THE MAYORALTY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4285, 14 December 1874, Page 2

THE MAYORALTY.

ME. DRANSFIELD AT TE ARO. A meeting of ratepayers was held at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Tory-street, on Saturday evening last. Mr. William Hutchison was voted to the chair. Mr. Dransfield did not intend to address the meeting at any length, nor did he intend to recapitulate what he had said the previous evening. He would, however, congratulate the ratepayers on the progress and importance of the city, as was made evident by the circumstance that Mr. Moorhonse, who had for a long period occupied the high and honorable position of Superintendent of the Province of Canterbury, thought it no loss of dignity to offer himself as a candidate for the office of Mayor of Wellington. Without saying a word against his opponent, he would tell the electors they ought to congratulate themselves on the fact. He called them together that evening so that he might be questioned. There were many slanders issued against him, which were as ungenerous as they were unfair. There was one subject he had almost forgotten—the necessity which existed for increased wharf accommodation. After telling the meeting the means by which the present wharf and bonded store were erected, he said the profits which would accrue from the sale of the Thorndon foreshore ought to be devoted to erecting a new wharf or extending the present one. As to the charge which was made against hLn of improperly dealing with the waterworks' tenders, he would read the following letter, and then offer some explanation : City Surveyor's Office, December 12,1874. Sm,—Relative to the opening of the waterworks' tenders, I beg to state in reply to yours of this date that it was undertaken solely at my request, to enable the committee to report the lowest tender to the Council without loss of time. The reason was the tenders were called for according to a schedule, and not for a lump sum in toto, nor even lump sums for parts. It will bo obvious to persons understanding the nature of tendering by schedule that time would be required to tabulate the prices in such form that the lowest tender maybe at once seen.—l have, &c., Nicholas Marchaut, C.S.

J. Dransfield, Esq. In explanation he said that a committee had been appointed by the Council to deal with all matters in connection with the waterworks. Tenders were called for, and the tenderers were present when their tenders were opened. A reason why they were opened a little earlier than they ought, perhaps, to have been, was to enable one of the tenderers—Mr. Brown—who was compelled to leave town on urgent business, to ascertain before leaving if his tender were accepted. After the tenders had been opened, on account of their complicated nature it took the City Surveyor three hours before the calculation could be arrived at as to who was the lowest tenderer. Mr. Brown, an unsuccessful tenderer, who was present when the tenders were opened, had authorised him to say that the tenders were fairly and satisfactorily dealt with. There was only a bare quorum of Councillors present at that meeting. On other matters he hoped to give satisfactory explanations on Monday and Tuesday, for he intended to address the ratepayers every evening before the election came off. With reference to another slander—a slander which was termed the " cement job"—he would satisfy them as to the baseness of it. In the construction of the waterworks, Mr. Marchaut had given to him by the City Council larger powers and more authority than he otherwise possessed. The work was a large one, the cost amounting to a large sum. Full power to do all that was necessary was given to the City Surveyor by the Council in a clause which was drawn up by the City Solicitor, and to which the Council gave its consent. He would read the authority : Know all men by these presents, that we, the Mayor, Councillors, and Burgesses of the City of Wellington, incorporated under the Municipal Corporations Act, ISG7 do hereby in pursuance of the provisions of section 40 (forty-nine) of the Wellington Waterworks Act 1871, and of all other powers vested in us in that behalf, appoint Nicholas Marchaut, of the said City of Wellington, engineer and surveyor, to be an officer for us and on our behalf, to carry out and conduct the undertaking authorised by the Wellington Waterworks Act, 1871. We hereby reserving full power to revoke, alter, or vary, this appointment. In witness whereof the seal of the Council of the borough of the said City of Wellington lias been hereunto affixed, this eighth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.

He (Mr. Dransfield) had that day cross-ques-tioned the City Surveyor upon the matter. Mr. Marchant told him that it was originally intended that the distributing basin should be built of brick; but when the bricks were required, they could not be obtained, unless at enormous expense. He bad a consultation with Mr. Blackett, and they came to the conclusion it would be better if the basin were constructed of cement. The Council was running short of cement, and there was then no time to send to England for a further supply. Mr. Marchant ascertained that Messrs. Krull and Co. held a lot, and he ordered from them, on his own authority, the quantity he required. The order was approved of by "the Council at a subsequent sitting. About Parliament-street, he would tell them that it was not the business of the public at all. He was the owner of an acre there, which he had purchased from Mr. Lipman Levy, and with which he could do as he pleased. He might as well be interfered with as to the size of his gateway, as interfered with in this matter. He was prepared to answer any fair and reasonable questions which might be put to him. Mr. Reabdon stated he had lived in Hain-ing-street for ten years, and that his neighbors and himself had paid rates for that time without a penny being spent by the Council towards its formation. He was sure, if Mr. Dransfield promised that if he were elected Mayor tho street should be formed, all the residents there would vote for him.

Mr. Dhansfield replied that Haining-street was a private street, and the principle adopted by the Council in regard to that class of streets was, if the inhabitants contributed one-half the expense, the Council would contribute the other half. At the risk of his election, he would make no promises be had not the power to fulfil. If the inhabitants contributed their half, he would see that the street was formed. Mr. Moody asked Mr. Dransfield if he would ."advocate in the Council that a Bill should be introduced into the General Assembly which would have for its object the division of Te Aro Ward into two wards, thus giving it six members in the Council instead of three, which was the present number ? Mr. Dransi'lELd thought it was entitled to more representation, both on account of its extent and the amount of rates which it contributed.

Iu answer to a question, why he had declined to contest the representation of Te Aro when Mr. MeKirdy came forward as a candidate, Mr, Deansfield stated he thought he had an enemy who was following him up, and he intended, by contesting the representation of Lambton Word, to beard him in his own den. After a little general discussion as to the unfairness or otherwise of the late assessment, Mi\ Eeaudon moved, and Mr. T. McKenzie seconded, —" That Mr. J. Dransfield is a fit and proper person to hold the office of Mayor, and that he has the confidence of this meeting." Carried. Mr. Dkankfield having thanked the meeting for its expression of confidence in him, a vote of thanks was accorded to the chairman, and the meeting separated.