CIVIC ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1728, 19 April 1913, Page 8

CIVIC ELECTIONS.

MR. T. C. A. HISLOP'S CAMPAIGN SPEECH AT DRUIDS' HALL. Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, a candidate for election to the City.-Council, opened his campaign in tho Drtids' Hall last night. Upwards of .10 people, were present. Air, John Hunth presided, and, in introducing tho candiunte, referred to the valuable services rendered to tho city bv his lather, the Ron. T. \V. Hislop. As for tho young man, ho was and always had been a resident of Wellington, all his interests were here, and men of his sort were the people that should bo elected to the City Council. .Mr. Hislop addressed himself first to tho question, Why had he come forward as a candidate, for tie council? He did not claim any specie! ability, and there was, indeed, 110 special single reason, but three main reasons had iulluenccd him. Tho first was a strong desiro to lako part in public life. His second reason was that he was firmly convinced that an'infusion from time to time of new blood into public institutions worked for good. His third reason was one which followed upon the first—it was that more young men ought to come forward to take pare in controlling tho affairs of tho city. It was quite evident from the lack of interest beiug taken not only in this election, but in previous elections, showed that the people did not realiso tho importance of local government—the conduct of purely local affairs by local bodies. After directing attenliou to what had occurred in infringement of that.principle during the last six years, Jlr. Hislop said that if he were ;lected a member of the council he would always do all he could to make representations to tho Government and to Parliament to prevent the passage of any other Bill, should such be introduced, infringing that principle. Speaking of the tramways, he said they had been founded 11:110 years ago, with the aid of . moneys borrowed, some •£555,000. In the nine years the council had set aside some £90,000 for the improvement of tho service, and also tho usual amount for sinking fund, about -£40,000. This showed that the financial condition of the tramways finances was satisfactory, and that the management of them had been efficient. In considering the fares to be paid, it must be borne in mind that the tramways were not to bo run. as a money-making concern. Provided they paid all expenses of running, renewals, occasional iihort extensions, iuterest, and sinking fund, they wore,doing sufficient. So. soon as all these costs could be met out of revenue, it was time for the council to consider the question of reducing fares. The lines should be the arteries of tho city, and good communication should bo established between the centre of the city and tho outlying areas, the reserves, and ■ tho seaside resorts. These principles would guide him in considering any proposal for tho reduction of fares. As to the running of tho cars, it seemed to him tlat the time-tables could be altered with advantage, for it was no uncommon thing to have to wait somo minutes for a car of any sort, and then to see three or four cars come along together, and all bound for the samo place. He thought also that the steps on some cars wore inconveniently high. ' The only other master which was a burning question before tho city was as to the policy to bo followed in dealing with reserves. The interest of tho public in them had been abundantly shown by the success of the recent carnival. He did not look upon reserves merely as .playing- areas, out rather as breathing places aud beauty spots to be visited by the citizens,and by strangers. If they were so used as places of resort Ihey would be an agency for good in promoting tho health and vitality of tho citizens, aiwNjy so doing they would bo of considerable material, benefit also. It had been said thn.t many of the young men who were standing at present for the council were opposed to Labour. From bis-knowledge, of then ho could say that this statement was fahie. So far as he personally was concerned nobody had more at heart the true interests of labour than ho had. What he.objected to was any policy. : which would havo the effect of involving •„the city in many new, enterprises taxing, heavily the resources of-the ciliy beforo. the city could those- new enterprises:' Labour's ideals? were admirable, but the city was not ready for them, nor could it afford'them. After the candidate had -answered a number of questions, .1 vote of thanks and confidence was tendeied to him, the motion being carried on the voices. MR. LUKE AJ SYDNEY STREET. Mr. J. P. Luke, in continuance of his Mayoral, election campaign, addressed a meeting of electors in the Sydney Street Schoolroom last night. Mr. W. A. Thomson presided." Mr. Luke drew attention to one or two reforms he had advocated as a. member of the council, especially affecting the Thorndon end of the city. He had assisted Councillor Anderson in the proposal which, had led to tho establishment of Anderson Park at (he end of. Sydney Street, and he had also persistently advocated the uniting of Wadestown with the city, Referring to the city's finances as published in the newspapers, he said thnt a surplus was shown, but on the other hand iMOOO less had been spent on street works than had bsen spent the previous year. Rents had also increased some thousands,-and special expenditure had been only ,£7685, as against something like ,120,000 the previous year. The purchase of land at Lyall Hay, and the street- - widening scheme in Willis Street, had involved heavy expenditure in the last year Mr. Wilford held office. . Another item showing reduction, in this case of JM.'iOO. was the contribution 1.0 the Hospital aud Charitable Aid Board. A vqtc of thanks End confidence was accorded to the candidate. MR. PERRY AT NEWTOWN. Mr. W. Perry addressed a considerable number of electors at St. Thomas's Schoolroom, -Newtown, last night. Mr; Heginbothaui occupied tho chair. The candidate's address was on similar lines to the one delivered by him at. Brooklyn on Thursday night. Ho advocated tho construction of a traffic tunnel to Kilbirnie', and strongly urged the construction of more sauitary conveniences throughout the city, describing tho present conveniences as "disgracefully inadequate" Ho said that there were quiet years ahead of the city as far as the undertaking'of any great and expensive works was concerned. Tho timo was not opportune for borrowing, us money was dear and likely to bccomo dearer. His criticisms of the present council wero much appreciated by tho audience. At tho conclusion of his address tho candidate was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. Mr. Terry will address tho electors, at tho Churchroom, Kilbirnic, on Monday next, at S p.m. AT WADESTOWN. FOUR CANDIDATES SPEAK, Two dozen people assembled in tho Wntlestow.n Hall last nighli to hear the addresses'which Messrs. It. Ai Wright. L. M'Konzie, and H: Buddie '(all'on tho ticket of the Greater Wellington Municipal Electors' Association) had undertaken to deliver there. Mr. Joplin presided. .AH). T!. A. AYRIGHT. Mr. T!. A. Wright said that though there were a dozen men on Ihe ticket to which he belonged.every man was standing to represent his'own individual views. Thero was no organisation or clique backing them. There was-no Merchants' As. sociation running them. In his address he would speak solely of his own views, lie was not, ho saic., in favour of any wild, visionary schomes, and experiments, and fads, and would oppose then! until there seemed a probability of their paying. He was not, however, against progress. The tramway concern was a business concern which should be run on business lines. He believed in giving concessions io users of fhe I rams consistent with thi' idea that there should bo no loss. The question of running cars not the full distances might be considered. Wadestown cars, foi instance, did not run right through, iind if that method was applied to Iho Island Bay cars so that they ran from the bay to Rinloul Street, mid acted as feeders (0 tho Ncwiown cur?, some saving in working r-x----pon.- might In- I'llc'i'lnl. lie was in In\uiir of ivi real ion founds for llir various suburbs when there was any money for them.

