MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 797, 21 April 1910, Page 6

MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

CLOSING OF NOMINATIONS. NEW CANDIDATE FOR EASTBOURNE. Nominations closed at noon yesterday for the Mayoralties of Wellington, Karori, Miramar, Eastbourne, Lower Hutt, and Petone. The only new candidate to come forward was Mr.. William Hobbs, who will stand against Mr. H. W. Shortt for the Mayoralty of Eastbourne. The present Mayors of Karori (Mr. C. I.- Dasent) arid Petone (Mr. J. W| M'Ewan) are re-elected unopposed. Nominations for the Onslow Mayoralty do not close until to-day at noon. So far' there is no talk of anyone contesting the position with the present Mayor (Mr. J. G. Harkness). The following are particulars of yesterday's nominations;— CITY. CHARLES JOHN CRAWFORD, nominated, by. J. G. W.'Ait-ken, A. de B. Brandon, A. Harrington, John Ashton, Benjamin Dawson, Thomas Taylor; M. F. Bonrke, Edgar Wylie, J. W. Fletcher, Charles .Onyon, E. Weston, G. Z. Quarrie, Sophia Guymer, James Bonrke, George F. Gibb; R. Keerj, John Ostory, ' Isaac Clark, William A. Thomson, Henry' Rod. • Sydney J. Brown, Andrew. Beggs, Alfred, R. Meek, Ernest J. Jones, F. . Loudon, and J. E. M'Cale. '■':.. THOMAS M. WlLFOßD,'nominated by Charles P. Skerrett, Robert T. Turnbull, Hugh Mackenzie, Sarah Atkinson, Alice Holloway, George Nash, / Frederick Hill, Oscar G. Keniber, Andrew .S. Johnston, Thomas Smith, . P. J.' CRegan, Jeannie Wallace, and John M'Callum. MIRAMAR. JOHN BRODIE, nominated by A. Grigg, , William Bath, and Frank Wills. FREDERIC TOWNSEND, nominated by' • Thomas Bush,, Ellen Marshall, W. H. . Shortt, F.- Silver, John Marshall, 1 James Godbor. H. Lloyd, James Pater- . son, D. K. Blair, and Charles Hawson., • -..-■ '■ For the vacant seat on the, Miramar Borough Council, H. E. Richards hie been nominated by John Heirry Meyer, Robert Ready, William H. Lawrence, William Johnson, and James M'Crea; and H. S. Robinson has. been nominated by D. K. Blair, A; R. Hislop, jun., H. R. Power, Constance Hawson, J. E. Lindberg, E. •B. Toomath, R.. Clo'uston, -W. R. Bock, J. D. Slater, H. Beauchamp,- H. J. ; Coombs, Walter J. Billman, William Hoyland, John, Marshall, and Elk M. Crammond. EASTBOURNE.. WILLIAM HOBBS, nominated by Robert Duncan and John Danks. ' ',' -HERBERT WILUAM, SHORTT, nomi- : nated by-Thomas Foley, J. B. Speed, R. M'Guire, J. M. Geddis, C. J. Hol- : worthy,.D. B. Howden, E. G. Piloher, . and D,> J. Diok. . / . Mr. .Hobbs stares'that'he was supporting: Mr. John Barr until Mr. Bsrr'6 recent - withdrawal.from the contest caused.him (o come forward in: his stead. His platform is the same as Mr. Barr's. Mr. Hobbs. was for. two .years a member of the Hutt Borough Council, and he is president of the Eastbourne Rifle.. Club. •.';"'!: LOWER HUTT; ; ;\ WILLIAM HENRY- ..RUSSELL,,. nomi- ':. nated.by..John- Ward, Frederick J. Pinny, George Bower, and Peter : Robinson.' ■<-.-..- . , ■

