BEFORE THE POLL. THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 88, 15 April 1911, Page 3

BEFORE THE POLL. THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

MR. J. FULLER'S CANDIDATURE. A meeting of the supporters of Mr. John Fuller, jun., wa6 held in Turnbull'e rooms on Thursday evening. About 40 people attended. Mr. W. H. Edwards occupied the chair. He said the candidate was on no ticket; he wae an independent candidate and a successful business man. Mr. Fuller was well received. He said it was not his intention to go back and retrospect, nor was h© going to make any promises. His heart was in the project, "and when it is," he added, "1 go." He had, he explained, received his education in Auckland, and he was no firebrand. He was, he declared, level-head-ed, cautious, and progressive. No ticket claimed him as a party man. The interests of the whole of the city would be his interests. He wanted to go into the- council free and untrammelled. Plumping in municipal elections was absolutely ■wrong. A ticket meant cliques. A clique might mean conspiracy and conspiracy could very easily mean graft. They had heard a good deal of a citizen's ticket that had made its appearance at the eleventh hour. He knew that there were good men on the ticket, but they were able to stand on the merits of their achievements without any brand. Referring to the city rates, he said he was opposed to high levies, and would bring about a reduction if it weore possible to do so without injury to the city, and he thought it was. The council had apparently wakened up to the fact that there was something wrong with the tramways. It was in the position of "you scratch my back and I will scratch yours." He was firmly of opinion that an enquiry into the working of the whole system should be held. He was opposed to restrictive by-laws, and believed in. wholesome competition in business. Just as he believed in competition in business so did he believe in competition for the working man. It was all very well to say employers of labour ground men down. "They don't," he said. "Where they see merit the employers always reward it well." He had no axe to grind — had no shares in I any company — and had made enough money to live in comfort for the rest of his life. If he were elected he would nofc become afflicted with swelled head, but would listen to citizens' representations with due reepect. Ho wafi opposed to municipal trading except in regard to such concerns as were of national importance. The ether day they had heard of the damage earthquakes were likely to do in Wellington. He objected to the hair-raising scares promoted by professors. One paper in the South had actually "starred" the heading "Is Wellington Doomed?" More loyalty to the city was required. Hie patriotism for Wellington was strongly implanted, and he would never see tho capital city belittled in any way. The municipal accounts were not kept in the most approved way. What was wanted in the council was new blood. He- con- _ eluded by saying he had never made a failure of anything in his life, and he could assure them lie would not make a failure of municipal life. (Applause.) After answering some questions those present formed themselves into a committt*e to work in Mr. Fuller's interests. Mr. F. Cohen announces his candidature for the City Council. Mr. Len. M'Kenzie publishes in our advertising columns a notice to the electors.