BOROUGH COUNCIL ELECTION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 463, 8 May 1912, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL ELECTION.

ADDRESS BY MR FLOYD

A very fair number of ratepayers gathered at the Municipal Hall last night to listen to the addresg by Mr P. Floyd, one of the candidates for the vacancy on the Borough Council. The Mayor (Mr E. H. Hardy) presided, and in introducing the candidate, asked for a fair hearing. Mr Floyd, in the course of an interesting speech, dealt with the local questions in a masterly manner, and evinced a thorough grasp of the position of local affairs. He referred to various works which had been undertaken by the council and commended the council for the progressive policy it had adopted. He was thoroughly in favour ot progress, combnied with economy, and it would be his policy, if returned to the council, to at all times encourage a policy on those lines. The candidate referred to the lack of endowments in the town, and compared the. position with that of Taumarunui and Taihape. He advocated an agitation for the purpose of getting the Government to remedy the matter by providing endowments for the town.

The address was punctuated with applause throughout arid was attentively listened to, while several questions at the conclusion were satisfactorily answered. A hearty vote of thanks, proposed by Mr Young and seconded by Mr Fletcher, was passed unanimously. At the conclusion of Mr Floyd's address, Mr D. J. Young, a member of the Borough Council, in a short speech, advocated Mr Floyd's claim to the confidence of the ratepayers. In dealing with the position of the .Borough, Mr Young said he took advantage of the present occasion to plac9 a few figures before the people. The ratable value of the borough was £215,400, and this, at a rate of one penny in the £ gave a revenue for administration purposes and maintenance of £897 14s 7d. Since that valuation was made there was an estimated increase of £20.000, making the present valuation £235,400. Of the loan account of £27,000 which had been allocated ior water, drainage and streets, there was a deficiency of £IOOO for the water works; the drainage should be about met by the allocation, while considering what was in front of them in the matter of street work in order to do the work satis - factorily there would be a heavy shortage. In his opinion it was important to form decent footpaths throughout the town, as well as roads for horse traffic, and in addition it was highly important that Rora street should be properly formed, and the footpath taken out to the full width. The Borough would certainly have to raise a furthei loan in order to do the work astisfactorily. Probably an amount of from £6OOO to £IO,OOO would be required. Mr Young also referred to the electric lighting scheme which, he felt sure, would be a conspicuous success if the project was reasonably supported by tho residents. He quoted figures to show that with 150 private house connections at £4 per annum, and 50 business places at £lO per annum, would result in a good profit, and he predicted success for the scheme.