EDMUND ;.'.PEECY; -BUNNY, solicitor, nominated' by Thomas P. Bennett, .-Arthur.. Ballinger;i''E. 'G? D; Wood--1 ward,.'Charles : "Hollard, 'and J. O. Carlson. ';'..;r'..'. ; . : .ONSLOW. :'■ The law states that the dat 6 for the closing of nominations must be not less than five nor. more'than seven days before the date of the election. In the case of the Onslow Borough the date has been fixed for to-day—the sixth day before the election. . It; will be necessary to. elect a mem-ber-of the Onslow Borough Council to fill the vacancy for Kaiwarra, caused by. the retirement of . Councillor Carver. The.candidates already nominated are E. E.Plaws. and. Patrick K&vanagh, and it is possible that at least.two others may come .forward before nominations dose .to-day.'-- '. ■ ■ '.'•-. THE CITY EOLL. '-' The roll for the city, to which no additions can now be made'till, after the election, contains 31,878 names, as compared with 30,912 at the date of last election, an.' increase •of 966. -~'—. —: 7 — V .; "STABBED IN THE BACK," ME.'CBAWFOED'S QUAEBEES/ Mr.' Crawford, ■at his meeting last night, had something trenchant to say about the allusion made at Mr. Wilford's ,Druids' Hall meeting to the quarries at Miraniar. "I was stabbed in the back last-night," said Mr. Crawford. "Nothing more dastardly has been done during this, contest. At .-my meeting at Berhampore, I was asked what I would do. about' the' supply of metal to the. city corporation. \My answer was that.. a little more than a year ago, I announced .that I had no intention of standing again for .the Mayoralty of Miraniar. I was, however, approached by a large deputation, which asked me to reconsider that' decision'. I replied that it was rather hard luck, because, as most of them- were aware, I had made -private arrangements whereby the quarries at Seatoun fell into my sole ownership. I said, eventually, that I would stand for the Miramar Mayoralty on that-' occasion, although the result was that I could not allow one single yard of metal to go to the Miramar Borough Council; but as the roads were cut'up in the vicinity, I told the council that they could send their carts and take away stuff for nothing. No charge of any sort was made, no tally was kept, and nothing was received ,in any way by me for the stuff that was taken. ■ There were no dealings between me and the Miramar Borough Council in connection with the quarry. (Applause.) I also stated at Berhampore, the other night, that, if elected, as Mayoi, of 'Wellington, I would treat the city as honourably as I treated MiraAre you going to allow this sort of tactics to carry any weight? Are any votes to be won by my opponent by this stabbing in the back? I am now running, the quarries on purely wholesale lines, and when tho metal leaves the quarry, I have no further interest in it. I understand that some of the men who have been buying_ metal from my quarry were lately reselling it to the City Council, but when I came out as a candi- ■ date, in the present contest, I told those men that'if I was elected Mayor of Wellington, any traffic of that sort must stop absolutely. I also gave instructions a fortnight ago that no stuff was to go from. the quarry to any man who supplied the .Wellington corporation after last night—that is to say, tho night before nomination day. If necessary, I will close the quarries. Nobody shall say that there are any dealings between me and. the city corporation. (Applause.) I have always held.the very strictest views on such questions, -ana if I am elected—and lam going to beelected—nobody ■ shall be able to s<ty' that there are any business dealings whatevor between your Mayor and the council." (Applause.)

MR. WILFORD'S CANDIDATURE. Mr. T. M. Wilfm-d, M.P., addressed a fair attendance of ratepayers in the Sydney Street Schoolroom last evening. Mr. T. Wilson was voted to. the chair. Mr. Wilford commenced by expressing his vigorous opposition to every plank in Mr. Crawford's platform, taking them one by one. He declared that no more harebrained proposal, from a financial point of view, could be put forward than that of raising short-dated loan 6 for wood-

