CITY MAYORALTY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1416, 17 April 1912, Page 8

CITY MAYORALTY.

THE SPEECHESMR, BISS AT SYDNEY STREET, FIRE BOARD QUESTION. Mr. A. S. Biss delivered on address in the Sydney Street Hall .last evening, in support of his candidature for the city Mayoralty. Dr. A. Izard presided. . Sir. Biss stated that there was a general feeling in Wellington that nothing of importance need bo dono during the ensuing year, nnd that therefore it was immaterial who went in as Mayor. It should, however, be remembered that tho Mayor occupied the samo position as tho chairman of a company, and exercised iv largo measure of control over the vast assets of tho city. An inexperionced Mayor.might runtho city into very great expense, lie might, for instance, agree to pay a quarter per cent, more in interest on a loan thau was : really necessary. Mr. Biss dealt with the financial administration of tho tramways, and with tho Subject of technical education, on tho lines of his address of the previous evening, and again advocated a vigorous prosecution of street-widening. It was absolutely necessary, he said, to elect as Mayor a man who had acquired an extended knowledge of financial transactiins. Up till tho present ho had not been r.blo to gather from tho speeches of his opponents whether they realised tho important nature of the duties which they would have to carry out if they were elected. Tho question of firo control, Mr. Biss .remarked, was now under discussion. During his period of service in the council ho had associated himself witli Mr. Hisl'op (then. Mayor) in resisting a proposal ,to establish a fire board In Wel-lington,-and "he still adhered to his former', attitude.. An attempt, lie thought, would be made to show that the citizens of Wellington had lost by not delegating fire control to a board. It would be contended that the city had lost the contributions that were made by tho fire underwriters, and by tho Government, where a board ; had been established, and that insurance rate? were as high in Wellington as in any other town in New Zealand. From' his knowledge of insurance lie was able', to state, that if the companies had had.-'to contribute rates wouM~have Seen higher than they were now. Local conditions—the high lulls, high ■ winds, and interference with the water supply—tended to make rates higher in Wellington than elsewhere in New Zealand, and it was i only because the companies did not contribute towards the cost of Are control . Uiat rates were not vory much higher. Having concluded his address, Mr. Biss answered a few questions,- and was afterwards unanimously accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. In- an advertisement, Mr. Biss announces that, at his meeting in tho Druids' Hall this.evening the chair will be taken by the Hon. T. W. Hislop. MR. M'LAREN AT ARO STREET. Mr. D. M'Laren, tho Labonr candidate for the Mayoralty, addressed a meeting last night in Aro Street. Ho said that tho immediate work before the city_ was the duplication of the Wainui main, a work he had supported as a very necessary undertaking. Ho had to point out that with Wellington's affairs several undertakings'liad been carried out oh the lines of municipal Labour policy. , ;- The municipalisation of common sar.vices,' such as tramways, lighting, and power, abattoirs, etc, was a cardinal plaujc of ike Labour platform, and in no instance" were these undertakings a failure "in*.Wellington.. Tho. not, balance from'; the ■ tramways this year was ,£5616, after paying as interest on loans, iil-168',t0, sinking fund, .£12,818 'to depreciation, and =£1844 to the accident fund. There were now in tho tramways account accumulated sinking funds of .£29,373, and the ■ depreciation and renewal fund stood at £72,105. Out of the depreciation had been provided the carrying out of works which would otherwise have had to bo met from an added loan,, such ns tho construction and equipment of new cari erection of buildings, and tho exteneion of .the service. The Labour party supported municipal insurance, and he was glad to say that the City Council's action, in that direction had so far been a success. The council had gone in for accident insurance of its own employees. The tramways and lighting departments had contributed ;E7563 to this fund. The claims on some were only ,£IOSO, and tho fund was'in credit.'i£6Bl3, which was jery: satisfactory. A public policy of commercialism solely was not desirable', as tho making of profits from public undertakings should not be regarded as an end to be aimed at. Sound finance was required as a means to the end of affording greater service and improved conditions for the people. If returned ho would act with the same care as Mayor as ho.had exercised as councillor, whilst he would bo able to aivb his full time to the greater duties. A motion of thanks and confidence was put to the meeting, and carded unanimously. NOMINATIONS CLOSE TO-DAY. There were no nominations for the City Mayoralty filed with tho' returning officer yesterday, although the nominations closo at noon to-day. There are already four candidates definitely an-, nounccd -Messrs. J. Smith, D. M'Laren, A. S. Biss, and E. A. Wright, and it is still possible that Mr. J. P. Luke will consent to be nominated to-day. In conversation with a Domimon reporter last evening he declined to state definitely whether-he would go to the poll or not. He had been approached by many electors to becomo a candidate, he said, but ho had. his obligations to his business firm to consider, and ho-had not yet definitely made iiphis mind as to what he should do. If he did decide to stand he would at once resign from the directorate of the company. If ho should be nominated, the total number of candidates will bo brought up to five, and it is an open secret that already, there have been efforts made to reduce, the field to prevent a minority vote from carrying the day. ■ Mr. Charles Mainwaring. of Nqaio, will contest- tho Mayoralty of Onslow with Mr. Frank Holdsworth, the sitting Mayor. Mr. It. A. Wright, candidate for the city Mayoralty, will address the electors at tho Sydney Street Hall to-night, at 8 o'clock. "lie'also speaks to-morrow night at Dixon and Aro Streets. Mi - . John. Smith, acting-Mayor, will open his campaign to-night at Brooklyn (Fullford's Hall) at 8 o'clock.

