MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 383, 3 September 1875, Page 3

MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

PUBLIC MEETING. j A public meeting of ratepayers was held ] on Thursday, in the Oddfellows' Hall, convened by his Worship the Mayor, in respouse to the following requisition:—"To his Worship the Mayor of Christchurch, — We, the undersigned ratepayers of the city of Christchurch, respectfully request you to call a public meeting of the burgesses for the purpose of hearing the views of the several candidates for municipal honors. As the time of the election is close at hand, we are desirous that an early day shall be fixed for the meeting, so that time may be given to well consider the important questions effecting the interests of the citizens. —We are, sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) W. Wilson, H. Sawtell, and forty-five other gentlemerj. There was a large attendance, the hall being filled. His Worship the Mayor took the chair, and read the requisition above given. He said he had received a letter irom Mr Wood apologising for non-attendance on account of indisposition, and stating that he thought a Drainage Board should be established, and that the Bill introduced by his Honor the Superintendent was a measure which he thought would be a good one. A letter had also been received from Mr 11. Thomson, apologising for non • attendance on the ground that his duties at the Royal Arch Chapter prevented him from doing so. He (the Mayor) trusted the meeting would give all the candidates a fair hearing, and would select the three best men for the city. He would first call on the only old Councillor standing for re-election. He would therefore ask Mr Hart first to address them. Mr M. B. Hart said his remarks would be very brief as his acts for the benefit of the ratepayers had been before them for the past six years during which he had held a seat in the City Council. He had been requested to come forward by a number of gentlemen who thought he would be of service to them, and he could say that he would, if elected, do all in his power to serve them. His principal part that evening was to give his reasons why he objected to the formation of a Drainage Board. Now he had given this subject much thought, had spent a great deal of time over it, and it might be thought strange that he opposed this Bill. They knew that great changes were going to take place, both as regarded the constitution of lioad Boards and municipalities, aud therefore he did not think that this was the proper time to establish a Board such as was contemplated, lie did not oppose the drainage of the city and suburbs, far from it, buc he said that this was not the time to introduce this Bill. It had been said that it was necessary that the .suburbs should be joined with the city in the matter of drainage ; now he said this WAHnot so, it might be advantageous, but it was not necessary. [Cheers.] The area of

the Heathcote, the railway, &c, could be drained quite independently of the city. Besides this, the Bill which the Hon 0. C. Bowen was about to introduce would include the area of drainage contemplated, and this vvas an additional reason why he said that this Bill was not now brought in at a proper time. Again, the Provincial Government had voted £ISOO for a report from an engineer, and he thought they should wait until this was sent in. [Cheers.] These were his reasons for desiring to wait, and he left it to the people of Christchurch to say whether he was right or not, by the result of the election. [Cheers.] He should be proud to go back again to the CouncH, and if he did so would work in their interests. In answer to a question, Mr Hart said he was in favour of extending the area of the municipality. Mr J. A. Bird was the next speaker. He said that there was no doubt that the Drainage Bill now before the House was a good measure, as he held that no system of drainage would be effective which did not include the outlying districts. [Cheers.] As regarded the number of votes of the Road Boards at the proposed Board, he thought that it would only be right that the Mayor for the time being should be a member ro as to give Christchurch a fair proportion of votes. He should be prepared to vote for a better water supply for fire prevention purposes, so as to give the fire brigade—a body of men who deserved well of the citizens—every assistance in carrying out their duties, Cheers.) The Building Act also required amendment, and he should like to see public swimming baths in the city, and the teaching of the art of swimming as a portion of the elementary education of their youth. [Cheers.] If he was elected he should do his duty honestly by them. (Cheers.) In answer to questions,

Mr Bird said he was in favor of the Mayor being elected by the citizens from amongst the councillors.

