SYDENHAM MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2341, 4 October 1881, Page 4

SYDENHAM MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

A public meeting was held last night in the Sydenham borough school, to hear the views of the candidates for the seat vacant by the resignation of Mr Sidney Day. The Mayor of Sydenham, Mr J. T. Brown, occupied the chair. Having stated that tho meeting had ■ been in answer to a requisition by a number of he bespoke a f;iir hearing for the speakers, and called on Mr Brocklehurst. Councillor Hall said the Boad Board Ordinance required a certain number of signatures to a requisition of the kind sent to the Mayor. The faot seemed to be that on the application of sixteen ratepayers the whole 1340 of the burgesses had been called together. He wanted to know if sixteen names were enough for the purpose*. He protested against that kind of procedure. Ha thought that a largely signed requisition ought to be received before the borough was put to the expense that would accrue. He offered a resolution to the effeofc that tho meeting should disperse. There was no seconder, and Mr Brocklehurst then addressed the meeting. He said he was unaccustomed to public speaking. All he had to .say was, if he should be elected he would serve the ralepayora to the best of his ability. In answer to questions, he said he thought when they sent up a member to Parliament they ought to get him to move for tho erection of a bridge over the railway at Madras street. He would be in favor . of a loan being raised for the carrying out of neosssary works, such as water supply and side channelling. He wan in favor of the borough being divided into wards. "Mr Sherlock then spoke. He said tho drainage question ought to be carefully gone into. He thought they were suffering very much from bad administration in that respect. As to lighting the streets, they ought to wait to see what resulted from tho various experiments going on with the electric light before launching into expense. He thought tho railway crossing in Colombo street was still in a disgraceful state. The footpaths Bhould be asphalted, the road pitched, and shunting -discontinued as muoh as possible. He was not in favor of the ward system. Ho would like to see good wide streets. Ho wbb not in favor of a borough loan. He looked upon the scarcity of public houses in Sydenham as a blessing, and hoped that the same state of things might long continue. Finally, if he went in, he would do his best to servo them faithfully, and if he failed he hoped his friend, Mr Webber, would be elected. Mr Webber behig .called on, said he thought the Drainage Board were treating them very badly. He would be one to endeavour to eevor their connection with that body. The ward system : he was for any system that was best for the borough. Water supply : he thought the .Biver Heathcote should be laid under contribution ; that could be done at a small jaxponso j that would be, of course for fire prevention purposes. Artesian wolls alrcadj supplied them with pure water for drinking. In answer to questions, he said ho would not be for going into any oxpensive soheme for water supply. Not certainly for anything like the Waimakariri scheme. Ho was aware that at certain seasons they could not get rid of the water they had, but that was the fault of the Drainage Board. Mr Murfitt offered fow remarks on the strictures passed by Councillor Hall at the commencement of the meeting. He said, far from thinking as Counillor Hall did, he thought the right course had een taken. He moved, and it was seconded—- ' That the meeting quite approved of the ction of the Major in calling a meeting at

the reo/aeafc of sixteen ratepayers." Sevsvral gontlfjineD having spoken in condemnation of tha -remarks of Or, Hall, the motion was put and carried with acclamation. Or. Hall, in answer to a ratepayer, said that the work being carried out on the Ohrißtohurch South Town bolt would be paid for out of the general fund, but the borough having a claim against the Ohristohurch Oity Oouncil, the outlay would to a considerable extent be recouped. Thero would be no special rati? leviiid on the people living on the belt. A | disevresion then took plaoe aB to the ropressntation of the borough in Parliament. Several speakers gave their opinions on the matter, it seeming to be a matter for regret that nobody had come forward to seek their suffrages, except ono gentleman, whose name did not uppear to bo in great favor. It was suggested that some sort of organisation should be formed to induce the taking of a little more ioterest in the forthcoming olecti.n. The meeting then lapsed into a desultory discuseion about things of the borough in general, after which, with a vote of thanks to the chairman and to the candidates for their addresses, the meeting terminated.