THE MAYORALTY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 162, 5 April 1921, Page 6

THE MAYORALTY

MB. R ( A. WRIGHT’S CANDIDATURE MIDERATE CANDIDATE'S CAMPAIGN OPENED Mr. R. A. Wright, who is a candidate for the Wellington Mayoralty, opened h's campaign in the Newtown Library last night. Mr. T. Forsyth was in the chair. There was a large attendance of electors, and Mr. Wright was given a very good hearing. The chairman, in introducing the candidate, expressed a very high opinion of Mr. Wright’s capabilities as an administrator, as proved by ,his services on the City Council, the Education Board, and other bodies. Mr. Wright was the right ■sort of man for a big task. He was a busy man, and that was one of big qualifications, since he had proved his industry and his ability in actual service. Ho was a mon of action, and what he undertook to do he would do. The chairman mentioned that Mr. Wright had a record for regularity of attendance at Harbour; Board and Education Board meetings, and had not been beaten by «ny member of the City Council. Mr. 'Wright, who was received with applause, paid a warm tribute to the retiring Mayor (MA J. P- Luke), and Mrs. Luke. He said that Mr. Luke had shown himself to be a devoted servant of tho people. He might have made mistakes but he had never faltered in his devotion to the public interest. Mrs. Luke had given freely and generously ot her best efforts, particularly in the cause of the soldiers. (Applause.) It was desirable, continued Mr. Wright, that changee should be made at intervals in the occupancy of the Mayoral chair, nnd Mr. Luke was now retiring. It was a reasonably contention that the members of the City Council were entitled to first consideration when a new Mayor was being selected. The councillors did a great deal of hard work, much of it being unknown to the citizens, and they han knowledge of municipal affairs, they had served an apprenticeship, and were in real touch with the council s operations. All these things should count when a Mayor was being selected. Ihe citizens ought to encourage the clt}S best men to take up the drudgery work Attached to the office of city councillor. Mr. Wright said there were in the field three moderate candidates and one iLabour candidate. He mentioned the negotiations that had led to tho reduction of the number of moderate canddates from five to three. An effort had .been made to reduce the number to one -but the matter had proved to be one ot 'extreme difficulty. However, Messrs. Weston and Norwood had retired in hi 'favour. Tho task of the voters now, if they wished a moderate Mayor, was to 'concentrate on the strongest of the three ‘moderate candidates. It was true, he I proceeded, that he was a busy man already but he had made arrangements 'that would permit of his devoting hi« time to the work of the city. He would become, for the time being, merely a •leeping partner in his would cease to be a member of the Har hour,Board and the Victoria College Board of Governors, and naturally he would cease to bo a city councilor Ho wan quite willing and quite "t vote the necessary time to the city s busi-

" The candidate referred to the growth of the city and the enlargement ot its municipal activities, with resulting increase in the responsibilities of the Mayor and councillors. The most important ‘question of all was finance. One candidate, whose name should have been Jere'miah, had been telling the electors that the finances of the city were in a deplorable state. Tho actual facte were shown clearly in the city accounts. The district fund was in debit some <£42,006, and the tramway account was in <^ lfc £51,000, making a total of £94,000. Other accounts were in credit to a total arnon t of je43 821. Then the city was hold m „ monev on deposit—temporary loans from Sns-to the amount of .£124,152. If the Council were required to pay back all this money at once, it would have to increase the bank overdraft to £I6G,/30. The bank had made advances on tne security of debentures issued in connection with some of the capital and.it was the duty of the council to

.otter tiLese nep en when opportunity arose. The money advanced by the bank for the milk scheme, street widening, and other works, amounted to £95,000. This money had been advanced until March of next year, and then the council would have either to get an extension of time or to raise a loan. The expenditure clearly was capital expenditure. The position, then, was that tne district fund overdraft, the temporary loans, the tramway overdraft, and. the debenture)? made a total of £313,84J. Credits amounting to £43,000 reduced this total debit to £270,000. But against this the city held in the bank on fixed deposit on various accounts a total sum of £156,'16 Tils a*set could fairly be placed against tho debits. Why had the district fund got so far behind. Simply because the council had been unable during the war years to borrow money, and had been forced to carry on works on current instead of raising loan money. Tho expenditure was capital expenditure, but tlie conditions had causeci it to bo chargee against revenue. The works comang within this description included the Day’s Bay purchase, the new fire station, the Lyall Bay purchase, the Kilbirnie Reserve, sundry land purchases, Constable Street widening, Orongo

Orongo water works, and housing expenditure of over <£1341,000. Mr. Hislop, in telling the electors that a sum of over £103,000 remained unaccounted for, had mentioned the Day’s Bay purchase. He hadi omitted to say, however, that he had been a member of the deputation which asked the council to buy the Day’s Bay bush. The missiny" .£103,000, as a matter of fact, was fully explained in the city accounts. The money had been Spent on tramway and electric light renewals. Mr. Wright asstured the electors that the present Mayor and councillors had nothing to be ashamed of. Every penny spent by th© council in recent -years had, been well spent. He realised that in the years ahead a policy of caution and prudence would be required. But prudence should not mean stagnation. It ho were elected Mayor, ho syould seek to carry on necessary works within the limits imposed by the financial situation. Money would become easier in the future, .and the council would be able then to proceed with the big progjrammo :of important works already authorised by the ratepayers. Mr Wright referred to the water supply scheme, which ' would provide all the water needed by Greater Wellington for some time to come. It would be sufficient for a population of 250,000. All the plant for the extension works had been ordered and the first scheme ought to be completed in about two years time. Hit water scheme was a good one, and >t was absolutely essential. Tho enlargement of the city’s electric generation plant was one of the works that had got to lie undertaken. The present dual plant was overloaded and out of date. The roads of the city required a great deal of improvement as soon as the requisite expenditure coifld be undertaken. It was true. also, that the tramway Kvstom was overloaded, but the critics did not realise all the difficulties. An increased supply of electrical power, for' use at the rush hours, was essential before material improvement could bo effected. The increase in tramway fares had not been made willingly by tho council, but tho councillors had not been weDonsible for the great increase in (ho cost of coal and materials, nnd in Hie rules of wages. These were factors

could not be avoided. Mr. Wright referred to the municipal housing scheme, and said that he- believed hotter progress would be made in the future. He mentioned also tho milk schema, which no thought had been of service to the neonle. He said, in conclusion, that ho would deal with other subjects at Inter meetings. He was quite willing to accept the decision of the electors in «. snorting spirit on polling day. He believed that the present, was no time for wild-cat schemes or wild experiments. Sound and solid administration was required until the financial position barf improved. He hoped that the moderate electors would see the wisdom o? concentrating on one of tho moderate candidate,*. (Applause.) The chairman stated that Mr. Wright had been declared the accepted candidate. of the Town-planning Association. Tho candidate answered a number of questions. He said the council nt present had no thought of another Increase in tram fares. He was sure that rates would not be unduly increased in the future. He would not tavoiir such nil increase. He would reprove of reducing the tram fares as soon as the conditions permitted. A vote of thanks and confidence was moved by Mr. M. Vickery, who said thrt the city needed a strong and able .M nvo r in the difficult' times ahead. _ The motion was seconded and carried bv acclamation.

Mr. Hislop will address the electors at Fullford’s Hall, Brooklyn at 8 o'clock to-night.