Mr E. H. Banks said he could not gather from Mr Bird's address whether he was in favor of the Drainage Bill or not. There would be no mistake about the flag he (Mr Banks) was sailing under. He was opposed to the Drainage Bill now before the House, because he thought it was ill-timed in view of the changes taking place. Besides this, looking to the fact that they were now rated at Is 5d in the £, they could not afford lo pay the rates imposed by the Bill. Again he objected to the mode of election which was net by ballot. [A Voice—" That's not the right Bill."J His Worship the Mayor told him that the election would be by ballot, but he would ask which Bill was it they were going on. He opposed the Bill, because they only got four votes at the Board for Christchurch, when they ought to have six at least; and also because it did not provide for the letting of works under the Board by tender. He thought the inhabitants of the suburbs should do as the city had done, help themselves, and pay Is in the £ for their drainage. It was a singular thing that that the whole of the ex-mayors of Christchurch opposed the Bill, while his Worship the Mayor was in favour of it. Was his Worship a heaven-born genius ; he had had no experience before he came [Hisses and interruption. | Mr C. W. Turner came forward, and said that if Mr Banks wished to attack his Worship the Mayor, who was in the chair and unable to reply, the fairest mode would be move some one else in the chair, so that his Worship might reply. [Cheers.] His Worship said that they were met there that evening to discuss the drainage question, and he hoped he would confine himself to the merits or demerits of the scheme. Mr Banks said that he felt sure the promoters of the Bill had personal motives in pushing forward this Bill. [Hisses and uproar.] His Worship asked the meeting to hear Mr Banks.

Mr Banks said that as the meeting did not care to hear him, he would sit down. [Cheers and laughter.] In answer to a question from Mr H. A. Davis.

Mr Bank* said that he was in favor of the Mayor being elected by the people out of general body of ratepayers. [Cheers. | Mr Briggs—Would Mr Banks say if he is in favor of the Mayor being a salaried officer ?

Mr Banks—Yea. T should be in fivor of giving a good man £SOO a yoar, if he was worth it —that is a good man. Mr Briggs—Perhaps if you are elected you will consider yourself a good man. [Cheers.] Mr Banks—No. [Laughter.] Mr Hancock said that he was opposed to the Drainage Bill, because it was a costly scheme, which would be a mill-stone around the neck of the ratepayers for any amount of years to come. He was opposed to the including of the Avon, Spreydon, and Heathcote districts, as he felt sure it would be an expensive and most inefficient system. They had had a specimen in the outfall drain, which was far too small to carry off the water, being only thirteen inches at the bottom. The new Bill was most unfair, particularly in the provision that Government property was exempt. At least the Government should give a grant to the municipality in lieu of rates. Besides this, he objected to the annual valuation clauses, as the valuation of city property was far too high. [Cheers.] He did not think that the joining of the city and suburbs would be advantageous to either of them. With regard to the sanitary condition of the city he said that there were streets within the city far worse than any outside. The City Council were ready to call for the rates, but were not so ready to make the streets when it was necessary. It had been asked —" Considering the great changes about to take place by the probable passing of the Abolition Bill, and the increased responsibilities of the Municipalities and _ Road Boards, is it advisable at the present time to create an additional power, which shall have authority to levy increased rates for drainage purposes over the city and suburban districts extending over an area estimated at from forty to sixty square miles?" He thought not decidedly, and was opposed to the Bill because he thought he might say that it was unfair. As regarded the following—" Is it fair that a suburban population of 5000 or COOD should have as many representatives as a city liopulatiou of about twice that number?" he was of opinion that population should be represented according to number. [Cheers.J The next question was—" Is it fair that the suburban districts, yielding a rate of say £4OOO, should have a representation equal to that of over £7OOO yielded by the city of Christchurch ?" He ;said no, most distinctly to that. [A Voice—" We've read that at home."] Well, he had been asked to express his opinion upon them, but he

would not press that part of his address further.

A ratepayer asked Mr Hancock, if he was elected, what would be his opinion as regarded the election of the Mayor? Mr Hancock said he was in favor of the Mayor being elected by the citizens out of the ratepayers. [Cheers.]

Mr John Lee came forward amid cheerr. He said he was not going to follow in the wake of the former speakers, and try to climb the ladder of popular fame by treading on the necks of his fellow-men ; he stood on his own merits. [Cheers and laughter.] He would first speak of the necessity for improved water supply for cleanness. | Laughter.] This should be done to obviate the necessity of men going along hour after hour to sweep the side channels. Next he came to the question of fire prevention. At present men had to run from all parts of the city, and before they could get to the fire it was almost an impossibility to extinguish it. If they had a system, which he would take and bring in if elected—[cheers and laughter] —they would do away with the dangerous engine, which some day would cause an explosion. [Loud and continued laughter.] At present the City Council had only a limited amount of funds at their disposal for fire prevention, and what was the result? why, that the Fire Brigade, which did so much for the city, merely got the thanks of the city. He thought they were worth their hire. [A Voice —" They wouldn't take it."] If they had a water supply, they would want no engines ; they would want no stations. [lnterruption and hisses.J Well if they did not want to hear any more on this point he would proceed to speak about side channelling. [A Voice—- ['• Sit down."] Well, he would refer to drainage. He had taken a very active part as regarded drainage—[loud laughter]—and he was opposed to the Bill now before the House, until they had something definite before them as regarded a plan. He would divide the £ISOO, voted by the Council, as follows. [lnterruption ; cries of " Sit down," "Question."] He was there as a candidate, and would stay until he had finished.—[lnterruption.] He said he was neither for nor against the Drainage Bill until he saw. [lnterruption.] If they could show him that Christchurch could not be drained without taking in the suburbs he would be willing to see a Board, but if the contrary was proved, he said no Board was required. [lnterruption.] No questions were asked of Mr Lee.

