THE HUTT CONTEST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 787, 9 April 1910, Page 3

THE HUTT CONTEST.

SPEECH BY MR. BUNNY. A REPLY TO HOSTILE CRITICISM. Ratepayers of Lower Hutt Borough assembled in large numbers last evening at the meeting called- by Mr. E. P. Bunny, the present Mayor, that he might express his views as to'the progress of the borough, and enlist support in connection with, the coming Mayoral election. Mr. Orion Stevens was in the chair. - "After a somewhat strenuous year in the council, I- find myself again a candidate for your suffrages as Mayor," commenced Mr. Bunny. "Although we I had a strenuous year, at the conclusion of my term, I have the good wishes of the councillors. Although we differed at times, wo were always able to retain mutual respect. To use a sporting phrase, as quoted by Mr. Russell, we never 'hit below the belt.' I enter upon the present campaign with the good wishes of my council, and' tie activo support of most of the councillors." (Applause.) Mr. Bunny went on to say that he would make no appeal on account of sentiment or prejudice. He would ask fcho ratepayers to decide whether Mr, Russell or he was the better fitted to ooouny the Mayoral ohair.

The Rates. Figures had been quoted by Mr. Rus- ; Mil, said Mr. Bunny, but unfortunate-' ly liis opponent had not had them verified.- Mr. Russell had stated that "the Mayor had increased tho rates 8 or 10 per cent." The general rate—the only rate which the council could either increase or diminish—had been precisely the same as last year. No control could be exorcised by the council over the special rate—which produced the interest to pay the the ratepayers might have had to pay an increased special rate. However, the loans had been authorised by preceding councils. In rates, £8020 had been received during the year just ended, as against £8202 during the previous year, a decrease of £182. This was due to a. reduction in valuation. The debit balance of the borough, on April 1, 1908, had been £4170 Bs. lid.; on April 1, 1909, it had risen' to £6915 14s. 9d.; and on April 1, 1910, it stood at £7356 Bs. 9d. During the past year, therefore, the debit balance had been increased by £441. In comparing the work of the present and previous councils, it must be remembered' that his council had had £182 less in rates. The previous council, with £182 more in rates, had increased the debit balance i 45- s council had spent £2486 J 6 / 8 than the previous council, and yet Mr. Russell said that the borough was ■ staggering under a load of debt, owing to the bad administration of the present council! 51 .Daring his term of office, several legacies, 'handed to the oounciT by its predecessors, had been met, and there had been items of extraordinary and unforeseen expenditure—such as £100 towards the "Wellington infectious diseases hospital. In spite of these "legacies, the council had been able practically to hold its owri, and he considered that it had done better than the previous council. . (Applause.) Oas Aocount. to the gas account, the C 8 ™ baknce on April 1, 1909, had £294, not £516, as Mr. Russell had given it Mr. Russell had said that the debit on the library account had increased from £18 17s. to £81. The correct debit balance now was £5 4s. 2d (Applause.) ," ...... After quoting other items in connection with the year's work, Mr. Bunny rPfH,. that "Mr. Russell had a , ratal facility of going into figures, and apparently of falling in every time." ihe report had been circulated by Mr. .Russell, he said, that the expend]-' ture m connection, with the £52 000 loan inquiry had been £200, whereas the total,claims made against the council (some ofi them not being admitted, by the council)' were £78 12s. 6d.' Reply to a Speclfio Charge. Coming, to "the specific and.' ■ direct charge made against him by Mr. Russell, Mr. Bunny said that his opponent had.spoken to.highly respectable people' with a- view to their petitioning tha council to hold;an inquiry. The accusation was practically that • he (the Mayor) had falsified the minutes of the council The minutes referred to were connected with salaries, and the town clerk had wrongly included in the minutes mere estimates as substantive resolutions. Correction.was therefore necessary. He could not understand why Mr. Russell had gone to two justices of the peace, with the result that a complaint had come in to the council that day.:.- ■■-:'.■■-■ ■■ - "Why did not Mr. Russell make the complaint himself?" asked the candidate. "I fear no investigation, but if we have investigation. of this sort, 1 want the gentleman' who has made this accusation to .come before them, and prove his facts.' VI hope' the justices' will treat the matter in the way it~de-" serves."' '.'(Applause;)' - " ■'• /,,,, —-'—Amalgamation.. -■---: Touching upon the question of amalfamation, the speaker expressed the ope that the whole of the'local bodies from the mouth'of the river to the gorges would ho amalgamated, and then they could, consider the taking over of the powers of the River Board. ,'. In explaining his attitude towards the borough engineer, Mr. Bunny said that; tho council had not approved of his pro-' posals for reform, which he considered tho logical result-of the inquiry held,-' and he bowed to the wishes' of ihe majority. The council said that the engineer was still to hold his position, at the reduced salary, and'he (the speaker) would see that.he had fair play in the exercise of his duties.. [ (Applause.)

• , Questions.'A! number of questions were aßked in regard to the £52,000 loan inquiry, tut the.candidate'said that' it would be better if he' withheld his personal opinion on these matters, as they had all been finally settled. When he took his seat as Mayor, he found a majority of the council against him, but there had been no friction. He hoped that the ratepayers would support him in the same pronounced way as they had done last year. (Applause.) „ A good deal of diversion was caused in the meeting by the untimely interruptions and irrelevant questions of a woman ratepayer. ' • Mr. Townsand, who is standing for the of Miramax, will speak at the Worser Bay.kiosk on Monday at 8 p.m..'..'. .:.:. ~. .:... Mr. John Brodie, candidate for the Miramar Mayoralty, will speak at Hope Hall, Miramar,, on Monday, at 8 p.m. I