MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 3867, 16 July 1875, Page 3

MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

DUNEDIN.

About 300 persons assembled nt the terrace of the Government Buildings at noon to-day, when the Town Clerk read the following nominations for Mayor:— Mr Charles S. Reeves, proposed by Mr Robert Wilson, seconded by Mr James Fraseb. Henry J. Walter, proposed by Mr Ben. Basley, seconded by Mr Andrew Mercer. Mr Rbetes said it was now somewhere about six years since he first had an idea of taking part in the public affairs of this City. V pon that occasion he contested the vacancy in High Ward, and there were then, as his opponents, Messrs Walter and Mercer. .Since then he had represented the citizens in different capacities, and he could only say that his acts had been actuated by the best ideas of which he was possessed; and in coming before them now to ask them to still continue their confidence in him ati in the past, he did so with some degree of diffidence, inasmuch as his opponent was a gentleman who had represented the citizens even longor than he had done.—(A Voice : "And faithfully.") But " circumstances alter cases." and he considered that if his friend, Mr Walter, was elected the honor would be considerably enhanced when he had beaten a man like himself (Mr Reeves). Therefore he thought it could be no honor or credit to the citizens to have a walk-over for the mayoral chair—the highest distinction which could be conferred on one of the citizens—and he hoped that he should be abl.i to prove that his views were perfectly correct. He had no hesitation in siying that no Councillor had more faithfully and diligently performed hi 3 duty than he had ; and during the two years he had represented Leith Ward he had made himself well acquainted with the works of the Corporation, and the information he hnd derived would enable him to place areliabKstatement before the ratepayers of the different wards. It was not his desire, nor was it his wish to keep them any length of time: he would have ample opportunity previous to the day of election of giving his views pretty fully. One matter ho found in certain quarters misrepresented : hn was referring to that stupendous eloud which had been overhanging the City for the past few months —the widening of Princes street. On that question he should have more to say than perhaps those present would have the patienee to listen to. '1 he stand he took when the work was first proposed was this : He said that the traffic ot the street rendered it necessary that it shoidd be widened, but a large nmount of money would have to be expended, while the work could be done without. He considered that there were many more works of greater importance which should be done before the widening of that street; and from the first time that the question came before the Council he consistently opposed it, step by step, inch by inch, and fought against it, not because he thought it would not be a City improvement, but because he thought it would be an improvement they could do without.—(Hear, hear,) Cr. Fish, in his address the other evening, bad statid that he (MiReeves), in his position as member of the Council, had, in his seat at the Council meeting, said "the Corporation were bound to carry out the work " ; but he had said further unless the Provincial Council forgo its claim to have the work done and will accept payment for the land given foi the widening. Before the work was decided upon he himself moved that the Government should be asked to forego iis claim on payment of a reasonable amount, and then the citizens should be allowed to ba free in the matter. He had been blamed for the part he took as one of the committee appointed to decide whether the work should be done now or two years' hence. He acted on that Committee unwillingly, but he had a duty to perform to the ratepayers, he took his deliberations, and when Cr. Barron proposed the adoption of the report he seconded it. But that was only whether the street should be widened then or in two years' time. It was the day after that that the citizens of Dunedin were bound to this work. When the question was first before the Council four voted that the deed btween the Corporation and the Church Trustees should be signed, and four that it should not, and he voted that it should not. The motion was agreed to on the casting voto of the Mayor; and if he had represented the citizens collectively, as the Mayor does, he should have given them ime to think over the matter, and have voted for the work if they so desired. He did not blame the present Mayor, who no doubt acted to the best of his ability.—(A Voice : " Cargill's opinion !") Nothing, since |he had been in Dunedin, had caused him more regret than this work, when he could go to his own ward and see how the money might there have been expended for the health of the inhabitants. He considered that before such an expensive work should have taken place, things absolutely necessary or the vital health of the inhabitants should have been taken in hand. He concluded by stating that ho had plenty of time to devote to Mayoral duties, and if elected he would esteem the honor

A Ratepayer : Is it your opinion that before the Mayor gave his casting vote he should have consulted the citizens ?

