THE MAYORALTY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2571, 24 April 1923, Page 2

THE MAYORALTY.

THE MAYOR REVIEWS HIS WORK. AND REPLIES TO HIS OPPONENT. There was a fair attendance at the Town Hall last night to hear the Mayor give an account of his stewardship and reply to his opponent. Mr Perreau occupied the chair and Crs. Coley, Bryant, Thompson, Smith occupied seats on the stage. The chairman issued a pressing invitation to candidate- to come up on the platform and the followng finally came forward: Messrs Admore, Hamer, and Thorpe. Mr Perreau said Air Chrystail had been asked to stand again for the Mayoralty by men who hacl been associated with him for years on the Council and he was the right man in the right place. He then referred to each Councillor and candidate on the stage in complimentary terms and hoped they would all he successful at the poll. The Mayor, who was received with applause, received a patient hearing throughout, interspersed with a few humorous interjections and occasional outbursts of appreciation. In opening lie said 70 per cent, of those who bad signed the petition asking him to stand were influential citizens and 00 per cent, would vote for him. He paid a tribute to lhe good work done by thd Councillors who had been associated with him and paid a well-deserved tribute to the Town Clerk. His platform consisted of eight planks, one more than his opponent. Eight, was bis lucky number. He was bom in 1878, bis wife was born in 18—“ No lie had better not say.” (laughter): he had eight children, he had eight good Councillors and if he was elected lie would serve eight years as Mayor.

A voice: We don’t want to know about that. PLATFORM OF FUTURE POLICY. (1) The completion of the Drainage scheme at the earliest possible moment consistent with sound finance. (2) The establishment of Alunicipal Swimming Baths at a suitable site on the foreshore of the Alanawatu River. (3) To co-operate with the Beautifying Society in the erection of a Pavilion in Easton Park and also to encourage sport to the full amount of our net revenue from reserves. (4) To secure additional facilities for the education of our children, in conjunction with the local member of the Education Board and the School Committee by the erection of a District High School. (5) To place a loan proposal before the people for the erection of a Arunieipal Library on the receipt of a petition signed by 25 per cent, of bona tide ratepayers. (fi). To support the Harbour Board in improving the channel of the river and to increase shipping at the port. (7) The construction of the Lev-in-GrentfoWl Railway when the opportune moment arrives. (8) To co-operate with the Chamber of Commerce and citizens generally in the promotion of trade and the establishment of new industries.

The Mayor said it was going to be a clean light sn far as he was concerned. He believed Mr Hollings had been a lay preacher in the Methodist Church and he extended a hearty invitation to meet him there (laughter). But Mr Hollings was not a ratepayer. Mr Hollings had implied that the people of Foxton were, asleep but lie could assure him that they were very wide awake. Mr Hollings must have been asleep when he blamed the town gas for the poor lighting at the Royal Theatre the other evening, which was lit by electricity. He then dealt with different .phases of sleep and for a lew moments wrestled with the word “somnambulism.” During the lirsl five years Foxton had made the greatest progress in its history. He said that this fact was due not only to the strenuous efforts of the Council hut also to the progressive spirit of citizens generally. He dealt first with the General Account, which maintains

ROADS, STREETS AND FOOTPATHS

Outside-of ordinary routine work the following new works had been completed:—New road formed in Reeve St., tar sealing southern end oi Main St., Clyde St., and portion of roading facing Town Hall; bridging Awahou Drain to provide access to Easton Park, also the opening of Whyte St. Extension by laying concrete piping in Awahou Drain at the cost of £IOO. This work had proved to lie a great convenience to residents living in the mid-eastern part oi the town. New footpaths had been constructed in the following streets: Union St., Coley St., Robinson St., Liddell St., Park St., Avenue Rd., and Raveusworth Place besides the laying of concrete kerbing in various streets ready for asphalt. The speaker said that all this new work had been performed entirely out of the General Rates, which taking the shrunken value of the sovereign into consideration had not increased by one penny piece during his six years of office. He stated that the debit balance on the General Account on the 31st March, 1917, was £465, which had been reduced during the period under review to £137. He also maintained that the roads and streets were in better order than they were six years ago. He ascribed the fact to two causes, viz.: Good workmanship and the lasting good-wearing quality of Belmont metal. He further