The fortnightly meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was 'held. in. tho Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon. Mr. Seed, inspector, drew tho. society's ■ attention to the . fact that many of the cart-horses in town were greatly hampered in their work on account of their blinkers, being too closq over their eyes. This seemed to bo a fault easily remedied, if. owners would take Mia trouble to caution/their.drivers. The following donations to tho funds of the society were received and acknowledged:— Mr.'Justice Cooper, Messrs. 11. Headlnnd, and' J. B. Blair, ill Is. each; Mr. E. W. Gotch, ,£1; Mrs. J. S. Wilson, Us.; Mrs. Tiller, Bs. fid.; Messrs. M'Leod, Weir, and Hopkirk, Kempthorne, .Pr'osser, and Co., Morrison and M'Loiin, aud J)r. Newman, 10s. 6d. each; Messrs. C. IS. Trimniell, F. Harrison, Gollin and Co., A. Fitchett, Magnus, Sanderson, and Co., and Mrs. C. Harris, 10s. each; Messrs. .T. S. Swan, I). Milligan, l>. O'Connor, T. Whitehouse, J. Mackey, F. Atkins, H. Kirk, W. Ci. Mantell, J. Charlesworth, J. Jnck, W. Holland, H. Hughes, Ltd., South British Insurance Co., Ltd., H. A. Shepherd, W. ilildreth. and Son, M'Parland, J. S. Webb, Koberts N.Z., Ltd,, H. and W. K. Stend and Company, Rev. J. B. Glasson, Mr. Mnlineaux, Misses M'Lean and Helyer Mesdame3-Clelaud, Balcombe Brown, M. Kennedy, "W.F.G.," and two "Friends" as. each. Messrs. J. Copithorne, J. Smith and Son, H. Piko, T. Page, V. Uentice, T. L. Boyes, A. n. Barrett, W. Gasguoine, G. Flux, A. h. Preston. Sievors, Dr. Gilmer, Mrs. Dnm--I*ll.' Miss May Mootb, "W. 5.," "J.C.," '"&.," F. J. Carter, Dominion, and Mrs. Bri4oii, 2s. (id. each; Miss Richardson, 'i-. Gd.; Mrs. 11. L. Loask, and "New South Wales" 35.; "Friend," 25.; total, £21 15s. Sir Wilfrid Laurior, the. ex-Premier, figured in a sleigh accident when leaving Ottawa on an election trip for South Benfrew The sleigh was upset, and Sir Wilfrid was thrown heavily to the ground. Fortunately, he was not much hurt, and 'proceeded on his journey. For Chronic Chest Complaints, Woods' Great Peppermint' Cure, Iβ. 6d •