WAITEMATA COUNTY ELECTION

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 21 October 1920, Page 2

WAITEMATA COUNTY ELECTION

MR H. AITKENHEAD AT PARAKAI

On Monday evening last, between 70 and 80 ratepayers and others interested attended at the Parakai Hall, when Mr H. Aitkenhead, sitting" member and candidate for the Mairetahi riding, and chairman of the Waitemata County County Council, addressed the ratepayers. Mr E. Nicholls occupied the chair, and made a few remarks on matters affecting the county, stating he would like to hear candidares speak more on what they would do in the future, rather than what they had done in the past. Mr Aitkenhead, in his opening remarks, stated that when he stood for election for the first time three years ago, he was very reluctant to do so, but felt it his duty in the interest of ratepayers to offer his services, with a view (if returned) to do all he could to put the county affairs on a better footing. During the past three years the affairs of the county hdd been ■well managed, if and as the result of a thorough investigation of county affairs by Mr Wright, shortly after he (the speaker) had taken office, the administration and management of County matters had been placed on a thoroughly sound footing. He claimed a fair amount of credit for assisting the Council to bring about this very necessary reform. The speaker mentioned that ihe full report submitted by Mr Wright had been published, but for the benefit of those present, he read extracts from that report. " I must say that lam very much surprised," stated Mr Aitkenhead, "that in the face of Mr Wright's report and the serious allegations contained therein, allegations which are at the present time unanswered, Mr James McLeod should again be a candidate for election to the Council." He (the speaker) would also refer to the Shelly Beach episode, although it was a painful subject. He would much rather not deal with it, but he considered it his duty. It was the last occasion on which he would refer to the subject, no matter what happened. The facts were well-known to most ratepayer^, and he would not traverse them. In the face of the charges made in Mr Wright's report, he (the speaker) thought it strange that Mr McLeod should have the temerity to again' offer himself to the ratepayers as a candidate for election.

The speaker then proceeded to detail expenditure and work done in the Mairetahi riding. By re-adjustment of the county, the riding had gained £650. On the bridge account £1300 had been paid by the Helensville Town Board. All the money they had received had been spent, and he claimed they had something to show for it. In 1917 there was a debitbalance of £400, and to-day the riding had a credit balance of £241. When he went into office, the Ohirangi Flat road waß " something abominable"—mud and slush for over two miles. On this fiat 1500 yds of metal had been put down,chiefly by the settlers in the vicinity,who were only too willing to help themselves in a matter of this kind. Vv ith the exception of half a mile of clay at Huapai, the main Helensville-Auckland road was metalled throughout. Improvements had been made to every road in the riding, including the South Head road, on which road at one time one settler had to trespass to get to his property. He claimed that a large amount of work had been done, and all the money available had been well spent. In connection with the drainage of the boardinghouse properties at the Springs, no solution of this difficulty had been suggested prior to the speaker's election to the Council. He had hunted around and had had a special drainage area constituted, and the drainage installed. The system had cost a lot of money, but had been a complete success. Urgent work that had been accomplished was the snagging of the upper reaches of the creek by Woodhill, where three miles of willows had been pulled out, at a cost of £300. The 'sand drift menace was looming large, and active steps would be taken by the Council to do their share in connection with prevention of sand drift. With a large amount of traffic on the Springs load, he thought tarred macadam or concrete would have to come shortly, and this would be a matter for the ratepayers to decide. He was of opinion that a steam roller was an absolute necessity, and the time had come when the Council would have to procure one—or two. In connection with the county office site, at one time he thought that the offices would be better out of the city, but with experience gained, he considered the city batter, as the work of county administration was facilitated. The question of suitable offices had been fully gone into by the Council, and it was proposed to erect a building of three-storeys, at a cost of about £9000, cost to be shared by an adjoining county. He considered it a huge mistake to divide the county, and he had taken steps—successfully— to oppose this, with the result that a Royal Commission was to be set up to go into the matter.

In conclusion, Mr Aitkenhead said that if returned, he was prepared to give a lot of time and ability to the business of the Council, and to safeguard the ratepayers' interests. He claimed to have done a lot of good work during the past thres years, during which time he had gained a lot of experience. In. regard to the uounty administration, business men in the city now state that it is a satisfaction nowadays to do business with the Waijtemata County Council. The speaker concluded by thanking

those present for their patient hearing

A number of questions were put to the. candidate, all of which evinced a keen interest in county matters. In reply to a query as to why the rates had been raised, Mr Aitkenhead stated that it was a case of sheer necessity. Everything in connection with road work, material, wages, etc., had gone up in price, and the Council was forced to raise the rates. The rates had been advanced a further farthing this year. In answer to a question re the coßt of metalling the Ohirangi road, the candidate said that if all the helpers had claimed wages the cost would have been considerable. He considered the Council had saved a year's rates on the job. He characterised as a " crying shame > the statement circulated by some of hi' opponents that he had stopped anyorMJj getting on the roll. He had, he stated, gone out of his way to get names on the . roll. At the close of the meeting a vote of thanks, moved by Mr T. Keane and seconded by Mr D. McCarthy, was carried unanimously, there being no dissentients.

In the Wood hill Hall on Tuesdayevening next and in the Parakai Hall on Wednesday evening next, Mr James McLeod will address the ratepayers, and outline his policy in connection with county affairs.