MEETING AT NEWTOWN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3061, 24 April 1917, Page 9

MEETING AT NEWTOWN

MR. J. CASTLE'S CANDIDATURE

A meeting of municipal electors ol Newtown was addressed by Mr. John Castlo, a candidate for the City Council, last night. Mr. J. Bland presided, and thero were-about 100'pfioplo present..

■ ■'.Mr. Castle at tho outset expressed disapproval of the prevailing method of recommending groups of candidates by "tickets," saying that it meant the introduction of political issues' into local affairs. He. said that in ' his opinion the_ : nlost important question to bo dealt with by the now council was that of providing a wholesome milk supply for- the city. He quoted from official reports and from statements of City Councillors to show' that at periods during the hot weather tho milk in Wellington was unwholesome, and unfit to be given to infants. The council, on the eve of its retirement, had passed two resolutions 1 These resolutions proposed to call for applications for a man. to take control of a milk-distri-bution scheme. He did not consider that this was a sufficient discharge of their duties by the old councillors. He did not beliovo that the proposal to i build a clearing-house for milk at a cost of £30.000 a year was any more than '.'a job." His own scheme for milk supply, he had in readiness, but he had very little hope of ever getting it through the council like the present one. He accused tho council of failure in -regard to the supply of fish, and ho declared that until the council gave up all idea of establishing markets, and applied itself to the "task of taking fish, to the people, the problem would - never be -solved. He would .suggest that the council ought -to see whether it would not be possible to send fish t6 the outskirts Of the city in suitable motor vheicles, so that every householder in the city might have an opportunity of buying .nsh-on two or three days a week. He spoke of the complaint of a city councillor about the great loss incurred by the keeping. of tho Zoo. He challenged the accuracy of the figures by which a loss of £2000 Was shown. These figures contained items of non-recurring expenditure, and other 'expenditure which Would have been' incurred whether the Zoo was there or not, and did. nob take account of tho profit to the tramways because of the existence of tho Zoo. He believed tho*total loss on the Zoo was not mors than £760. He urged that the Zoo was worth vory much moro than this as an educational institution. And, further, he contended that cost of running the Zoo was excessive in some particulars. He believed that in the interests of sound finance it might be necessary to increase the charge for admission to the "Zoo to sixpence for every dav except Sunday, but he suspected tba't if the present council was re-elected the charge would be made sixpence for every day in the week. In reply to questions, Mr. Castle said t'nat he would support any . feasible -scheme for the improvement of the approaches to the hospital, and that he beUoVed additional expenditure on bathing facilities an Kilbirnie and Island Bay ought to b'e undertaken if funds were available. A vote of thankß and confidence was accorded to the candidate on the motion, of Mr. T. Fathers. ~ GREATER WELLINGTON TICKET. The Greater Wellington Municipal Association candidates continued their meetings last night. In tho open air, at Green Street, Mr. R. A. Wright referred to the programme of the Labour Party, and pointed out that the leaders hoped to capture the council by electing eight candidates. Fortunately, there were sixteen councillors (including the Mayor), and the latter had a casting vote. The leaders of the Labour Party evidently were unaware that it requires nine councillors to constitute ' a majority. j * Mr. Norwood outlined l his policy as a prospective councillor and a member of the Harbour Board. He strongly urged that slum areas should be abolished as speedily as possible. He knew this meant money, and he also knew that at present very little could be done. 'But the matter should not bo lost sight of. In the interests of the health of the community, the undesirable buildings should be demolished. • THE ONSLOW CAMPAIGN. Tho three candidates who are supporting the catchment water schemo for Onslow addressed a meeting injtho Public Hall, Khandallah, last evening. Mr. J. G. Harkness was in the chair. Mr. P. L. Hodgson challenged those opposed to the schome to get an opinion Or a competent engineer to prove incorrect the main points of Mr. Fulton's teport looii which ilia party relies: Mr. E. Cowles dealt chiefly with tho Compensation question, and said that the Borough Council would jyovido in the scheme for: tho_ needs _ of" all the ratepayers, and any industrial company would get its share. Mr. G. Finn mentioned that a party of 20 or 30 electors had accepted an invitation to examine tho catchment area, and after seeing it for themselves., everyone who had been in doubt was converted to belief in the scheme. -Mr. John Ball, who is standing for the Butt Mayoralty, will address electors at tho Congregational Schoolroom, Alioetown, to-night.