on; the _ lines of previous speeohes, the candidate referred to the question of Sunday concerts. Mr. "Wilford concluded by stating- that if he got v into tho Mayoral chair ho could promise nothing j extraordinary for tho doctors. He was, lie said,: only an. ordinary person, but lie did claim thai- he had thorough grip' of UlO city's finances. If lie'were returned lie would show them tljat he could run tho business of the city on sound lines. At the conclusion of his address, Mr. -Wilford was accorded a voto of thanks and'confidence, on tho motion of Mr. Hunt. Lady residents then presented ,Mrs. Wilford with two bunches of beautiful flowers. Acknowledging the compliment, Mrs. Wilford said that she sincerely trusted that tho women of Wellington would . help her . husband to win the contest. MR.fj. KELLOW AT ICARORI. Mr. J. Kellow, a candidato foi ; tho Ka-, rori Mayoralty, addressed' a meeting at tho Parochial Hall last evening, ffho. candidato stated that last year there had been an estimated Cxpejiditv.ro of £4563 (outsido of loan moneys), and of that £900 went in salaries and, office expenses (not including workmen's wages). That meant that about 4s. in the pound, was expended in .administration. From 1900- to 1907 £2-10 in rates wero not collected; and for the year ended March, 1908, £1300 Were uncollected. .This meant that.some ratepayers had to advance tho rates to' cover the' rates 'of thoso the council allowed not to pay.- In criticising tho tramways 110 proposed ; that ICarori. should ! surrender, tho'.-traffic from tho deviation to the cemotery on condition that the, lino was extended from the present terminus to Hatton Street, and the fare made a' penny from the tunnel. A motor 'bus service might be run from Hatton Street to Makara Hill,on a penny fare basis. The land syndicates might take debentures for the cost of a 'bus or guarantee the loss, if any. Karori had borrowed £8000 for a recreation ground, and expects to borrow £27,000 to take footballers there, and they even heard of the loss of £600 a year on the .'buses used as an argument for'borrowing £27,000 for the extension through the township. Ho asked the electors -to give him tho opportunity of showing how the borough's finances could bo handled satisfactorily.. At the _ conclusion of his address Mr. Kellow ivas given a vote of thanks and confidence, on the motion of Mr. : J. C. Nicoll. V TO-NIGHT'S MEETINCS. ' Mr. Wilford—Kolburne Churchroom. Hon. J. Rigg—Band Rotunda, Jervois Quay. •Mr. Fislier—St. Thomas's Hall, Newtown. Dr. Newman —Druids' Hall. Mr. Bolton —Sydney Street Schpolroom. Tho Labour Candidates.—Band Rotunda, Jervois Quay. Mr. H. \V. Shortt— I Stato School,. Eastbourne. A number of letters to the Editor regarding the municipal election's will be found on page 4 of this issue. A number of; election advertisements will bo found 011 page sof this issue. . The proposals put forward by Mr. J. P. Luke, a candidate for 'tho City Council, are advertised jn this issue. For eleven years Mr. Luke'has had UlO confidence of tho electors, and for the contest to-morrow no again asks a renewal of their favours. Tho South African native may appear irretrievably Inr.v, but if any unprejudiced person will penetrate into these wonderful hives of industry which aro to bo found beneath the surfaco of tho Kimberley and Johannesburg mines, ho_ will very soon change his opinion.—"Diamond- Fields Advertiser," Kimberley. Altered tramway fares on the Miramar North line are adverted.