"FIVE YEARS OLD."

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 93, 21 April 1911, Page 2

"FIVE YEARS OLD."

LUSTY EASTBOURfiE. ELECTION DIFFERENCES. A LIVELY MEETING. Electors -of the borough of Eastbourna had an opportunity last evening o! hearing Mr. David Robertson say why he should be returned as Mayor, and why tne gentlemen associated with him should bo returned as councillors. The meeting from the beginning towards the middle was a very good humoured one. The remarks of the candidate for the Mayoralty were now and again punctuated by various interjections. Sometimes there were cheers, both ironical and encouraging. Towards tne close of the meeting, however, there was some disturbance at the bottom of tne hall, and threats on the part of some people to put other people out. Mr. W. Cable, who presided, introduced Mr. Robertson as a well-known I ratepayer and Mi-. Robertson remarked j taat no had been pressed so strongly to stand that he could not refuse. Now ! being in for it, he was determined to go on until the end. He was no "Weekender," but was one of the earliest settlers in Rona Bay. Those who said he had no interests in the borough were incorrect. Nor was he the only one who took an interest in the borough's affairs. He spent every spare pound on his place and he hoped to permanently reside there. There were others who were doing the same. Indirectly, the competition aroused by ticket " had already done good, and would do good for the borough, no matter who went in. If th S y\i s hed to have the borough go-ahead and to be attractive, as it would and could be, then they must support the men who would make the place so. AMALGAMATION. They wished to improve communication with Wellmgton? Well, he knew o, no better way of doing that than by joining Day's Bay with Eaetbourne Ihey had been called the "baby borough oi New Zealand." Unfortunately that was true, but they should not load up the place with debt by going in for over-ambitious scheme* Amalgamation with Day's Bay would place the borough in poawssfen of resources which would enable it to do with economy such works as would improve it arid increase the convenience. Go slow but go sure, he counselled. Ho specially mvited the ladies, because their interests had been overlooked in the matter of bathing accommodation. I here was plenty of accommodation for the men, but the ladies had been neSntrnS *" " *' bathing sheds ™« FINANCE. There was now an income of £1200 a year, and fixed charges amounted to close upon £1000. This had to be paid every year whether they liked it or not. xnat was how the previous councillors had roana^d affairs for the borough. Spending powers were then reduced to a very small compass indeed. Joining ■fay s Bay would but little increase the expenditure, while the income would be largely augmented by such an amalgamation. ° Mr. Robertson gave great credit to tho sanitary and works officers. He would not cut down wages. As a matter of tact, he had been instrumental in raising chem in one case. Good work demanded good wages. That was his idea. The last, council, .Left, on the beach • land acquired atfd the bridges, £150 to be paid. He did not believe in spending money like that before it was in hand. The acquisition of the bea<;h was not a bad thing done; but it would have to bo paid for, and it could have waited. " "-". 'References made to the ferry service are dealt with elsewhere. THE BOROUGH'S INDEBTEDNESS. "We are only five' year's old as a borough," Mr. Robertson continued, "and we owe £5000. Is that a good record 1 No. . Referring to the water and drainage scheme, Mr. Robertson said if the borough was to have a water system let it have a good high pressure system. But if he and his friends were returned they would not burden the borough with any costty water and drainage scheme, the time for which was not vet ripe. Mistakes had been made;' Eastbourne had become a borough too sopn ; but now the ratepayers should 'do their besi to get out of their mistakes. If returned, Mr. Robertson undertook to adhere to the policy of his party, i.e., making Eastbourne attractive and well-kept on the progressive lines -of efficiency and economy. Mr. Hobbs explained" that why he had stood down in favour of Mr. Robertson was that it was a pleasure for him to do so, Mr. Robertson being a man who had done real service to' the borough. For this he should be put at the head of the poll. Mr. R C. R-enner, a council candidate, in replying to a question, said he would live on that side of the water for preference if his business permitted him to do so. Mr. Fleming thanked Mr. Robertson for waiving the use of the hall on Saturday in favour of the Savage Club. " DISGUSTED WITH THE COUNCIL." Then came questions. ' Councillor Wills asked Mr. Robertson, why he had not attended more meetings oi the council. Mr. Robertson : I was co disgusted with the treatment I received from the Mayor and councillors, the scant courtesy I received from them, that 1' could not " attend the meetings. Why, the very first time I tried to speak the ruled me out of order and told me to sit down. That's why I would not go back and sit on the council. A voice : Rot ! This is as good as a play. "BOMP, BOMP, BOMP, ON THE , BEACH." Councillor Russell here endeavoured to speak. He had been attempting to do go several times, but the chairman commanded him to sit down. At last he succeeded. He asked if Mr. Robertson: was not a supporter oi the boring operations on the beach? Mr. Robertson : Certainly not. I came on io the council to stop it. There was bomp, bomp, bomp on the beach, and then dynamite was put down the pipe to blow it out! Councillor Russell: Did you not support that scheme? Mr. Robertson: No. Councillor Ruesell : You did. Mr. Robertson : I would never support a scheme for bsring in a sea beach for fresh water. In reply to further questions, Mr. Robertson said he advocated calling for a report from Mr. Mestayer, C.E., on the water and drainage scheme after reading the preceding Teport. His was the only opposing voice from beginning to end. Councillor Russell : Rot ! At this point there was some scuffling at the back, of the hall. Everyone rose to see what it was. It was learned afterwards that an attempt had been 'made to put an interjector out. Then Dr. Mackenzie rose. There was more hubbub. He said Mr. Robertson was justified in obtaining another report on the drainage and water scheme to prevent the scheme being rushed through,' aud that ficbme, s&yert rasj£&& toy th*

