MR. HUNT AT KILBIRNIE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1110, 25 April 1911, Page 9

MR. HUNT AT KILBIRNIE.

SOME SUBURBAN AFFAIRS. Mr. A. Lc-igh Hunt addrcssed.au enthusiastic mooting of electors last evening in O'Donnoll's Hall, Kilbirnie. In an address that was listened to with close attention Sir. Hunt dealt wit!: various municipal questions on the lines ol previous addresses delivered recently. Mr. J. Heginbotham presided. Questioned as to the desirability of importing an expert to report on the- cuv tramway system; Mr.. Hunt said ho was in favour of obtaining first a' report from the council's departmental heads. I robably these officers had made niahv recommendations that for some reason or other had not been carried out. it was only fair that they should bo asked to report before any further step was taken. Possibly, said Mr. Hunt, the new council might be competent to overhaul the tramway system on its own account. Beplying to a questioner who complained that Kilbirnie had been robbed of n sum of £2000 voted for improvements to the reserve but not spent on that area, Mr. Hunt pledged himself that, if returned, he would see that the sum named was spent as allocated. He questioned ihe legajity 'of the process by which the vote had been diverted. A wrong had been done in this matter to Kilbirnie and it should be righted at the earliest possible date. Mr. Hunt answered in the affirmative a question as to whether he was in favour of-having loan proposals submitted to the electors at. a poll in separate items. The speaker agreed that the ratepayers should have an opportunity of approving or rejecting each loan proposal upon its individual merits. At •present projected loans for necessary works were sometimes rejected simply because they were grouped with other loans to which 'exception .was taken. On,:tho motion'of Mr. E. C. Jack, Captain Wright, J.P., seconding, a vote of thanks''and 'confidence in Mr. Hunt was/carried unanimously.MIRAMAR MAYORALTY. . Mr.-:V. It. .Meredith addressed a large meeting of electors at Miraraar last evening,. Mr. W. Houchen being in the chair. The candidate adversely criticised the tram services, and advocated a further saving in money by Cutting out junction trams. • He also •disagreed with tho present Mayor's policy .in many respects. Also, tho policy 'of the Borough Council in' the past had been lavish and' wasteful, and not so much in .the true interests of the residents of tho borough as to the benefit of the land.syndicate. He contended tha.t the. accounts from which Mr.Vßrbdie/claimed- a surplus on tho year's : working 'were misleading, and instead of. a surplus thero was a further "-loss. He advocated, the borough accounts: being kept on business lines, and affairs put \n order so' as- to. command favourable terms if. ultimate amalgamation .with Greater "Wellington was considered desirable.

Messrs. Bow,ie,, Richards, Stone,, and Griffiths, candidate's for tho council, also spoke, aiid Mr. H. M'Leod also addressed the meeting.

'citizens' league. A meeting of tlio Executive Committee of the Citizens'. League was held yesterday. Kepprts were' received from the various districts stating'that, good progress l was being made that prospects for tho, return of the league candidates .were . particularly' bright.. The -fa'ct .that : the league - recognised ?the 'necessity "of" having all ;cia , sses' L in .tlio community'represented-oh' the council and Harbour, Board,, it wa3 stated, was being 1 heartily approved. "Mr. HY: Price' having intimated his withdrawal from tho contest, it 'was ■decided to' support tho.candidature of ■Mr..:E: : iGtillichan. It wasifdecsdod'' l 'to" r call a meeting of the league in thd Chamber-of Commerce on 1 Wednesday' .(election, day) at'9.3o a.m.,. to make final arrangements with a-view to securing the return of league candidates. . Tho Citizens' League, according to a member who was' prominent in pro- ■ moting. its' formation, will not termin-. ate its' existence at the close of the election now. at, hand. It is intended to bo a-permanent bpdy. .'When, the noise of. this struggle has died away :tho .league will- pursue .its .primary. :-aim of organising an efficient opposition' to tho activities of the Labour ■ party. In the present election none of tho, league candidates arc pledged and no platform. has been advanced. League candidates in. future electoral contests, may. bo asked to subscribe, to. a pledge.- It is unlikely that a platform | in minute detail will over bo framed, but it. is stated by the .member mentioned that in .its future 'activities tho league will .probably make a definite pronouncement upon such questions as State interference in the province of municipal. affairs, municipal trading, and other largo'issues in ■ municipal politics. Probably the league, in intervals between -elections, will press its views upon the attention of the coun-. cil in, office at the time.. As the, league -is'a.public body, with an open mem-bership,-.these proposals arc liable to •undergo variation, but future developments are very likely to follow on the lines indicated. Mr. H. C Tewsley is president of the league, but no permanent secretary has as yet been appointed.