Mr Reeves : Certainly he should have. Mr Walter expressed his pleasure that Mr Reeves had entertained those present so long, »b it had given him an opportunity to speak to ft larger number of ratepayers than when Mr Kcevas commenced. He fully expected after the eulogistic speech of Mr Reeves that that gentleman would have stated that he had merely allowed himself to be nominated, and now resigned inhis(vlr Walter's) favor, buthe was much disappointed. (Loud laughter.) When he sustained his defeat last year he promised to contest the Mayoralty this year. He made that speech after contesting one of the most severe elections that had ever taken place in Dunedin, and he had faithfully kept his promises to the then Mayor-elect of supEorting h'm and of behig here that day. He ad given them twelve months' notice, and there could be no excuse of his not having notified his intention in due time. He had now been in the Council five years, and during that time some important questions had con e before the Council, and he had assisted to bring them to a successful termination He found Mr Reeves over-riding the hobby in tho widening of Princes street matter. Mr Reeves always wanted the street widened to a certain point, and as soon as it was determined to widen to Police stieut no greater agitator than he was to bo found in thejcouncil. Through its being determined to do the work now it would cost L 4.000 or L 5,000 more thin two years hence. He was r,ot going to say that if elected he would be metamorphosed and oe a be- ter man in the future, but ho would serve them to the best of his ability. He was not going to sell out his business to be elected ; ho should be unworthy of occupying tho civic chair if he did any such trick. A Ratepayer : Are you independent of any pernicious influence known as the Cargill influence'/ Mr Walter wa3 independent of all influence in his public capacity. His conduct in theCouncil had been his answer; and ha had at

times served Us enemies because they were his best friends. He thought surface drainage should be attended to before underpround drainage was taken in hand. He solemnly declared, before God and that'ineeting, that if he had thought the awards would have amounted to anything lik? what they bad, he would have been the greatest opponent to the work.—(Applause ) Other questions were nisn nnswcied, aftir which all proceedings were adjourned till Wednesday next, when a poll will be taken.

PORT CHALMERS.

The nomination for the Port __Chalmers Mayoralty took place at noon to-day in the Town Hall, a large number of ratepayers being present, and the Mayor presiding. The Town Clerk read the following nominations :

Mr Andrew M'Kinnon, proposed by Mr G. L. Asher, seconded by Mr A. Al'Kenzie. Mr William Murray, proposed by MrhENRY Dbnch, seconded by Mr D. Miller. There being more than one candidate, the proceedings were adjourned until the 21st inst., when the poll will be taken. Mr M'Kinnon said his reason for coming for« ward was simply that none of the Councillors would stand, and because they were now midway between the greatest undertaking there had been in the Port. He was in favor, a* soon as funds permitted, of erecting baths, and also of getting a new cemetery and closing the old one, as the road,was in a most disgraceful state*

Mr Murray made a few remarks, alluding to the experience he had had while in the old Town Board and as a Councillor. He considered he had as much time to spare as any man in Port Chalmers, and maintained the good he had done to the Port as one of the deputation of the old Board that obtained the grant of L 5.000 out of the L 50,000 loan, which money was judiciously expended. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings, OAMARU. [By Telegraph ] The nominations to-day for the mayoralty were Messrs S. E. Shrimski and George Sumpter. Mr Shrimski, who was mayor last year, was regularly roasted with questions. The contest will be keen. RIVERTON. [Bt Telegraph.] Mr J, R. Mills, of the Marine Hotel, was elected Mayor, without opposition, to-day, LAWRENCE. [By Telegraph.] The following were the nominations to-day for the Mayoralty : Mr Fraer, proposed by Mr C. Bryant, seconded by Mr J. HarßiS. Mr Walker, proposed by Mr T. H, M'Coy, seconded by Mr J. Hakp.op.

Mr E. M. Hay (the present Mayor), proposed by Dr Halley, seconded by Mr G. T. Ilindes.

About 100 people were present, Mr A. Ferguson being in the ehair. The Mayor addressed the meeting at some length, giving a rtsumi of his actions during the period of office.

-< ■> * - TF7 Cr. Fraer addressed a large meeting last evening at Stony’s Commercial Assembly Rooms, and a vote of confidence in him as a fit and proper person waa carried. Cr. Walker will address his constituents tonight. TOKOMAIRIBO.

[By Telegraph.]

At the Tokomairiro nomination yesterday, the following candidates came forward :

Mr James Goodall, proposed by Mr E. Marryatt, seconded by Mr J. Lockwood. Mr Thomas Holt, proposed by Mr T. Nutsford, seconded by Mr J. M. Bp.yce. Mr William John Dyer, proposed by Mr T. Crossan, seconded by Mr R. Margarie. Mr Henry White/proposed by Mr R. W. Capstick, seconded by Mr J. Draper.