- stated that the,use of Belmont metal had easily saved the Council an additional expenditure in maintenance of £1,200. WATER AND DRAINAGE SCHEME.^ The speaker referred to the heavy responsibility borne bv the Council in carrying out the work involving an expenditure to date of over £30,000. He was pleased to slate that - the-water scheme had been completed, and also that on the engineer’s estimate there was sufficient money remaining in the loan authorised to complete the drainage scheme. He urged the ratepayers to connect their premises with the drainage system at the earliest possible moment in the interests of public health, and also to avoid paying a. double rate for sanitation. Out. of the total amount of money spent, the sum of £6,227. had been spent on wages. This sum lmd materially reduced the unemployment problem during a time of severe financial depression. He regretted that owing to this fact the Council had found it necessary to make a reduction in the bonus paid, on wages in accordance with the Arbitration Court - pronouncement. When the second redaction was authorised early in last December he had advised the Council not to take advantage of it, as the men were rendering good service in pushing on with the work. The Council had agreed to this'eourse and since that time had paid - wages above the award rale. At that time the Council , was sorely pressed for money to carry on. In order to keep the work going he tiad offered the Council £SOO free of inteest until the end of the financial year. This offer was accpted. He said that in doing this he had two objects in view- (1). To inspire Confidence in the minds of probable investors to lend money at cufrent. rates; (2). in the interests of the men employed. The speaker stated that to the best of his knowledge, these facts had never been published in the local press. Tie said that when the reduction in the bonus was made the fact was given full publicity, but when the Council had decided to - pay wages above the award rate nothing was said about it. He said that this procedure was calculated to create a false impression in the minds of the people. He stated that as far as the payment of good wages was .concerned the members of the present Council were the best friends the workers ever had. He paid a tribute to the gas works manager which enabled the Council to make a reduction in the gas rate. He paid a tribute to the Town Hall management, which had been selfr "supporting, which showed a credit balance of £sl. The hall would have been clear of debt before now if _ there had not been opposition. He urged the people to support their own hall.

Reference was made to the formation of the Fire Brigade and subsequntly to the formation of a Fire Board. The water supply would give a pressure of 1251b5. to the square inch for fire prevention, winch would he much greater than from a gravitation scheme. He was pleased to see that the band had been reformed arid would renew the band subsidy. He also paid a tribute to the Plunket Society.

Re swimming baths. He advocated a site near the river as against a town site as it would lie less costly to maintain and could be served by putting down another bore. Baths were necessary and in the interes! of the saving of human life. In this connection he paid a tribute to Messrs A If. Ebbett and C. Walls whose actions had been brought under the notice of the Royal Humane Society (applause).

He paid a tribute to Mr A. S. Easton for the gift of Easton Park and with the co-operation of the Beautifying Society hoped to erect, a pavilion there. He was out to encourage sport. The reserve revenue was £20.0 per annum and the rent of the Target Reserve had increased from £4O to £l2O per annum and tree planting had been done there for its improvement. He favoured a District High School, the responsibility for-which was the concern of the School Committee. He dealt at some length with press criticism in connection with the erection of Municipal Chambers and defended the Council’s action in erecting the present chambers. He also referrd to the Harbour Board and tlie. endeavour to get shipping to the port and strongly supported, the Levin-Marton railway as against the Palmerston deviation. In reference to supporting a butter factory for Foxton, he had done his best to have the Moutoa estate cut up and taken over by the Government. When he took up his farm at Moutoa, he became a shareholder in the Shannon Dairy Co. for obvious reasons. He could not start a .factory on his own. His support was not given to Shannon so far as trade was concerned as he believed in supporting the town in which he lived. He did not believe in ci’ying stinking fish. ; He dealt with other matters and concluded by stating that if elected he would work for the advancement materially, socially, and morally of the community.

Brief speeches were made by Crs. Coley, Thompson, Bryant and A, N. Smith.

Mr H. Hamer asked the Mayor what the revenue would have been had the town hall been leased to the highest tenderer. The Mayor said he did not know, The question should have been asked before. . ]Vfr H. Hamer said that instead of

it being £ls it would have been £2OO.

Cr. Coley said the revenue might have been £2OO lmt there also might have been other things. He com- 1 mended the Council’s administration of the hall. It was the cheapest picture hall in New Zealand and the pictures were well shown and of the best.

The Mayor said thejjeople should support their own hall against a private individual who had cost .the Council £IOO in a legal action to try and stop them showing their own pictures. After a further brief interlude' a vote of thinks and confidence was passed in the Mayor on the motion of Crs. Coley and Thompson and carried. .