The Hon. J. E. Jenkinson writes:—. In reply _to '.your correspondent "A.D.R.," in to-day's issue, please allow me to assure him I did not think the matter of public markets was of insufficient importance to require mentioning in my address, for on the thhtrary I did mention it, and said that; tno revenue derived from tho Royal Ofik site might be utilised to mako the experiment. I should be glad to seo this carried out." : •--

• Just on thirty doctors; despite the inclement weather, assembled at Northland last evening in - the • Methodist Church to hear Mr. John Fuller, jun. speak 011 matters municipal. Mr. Fuller emphasised that lie had' always been a keen student-of civic* managoinciitand had a splendid opportunity in his icccnt tour of the world of-completing a practical study, which- should be invaluable should ho be successful at the poll on Wednesday.- Mr.' Fuller speaks at Itoseneath Schoolroom this evening, arid his general committee will meet in Panama Street at 8 p.m. '

Mr.' W. S.. Bedford did not. address the electors at the Queen's Statue- yesterday ,as lie was announced to "do, weather.conditions' being unfavourable. Mr. Bedford intends to speak at tho Statue,to-day, and to address a meeting at Newfown in tho evening. At an open-air meeting on Saturday evening .Mr. Bedford strongly.criticised the attitude of tho Mayor (Mr. T. M. Wilford)' in' reference to tile recent acceptance, By thecouncil, of a tender for tramway advertising. "Hiram Giinn" writes:—"Your reporter missed n point in Mr. Jensen's speech on Thursday evening last—the. tail-end of his remarks on municipal markets. He said that people'were so used to have even a pound of butter delivered at their back-doors that they wouldn't wander far away to buy i't cheaper and carry it home themselves. Ho offered to he. one of a body of men to establish a public market in 'the vicinity of tho Te Aro railway station for tho sale of meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, etc., and said he would subscribe £200 towards it. If the market paid 5 per cent, within a reasonable time he would be willing'to hand it over to the City Council at the original cost to the shareholders. , Will, any twenty men in Wollngon' back him up to the extent of £200 each, to prove their faith in the municipal market scheme?" Supporters of the Labour party are invited'to participate in..a "rally" at the Bahcl Rotunda, near the Town Hall, this- evening.' ' All the candidates of tho Labour "ticket" will be present.

During tlie present campaign tho Labour partv lias distributed no less than 36,000 _. printed leaflets, setting forth the object and aims of its nominees. Dr. Cameron, who is addressing electors at tho Newtown Library Hall tonight, inserts an advertisement in this issue, referring to his candidature for the City Council election. In an advertisement in this issue, the Hon. J. J3. Jeiddnson, M.L.C., who is contesting a seat on the City Council, states that he has outlined a comprehensive scheme of town-pianiiing, which, he states, will make Wellington worthy of its motto: "Suprema a Situ." Mr. H. Baldwin, announced that, he will address Hutt electors at St. James's Hall, Woburn Road, Lower Hutt, tonight. • Messrs. M'Konzic, M'lntyro, and Dr. Cameron addressed a large number of electors at Brooklyn last night. They were well received, and after answering many questions wore given, three, cheers and promises of support. Mr. William Telford, who is standing for a seat on tho Miramar Borough Council, inserts an advertisement of interest to electors in this issue. Mr, Telford advocates 'development of Scatoun' beaches, water, and drainage,' road improvement's, and lighting. . At Mr. Jackson's residence at Vogeltown to-night Mr. A. K. Hornblow will address electors. . . Mr. E. P. Bunny, will address electors at tho Congregational Schoolroom, Alicetown, at 8 o'clock this evening.

Mi'. A. Leigh Hunt will 'address'the electors at Brooklyn School this evening. The meeting opens at 8 p.m. In cofiiiection witn the half-holiday campaign a • special advertisement appears in this.issue, giving reasons why .Wednesday should be.'retained as . the statutory half-holiday. In another column the Wellington Citizens' League recommends, citizens to vote for its tickets for the,.' City. Council arid the Harbour. Board. Of the league's list ten arc sitting mem-' bcrs of> the City Council, and two are sitting members of the ,Harbour Board.