blocking. To move the Petone railroad to tho hill side of the road would mean that private owners would have no access to their properties without crossing the lines. Moreover,. before the lines could bo shifted, it would be necessary to acquire the whole of the private property concerned, or else pay damages. The proposal would not bear analysis. Tho idea of taking a' retaining wall from tho island at Island Bay to the mainland to make a bout harbour, "so that people could go for races in the Strait," was one of the most extraordinary schemes ever submitted, • and he could only think that Mr. Crawford had been having a joke with the residents of Island Bay. Mr. Crawford had stated that it would be well for.the City Council to undertake the scheme of harnessing the water of the Tauherinikau River in tho Wairarapa for the citizens of Wellington. (A voice: You misrepresent him.) He would like Mr. Crawford to say, at his next meeting, whether he proposed to tunnel the ; Rimutakas to bring the water from the river to Wellington, or bring it over the top; whether would do the job, what addition to the rates this would involve? Mr. Wilford then explained his own platform as in previous speeches. A vote of thanks and confidence was passed '■ with one dissentient. THE TAIL,AND THE DOG. WHICH DID THE WAGGING? Mr. Crawford, in his speech at Kilbirnie last night, observed that something had been said by his opponent about the tail wagging the dog. Well, two years ago he, as Mayor of Miramar, was'fighting the Wellington Harbour Board, and his present opponent was then chairman of that body, and had charge of a certain Bill in Parliament. In that Bill the Harbour Board sought to impose, a betterment . clause upon the whole district /around Evans Bay. The board was a body over which the people of the dis- ■ trict had no control,. and"it. would have put a charge upon them for all the expenditure which it proposed to incur in respect of works at Evans Bay.. It was an absolutely indefinite charge, and it was to be made a first charge upon their v properties. He had never met with a more iniquitous clause. He-was in favour of the betterment principle, and had been instrumental in having it applied to the Miramar tramways after full discussion by the ratepayers, but the Bill brought forward by his present opponent on behalf of the Harbour Board proposed to place on the ratepayers an indefinite charge for all time for any work 6 that tho board was going to undertake in -Evans Bay. "Yet 1 believe," remarked Mr.:Crawford, "that thereiare one or two .people here who are going to vote for that gentleman. I put in four months of solid work fighting that clause, and I think I am, entitled to be thanked. What was the result? The Miramar tail wagged the Wellington Harbour Board dog! The chairman of the Harbour Board—my present opponent—was absolutely on his knees before' the Mayor and Council of Miramar. 'We took what agreement we wanted from him, and made him throwout the betterment olause and other objectionable clauses. Miramar absolutely wiped the floor with the chairman of the ..ijngton Harbour Board. (Applause.) The Bill was blocked as absolutely as it. could be blocked. He got a hint, which he could not. disregard, that he-would have to satisfy Miramar, or else the Bill —which included,' among other things, power to borrow two million pounds—had not a chance of'going through. On that occasion the tail wagged the dog absolutely." ' i ■/ NOTES AND COMMENTS. Mr. Crawford t said last night that he had inspected the route of the suggested tramway line to connect Kilbirnie with Roseneatn, and' he thought such a line' would have 'to he made—possibly not at once, but before very long. It would be necessary: to take the opinion of the engineers about it, and if they considered :that it would be payable, ha thought it ought to be' gone on with. The extensive works to be initiated by the Union Steam Ship Company at the Patent Slip would cause a considerable increase of population in that vicinity. ,

In the earlier meetings of his present campaign, Mr. Wilford showed a fondness for alluding to his. administration of the Harbour Board - as an indication of what he "might be expected to do as Mayor. It has been pointed out by The Dominion that the illustration was not a fortunate one, and apparently Mr. Wilford is-not now anxious that too electors should think too much about the Harbour Board. He .declared last night that "the Harbour Board is a red herring drawn across the 6cent." .'■■''

The Kilbirnie tunnel was the subject of ' an. interesting reference by Mr. Crawford last night. After speaking of 'he part which he had, taken in . the pioneering of the tramway system of the eastern suburbs, he said that, if his original scheme had been carried out,they would have had, instead of a small hole at the top of tho. hill, a big hole at the bottom, and the present difficulties in connection with the tunnel would not have existed If he was elected Mayor, he would give every facility that was possible and allowable in connection with' tho tunnel. He thought people should be allowed to walk through at the times of day when the trams were not running, and tho engineer should be instructed to see. if some improvement could not be made, either by putting another tunnel through the hill, or in some other,way. The present position could not go on' for ever, especially as the district was certain to carry a much greater , population in the future.