borough. "When Councillor Robertson seconded this proposal he was squashed," said tho doctor, "and I had to intervene." There was more noise at the back of the hall. Mr. Robertson was asked if he was instrumental i n . getting the drainage tacked on to the wat-er scheme? In reply, he said if he did bo it was in order to kill the water scheme. Here more disorder followed. A SMILING CHAIRMAN. The chairman put a smiling face on it all. Mr. R. L. Button moved a vote of confidence in Mr. Robertson as Mayor, pointing out the folly of overloading the borough, in debt. The water and drainage scheme, he said, was "rotten finance. 1 ' Mr. Renner seconded. Councillor Ruasell rose to speak. The chairman: Sit down! An amendment was moved that the vote be one of thanks only. Councillor Willis rose again. "I wish to speak to the amendment," he said. Tne chairman: Sit down. Councillor Wills: But, surely, it ia open for discussion? The chairman : No, it is not. Councillor Wills: On what authority? The chairman: Mine. Someone asked if Mt. Cable had ever been in a chair before. "I have," he replied. NO DISCUSSION. Mr. S. Haxcourt (from the back of the hall) was understood to protest against the chairman allowing no .die cussion. This was followed by e&veral similar protests. There was a perfect babel of tongues. Someone called for "the audience to support the chair." A voice: You've nothing to do with Councillor Wills: I want to say The chairman : Sit down. Councillor Russell: I also wish to Bay that The chairman: Will you sit down? I will allow no discussion. Councillor Wills wished to say something. "'lt is nothing naughty," he said. He asserted that Mr. Robertscwi! had been weighed as a councillor and foand wanting. Councillor Russell attempted to speak. He wanted to get to the bottom of the water and drainage scheme. The chairman: Will you" sit down? We don't want to get to the bottom of anything eke than Mr. Robertson's fitness as Mayor. Mr. Harcourt wa« understood io second the motion. The chairman: It's an amendment. Here there was further disorder. Then , the chairman put the amendment, declaring it lost on the show of hands. Next_ he put the motion. "Carried unanimously !" he declared. Then, cor j reeling himself, " Carried by a large i majority." The hands held up were but seven or eight. TheTe were one or two wordy wrangles inside the hall afterwards resumed outside, but, generally speaking, the meeting, if at times noisy, was goodhumoured.