THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 3553, 13 July 1874, Page 2

THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

THE NOMINATION.

The nomination of candidates for the office of Mayor for the ensuing year took place at the terrace of the Provincial Council Chambers at About 300 persons were present, m 1 8 Showing nominations were read by the Town Clark :

Mr Keith Ramsay— proposed by Mr Francis M ken am, and seconded by Mr James MolLTSON.

Mr H. J. Walter—proposed by Mr Lloyd Williams, and seconded by MrG. E. Dkrmer. ihe Mayor declared the proceedings adjourned till Tuesday week, the 21st inst.. when a poll would be taken.

Air Ramsay prefaced his remarks by saying that it was not his intention to detain those present by making a long speech on municipal matters, as they would have ample opportunity of hearing him at thedifferent places at which he intended to address them. At the same time he might take the opportunity ef referring to one or two matters which had come under their notice during the past year, and might come under their notice during the present year. Ho was aware that the price given by the Corporation for the Waterworks appeared to be somewhat large, but he was prepared to show that the ratepayers would be the gainers by it, as the Corporation would be able to reduce the water-rates by a considerable sum. He had also to congratulate the citizens at the lower end of the City on the initiation of the underground drainage system. There was another matter to which he might refer (though it was not altogether connected with the Council), and that was the Harbor Board. He thought he was justified in referring to it, seeing he was somewhat connected with it. Another matter of congratulation was the abolition of the Mayor’s Court. (“No, no,” from several voices.) He was aware that there was a great deal of opposition to this, but he believed that its abolition had met with the approval of the greater number. With regard to the gas question, the lease would expire in March. 1875, and this matter would shortly come before the Council. There would either have to be a renewal of the works by some party, or the Corporation would have to build new works. He was in favor of a renewal of the present contract. So far as personal grounds went, he was before them for tw© reasons. The first was that he was as much entitled to their support as any other person in the Council: the second, and perhaps the more important, that a large amount of support had been promised to him. Speaking to the first ground, ne might say he had been in the Council for the last three years, and could say that he was the senior member in the Council He wap aware that Mr Walter claimed t* have been one year more in the Council than he (Mr Ramsay) had, but his having been there three consecutive years entitled him to the seniority. Mr Walter had been five years in the Cou.c'll, but he was out ef it for one year. During the three years he (Mr Ramsay) had been in the Council he might state that he had attended 101 conned and 108 committee 'meetings ; had only been absent from one council meeting, and then he was away from town, and he had only been absent from a few committee meetings for the same reason.

In answer to questions, Mr Ramsay said

that the purchase of the Waterworks would cost in all about L 116.000, orLIIB,OOO. When Mr Mercer was elected Mayor, he proposed L3OO as a fit salary ; but the other Councillors thought it too little. He was not going m for the salary—(Cries of “Oh ! oh !”)—and if elected, he would leave the room while the salary was fixed, and take whatever amount was voted to him. He would expend the money to the interests of the City. Application had been made to the Assembly for power to enable the Corpoiation to collect the water-rates quarterly, 'J hey intended to ask for a new Act by which they might collect them halfyearly instead of quarterly. Mr Walter said that of course he was not an entire stranger to the electors—he did not go before them and ask them to play the part of the Grand Duchess while he acted that of Fritz, and heap honor on him which he did not deserve.—(Loud laughter.) Notwithstanding the sophist) y of Mr Ramsay, that gentleman could not help admitting that he (Mr Walter) had served the ratepayers longer than he had! He (Mr Walter) would say that he was the senior member of the Council. He had served for two years before Mr Ramsay was a member. They now paid L 8 per annum for each gas lamp, and the reduction was made before Mr Ramsay entered the Council: he had repiesented the Ward for which Mr Ramsay was now member for two years, and he had heard quite recently that he had served their interests very successfully. He must ask those present to observe the tactics of the opposite

party. He came forward to ask the ratepayers to support him since he had been of some service to them in the Council. Whatever statements he made he should prove, and was not going to make assertions without Paving them. He requested them to observe Mr Ramsav’s conduct throughout the election. circular had been issued in which statements nvr x? en ma< * e > and he asked Mr M'Culloch (Mr Ramsay’s secretary) to make that document public; if asking would not do, he beseeched and implored him to allow the public to see it. At a meeting that took place in June, 1873, at the Mission House, Mr Ramsay said “ After a man had spent a considerable tune in the Council in watching the interests of the ratepayers; it was'surely too much to expect that Before he qould attain the Position of Mayor he must go through the' imre of a public election, and stand ' the badgering and stupid questions of a certain disreputable class, who usually made themselves very prominent at public meetings. A man who had served the citizens in the Council ought not to be subjected to such an ordeal to gain a position he had already earned.” He (Mr Walter), asked those present to “maik his nrAM.ln H nmm! 11. _ L 1 > t • > . .

words, saying that whether it was a working man paying half-a-crown, or a person paying LSO as rates, they were equally entitled to ask a question of their representatives. As to the Mayor’s salary, he must remind Mr Ramsay that on the occasion when the salary to be given to Mr Mercer was discussed, his proposition that it should be L3OO was not seconded by any person in the Council, it being understood that the amount should be fixed at L4OO. In answer to questions, Mr Walter said that it seemed to be a large price paid for the Waterworks; but that, on taking observation of the large number of buildings going up, it would be seen that the price was not too much. Now the sale was completed, he would tell them that he believed that, had thb sale been delayed for two or three years the shares would have been worth something like L2i>. This idea was founded on ebservation of what had taken place elsewhere Mr Ramsay moved, and Mr Walter seconded a vote of thanks to the Returning