Mr. Crawford gave his Kilbirnie audience last night some reminiscences about tramway construction on the eastern side of the city. He said: "In 1897, I schemed out these tramways that are so much benefit to.you. I engaged Mr. Fulton, C.E., and he planned the tramway routes where they are now—except where they are wrong. Had those, plans been followed, you would not have had those grades which cause the difficulties which you now have. All that I did at Miramar helped you at Kilbirnie. My policy was to get as many people as possible interested in the district. I succeeded, and if I had not succeeded, the citizens of Wellington would not have voted tho money for these, tramways. Mr. Wright, who was then laying out the tramways for the city, ■ absolutely confirmed my route. I worked out the estimates for the Miramar tramways, and, except where the plans were departed from, my estimates came out, right to within a few hundred pounds? All tho tramways out this way, except the Lyall Bay line, were schemed out by me and those with me. I.claim that no man has done more for this district during the last thirteen years than Charles John Crawford." (Applause.)

"What Next " writes: "Mr Wilford, candidate for the Mayoralty, has, announced that if he is elected Mayor he will resign the Chairmanship of Committees of the Houso of Representatives. What an extraordinary.idea Mr. Wilford must have of his obligations. When his name was proposed as Chairman of Committees, •• and Mr. Massey opposed his eleotion, Mr. Wilford, almost with tears in his voice, assured the House that "it is for the position I care—it is the position for, which I have. ambition, and I do not care if the whole of the salary is knocked off." That was Inst June. Nine months. after Mr. Wilford, having gratified hi 6 ambition in that respect, is quite prepared to chuck the chairmansnip over his shoulder and snatch the mayoralty. Then if he gets the chance, he will no doubt chuck over the mayoralty for the Ministry, and then—goodness only knows!"

"I have stood for elections for twenty years past—smaller elections than this one, of course," said Mr. Crawford last night, "and I have never been within a thousand miles of being beaten, and I am not going to be within a thousand miles of being beaten this time." The fondness of Mr. Wilford for low comedy shows itself as the election campaign proceeds. One of his methods of appearing humourous is to misrepresent the proposals put forward by his opponent so as to mako them appear quite ridiculous, and then to pretend to discuss thera in this false aspect. For example, at his Island Bay meeting on.

Tuesday night, Mr. Crawford said that the city should consider whether it could not save expenditure by generating its electricity by water power. The potentialities of the Tauherinikau Eivor had been favourably reported upon, and should be very carefully looked into by the city authorities with this end in view. Mr. Wilford last night twisted this proposal into a suggestion to bring water to Wellington over or through the Kimutakas, and though a member of the audience at once exclaimed that he was misrepresenting Mr. Crawford, continued to poke ridicule at his opponent's supposed plan for tho "bringing of water for the city from the Tauherinikau Kiver." Again, Mr. Crawford's simple suggestion to form a boat harbour at Island Bay was burlesqued into a proposal for "running races in the straits." This sort of frivolity is not likely to weigh, as argument with any of Mr. Wilford's hearers, and his method of grotesquely misrepresenting his opponent, while pretending the most studious fairness towards him, is the last thing that is likely to advance Mr. Wilford's candidature. Mr. Wilford has reprinted in pamphlet form a report from The Dominion of opinions expressed by members of the Harbour Board on his administration of the board's affairs. In referring to this phamplet in his address last evening, Mr. Wilford said, somewhat inexplicably: "It will explain to you the position as far as the criticisms of myself is concerned in a certain newspaper." Mr. Crawford said last night that he wished to emphatically deny a state- ' ment that his policy in regard. to woodblocking some of the city streets would lead to increased rates and higher rents. It would result, as he had pointed out before, in a.saving of expenditure. "Give us your own platform," cried a of the audienco when Mr. Wilford set out last evening to discuss in detail tho policy of his opponent. Mr. Wilford replied that surely he could arrange his address in the way that suited him. "There is not a soul here wants to keep you if you don't like to stay, and I won't miss you if you leave." The interjector was apparently indifferent to '•Mr. Wilford's feelings, for he did not take this hint to go. Mr. Crawford spoke last night at Maranui and-at Kilbirnie. At the former place, Mr. W. H. Morrah.was in the chair, and'a vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously on the motion ef Mr. Hutchison, seconded by Mrs. Gnymer. At the Kilbirnie Churchroom, Mr. P. J. W. Pear presided. The candidate, who was very well received, concluded a vigorous speech with the remark: "I have met my opponent before and wiped the floor with him, and I am going to give ,him on this occasion the biggest licking ever recorded in local history." A vote of thanks and con r fidence was proposed by Mr. P. Lundon, seconded by Mr. T. Dillon, and carried unanimously. "When ,yon a6k me questions, don't scratch your head at the same time, becauso yon might get splinters in your fingers."—Sample of'the retort courteous and convincing by Mr. Wilford. Mr. Wilford found it necessary to deny, at his meeting last evening, a statement which ho said had been made lately that his party-were not working as hard as'the other side. He did not believe that there had ever been a Mayoral election in, Wellington organised like the present one, and he felt sure, after his eleven experiences of elections, that he knew what organisation meant. So far as effectual organisation ovor a large 'district was concerned he claimed that- ho was running a' most healthy, vigorous, and generous organisation. , .

