NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 801, 26 April 1910, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Mr. C. J. Crawford is to be! honoured by the members of the M«*amar Borough Council, over which he has presided as Mayor for the last three years. During his terra of office a son has been born to him, and, to commemorate the N -event, the members, of the council intend to present the retiring Mayor (who is a candidate for the City Mayoralty) with a silver cradle, ■ which is being by Messrs. Stewart Dawson and Co. Taking, for the sake of illustration, the 6um of £10,000 as that to be raised for his policy of wood-blocking some of tho central streets). Mr. Crawford , said last night that they could reckon the city would have to pay ,£9OO a year/for fifteen years. That would be several thousand pounds .' a year less than what is now spent' in re-metalling, watering, and sweeping the streets, the money would released for needed works in the outlying portions' '. of the city, while the dust nuisance would to some extent be got rid'of. " Mr. Wilford, candidate for the <"sty Mayoralty, addressed, an audience of some thirty persons in the Anglican Schoolroom at Kelburne last evening. Ho explained his policy, and criticised that of his opponent, in' the manner of previous, speeches, and received an attentive hearing. A vote of thanks and confidence was passed. ' A ■•' -•"•■'•-"•--- ' '. ■__!_. '-•'" ■--".'- "I am not in favour of municipal trading ' except where it is necessary;■' said Mr. Crawford at St. Thomas's "Hall last night, "but if traders are combinihg'to' put'up ■ prices, ■ then the council'ought to go inland smash, them." > ' "It would be better for the city to borrow the money right out at 4 per cent, than to be paying the bank. 5 per cent, on that large amount of .£l6,ooo."—Mr: Crawford, on the finance of the electric lighting department. ■; "Dunejdin has water-power,' and practically all the chief cities of the world, where it is possible, use water-power for the generation of electricity," said Mr. Crawford last night at Newtown. He added that the late Mr. Peter Hay, Public Works Engineer, .had outlined a scheme for Wellington, which would supply; as much electric, power as .was now, used at an annual cost 'of ,£15,000, whereas at ; present .£16,000" or £17,000 a year was being paid for the coal used in .generating electricity. Surely the question of waterpower was worth looking into. He added that he did not at 'present go further than .to suggest it as a subject for investigation.

Mr. Crawford remarked at Newtown last evening that he did not see why stones should be thrown at him' in connection with his work in tho development of Miramar and adjacent district. Tho ,£IO,OOO spent there—most of. it. on labour, in making streets and the likehad resulted in greatly extending tho residential area of Wellington, and had it not been done the people would have had to pay even higher rents than they were paying now. (A voice: "Correct!" and applause.).

Speaking -on the subject of transit, at Eastbourne on Saturday evening, Mr. H. W. Shortt said that it was absolutely' necessary for the welfare of the Eastbourne district that the ferry service should, be improved, • and that could only be done by putting on extra boats, and particularly a night, boat. If this were there was not the slightest' doubt that the permanent population would double itself in a very short time. At the present time the want of proper communication • was a great _ drawbaok, and the place was simply stagnating for the want of a better service. Whoever was elected Mayor, it should/be his first duty to'make every effort to induce the Ferry Company to run a more up-to-date and frequent ferry service, and for the boats to at least run the ordinary time-table to. Eona Bay on holidays. If arrangements could not. be made with the Ferry Company, then it would be\for the borough council and the ratepayers as a whole to consider the best method of improving the means, of' communication with ' the district. It was all very well to talk about 'water and drainage schemes, but the.first and most important thing was to get an improvement in the ferry service, and until this was done he did not believe the ratepayers would sanction any loans for the works- mentioned; and it meant that their rates would be increased while their houses would still remain.empty during the win-, ter owing to the want of a better service. Hence the progress of the borough was at a standstill, and something must be done to improve it. '

Our evening contemporary; commenting, on the Mayoral candidates last evening, said: "Several times Mr. Crawford has' expressed an enthusiasm for public parks and.other recreation.spaces, but one looks in vain in Mirnmar for public reservations, excluding the small' park at Seatoun and a miuor pieco of public ground in Karaka Bay." It may interest the public to know what our contemporary apparently does not; viz., that tho late Mr. Crawford, father of Mr. C. J. Crawford, gave Kilbirnie Park and Seatoun Park to the. public; that Messrs. C. J. and A. C. Crawford gave 15 acres at Karaka Bay as a park; that Mr. H. D. Crawford gave a park at Lyall Bay (in return for tramway extension); and that Messrs C. J. and A., C. Crawford gave land fOT the erection of Boman Catholic and' Methodist Churches at Seatoun. Mr. Townsend speaks at Hope Hall, Miramar, at 8 o'clock to-night. Mr. C. J. Crawford will speak at the Sydney Street Schoolroom this evening, at 8 o'clock. ' Mr. Bunny will address the Lower Hutt electors this evening 'at 8, o'clock, at the I'own Hall.