Mr C. W. Turner, who was received with loud cheers, said that his attention had been directed to certain questions appearing in the paper, which he would at once answer. The first question was—" Considering the great changes about to take place by the probable passing of the Abolition Bill and the increased responsibilities of the Municipalities and Koad Boards, is it advisable at the present time to create an additional power which shall have authority to levy increased rates for drainage purposes over the city and suburban districts, extending over an area estimated from 40 to 60 square miles." To this he said delays were dangerous, and those who had had occasion to visit their cemeteries would agree with him that it would not do to trifle with the question of drainage for one single day. He would therefore be in favor of the Bill, and would do all he could to make the Bill a good one for the interests of the ratepayers. As regarded the second question — "Do you think the city ought to bear an additional rate of one shilling in the pound for drainage purposes, which rate may or may not be expended within the city ?" he might say that the rate would not amount to anything like the figures put there as the amount had to be raised on bonds extending over fifty years. The next question was—" Is it fair that a suburban population of 5000 or GOOO should have as mauy representatives as a city population of about twice that number?" In reference to this matter he might say that the figures were scarcely correct; From the blue books it would be found that so far from there only being 5000 inhabitants in the suburbs there would be found to be some 13,000 as against 10,000 within the city. [Cheers,] Thenext question asked was this—" Is it fair that the suburban districts, yielding a rate of say £4OOO, should have representation equal to that of over £7OOO yielded by the city of Christchurch ?" and he would here say that he had not sufficient information as regarded the financial portion of the question to enable him to answer this directly, but if the representatives of the city wished to make their votes a majority they had only to put a Road Board member in the chair. [Cheers.] As regarded the next—" Do you consider it necessary for the purpose of drainage that the city should be united with the Road Board districts ?"—this was a subject upon which he was at present unable to express an opinion. The last question, which was this—"Do you think it advisable that, in lieu of the proposed Bill, the boundaries of the city should be extended so as to include the thickly populated parts of the suburbs requiring drainage?"—he would answer by saying that he took it that the amount of miles of road to be taken over by the city would make this scarcely of advantage to the citizens, whatever it might be to the outlying districts. As regarded the election of Mayor, he was in favor of the Mayor being elected by the ratepayers from the general body of ratepayers. If there were good men in the Council the ratepayers would only be too ready to recognise their services, but if there were not good men there it would only be fair that the ratepayers should go outside to get one. [Cheers,] If elected he would do his best to serve the citizens, and to make it in future years a credit to any gentleman to aspire to a seat in the Council. [ Cheers.] In answer to a question,

Mr Turner said that he would like to point out that the Drainage Bill had been misrepresented. It was true that there were large powers given, but in all cases compensation was provided for. [Cheers.] A "Voice : Mr Turuer—lf you are elected, will you be prepared to reform the morality of the Council 1 Mr Turner—l would do all in my power to render the , Council a credit to the City of Christchurch. [Cheers.] In answer to Mr H. A. Davis, Mr Turner said that he would like, while "•iviug his opiniou on the subject of the salary of the Mayor, to guard himself in answering it. lie was opposed to the payment of tlie Mayor, but if the necessity arose where a good man might be elected, whose income could not support the expenditure, he would be quite willing to vote such a sum as would enable the office to be filled creditably. [Cheers.] A regarded city baths, he wns in favor of it, as all should be. [Cheers.]

No further question being asked,

Mr Turner said he wished to state one thing, and that was that he did not intend to spend one shilling in the election nor ask a single vote. | Hear, hear.] Those, Iherefore, who wished to see him in the C ■ i il must not forget their duty and attorn) on the day of election. [Cheers ] Mr Turner then moved a vote of thanks to the Mayor, which concluded the business of the meeting.