TO-NIGHT'S MEETINGS. Mr. C. J. Crawford mil address the city electors at the Druids' Hall tonight.'' ""'' Mr. J. Brodio will deliver an address' at Hope Hall, Miramar, to-night. Mr. ?W,i.H. Russell, who is contesting the Hutt ■ Mayoralty, ■ speaks in the Churchroom, Alicetown, to-night.;' EASTBOURNE. Mr. Hobbs, a candidate for the East-' bourne Mayoralty, mil address the electors at MfGuire's Hall to-morrow night. JN OTHER CENTRES. (By TeleErsiDa.—Special Oorreroondenll • Palmerston North, April 20. Mr. J. A. Nash was to-day returned unopposed as Mayor for Palmerston North. This will "make Mr. Nash's third term. During the two years which he has already occupied the Mayoral chair, he has gained the confidence and esteem of the burgesses. , (By Teleeraph.—Press Asßociatlon.l Wanganui, April 20. Mr. C. B. Mackay has been returned unopposed for the Mayoralty of Wanganui. Mr. John Jones was returned unopposed for the Mayoralty of Wanganui .East. . / Blenheim, April 20. Councillors .E. H. Penny and J. Jt, White were to-day nominated for the Mayoralty. of Blenheim. ' Dannevirke, April 20. Messrs. W. Haines and E. A. Hanson wore to-day nominated for the Mayoralty. Pastor Kies, the present Mayor, does not contest 1 the position, owing to ill-health, r Woodville, April 20. Mr. D. G. M'Eibbin has been reelected unopposed as Mayor of Woodville. Masterton, April 20. Mr. J. M. Coradine has been returned unopposed as Mayor of Masterton, in succession to, Mr. P. L. Hollings. ' •■" Napier, April 20. Mr. J. Vigor Browji, M.P., was to-day re-elected unopposed as Mayor of Napier. Nelson, April 20. Mr. Jesse Piper (present Mayor) and Mr. Thos. Pettit have' been nominated as Mayor. Hastings, April 20. Mr. J. A. Miller was re-elected Mayor unopposed. Pahiatua, April 20. Mr. W.W. M'Aidle, for many years a borough councillor, was to-day elected' unopposed as Mayor. '■ Greyiown, April 20. The present Mayor, Mr. D. P. Loasby, has been re-elected unopposed. Messrs; Olifent and Trotman have been elected on the Town Tru6t. Feilding, April 20. Mesas. E. Goodbehere, G. J. Harford, and J. M. E. lockhead have been nominated for the office of Mayor of Feilding. Wairoa, April 20. Dr. Somerville, the retiring Mayor, and Mr. J. Corkill, chairman of the Harbour Board, have been nominated for the Mayoralty. A .keen contest is anticipated. Auckland, April 20. Messrs. L. J. Bagnall and P. J. Nerheny have been nominated for the Auckland city Mayoralty. Christchurch, April 20. Mr. C. Alison has been re-elected Mayor of Christohurch unopposed. Mr. M'Gregor Wright has been elected unopposed as Mayor of Woolston. Dunedin, April 20. Councillors Cole and Tapley have been nominated for the City Mayoralty. •