MR. L. M'KENZIF. Mr. L. M'Konzie, a member of the retiring council, claimed that various things which he had put forward ns part of his policy when first-standing for the council had since come to pass. For instance, the appointment of a board of inquiry to investigate the tramway system properly. The tramways now showed a credit balance, aud he thought that tho last council had done many useful works, including living within its means. Ho had been a. member of the Outlying Districts Committee of the council, and ho thought 1 hut the roads in Wadestown needed improving. It would bo unwise to attempt to do it just now, but the engineer had assured him that this would bo done ns soon as possible. ■ A voice: That was said live years ago. Mr. M'Kcnzie said that the people were getting water and drainage systems put in, and these big works and tho roads could not bu done in five minutes. The council bad passed a resolution requesting the engineer to proceed with the Wadestown roads and footpaths as soon '•is possible. The voice: There are no footpaths. Some people, continued Mr. M'Kcnzie, said that more money than was necessary was being made by tho tramways. If this was tho case he was agreeable to extend as many privileges ns wero warranted to the outlying suburbs. The retiring council had been a careful body, «ud ho hoped that this time, too, the people would return practical men, not theorists. MR. H. BUDDLE. Mr. H. Buddie said that though he had been connected with sport in Wellington, ho was nut standing as a nominee of anv sports body; he stootl ns a citizen. Ho would not, if elected, sit on the council to further the interests of anv particular section of the community. "Will this proposition benefit Wellington . as a whole?" That was the question by which he would be guided. The finances of the nty needed careful nursing. As to the Town Belt, be was.in agreement with the principle embodied in the. Wellington City Reserves Leasing Bill. By this Bill portions of the reserve) could be leased for recreation purposes. Restrictions protected the public in the matter. The public would always havo access, and the maximum area of land which could bo leased was 100 acres, out of a -total area Df 000 acres of Town Belt, Wadestown was entitled (0 a recreation ground, aud when finances permitted thero was no reason why they -should not havo it. On- the Wadestown tram, line, the first section out from Lambton Station was ridiculous--ly short. The Wadestown trams should run down Charlotte Street and Bunnv Street to tho General' Post Office,' and the last section should bo extended without further charge to the passengers. This scheme was at present under consideration, but the whole thing was complicated, and depended'a great deal oh the site of the proposed new railway station. .However, negotiations with the Government, wore in progress. The roads about Wadestown were absolutely disgraceful, but ho was glad to hear that they were being improved.A voice: When,the election is over they will take tho men off, like they did two years ago. Jlr. Buddie concluded by appealing to the electors to exercise their votes at the coming elections. MR. A. R. ATKINSON. Mr. A. R. Atkinson, one'of the outgoing councillors, who had been sitting among tho audience, .was invited .to speak. He said that he considered that the addresses of tho previous speakers were simple and straightforward. In his four years' experience on the'council ho had not teen n suspicion of dishonesty in any councillor, and there was a high level of business nbility. A tendency, however, which needed guarding against was that of, out of sheer good-!ft\irtedness, making special concessionsi when a bv-law pressed hard. on some individual. He agreed with Mr. Buddie in urging -the people to c.vreise their votes; apathy was the greatest danger fo democracy in municipal'politics. The most muddled business the council had over got into was the tramway strike, and tho best work the present- council hael :' done was tho bstablishmeiit'of the Tramway Board. This would make it far mora difficult for future councils to get into the mess that, the present council had-landed"! in (tho strike). Hero again'was seen tho valuo of favour-of-elect-ing to tho council prudent business men, and keeping the politician's away from the control of tho affairs. Councillor M'Kcnzie was entitled to crcdit-for the Tratn»_way Board aaul the - Fire Beard innovations to Wellington. As to Wadestown's trams,-Ue.: thought that the-ultimate solu--tiou of tho present financial difficulty miist be the pooling of the Wadestown's tram moneys-with It was inequitable that Wadestown shoulel bo. pay-, ing for its own trams, and paying for, say, some portion of the Constable- Street extension.