MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5446, 10 September 1878, Page 2

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

DR. NEWMAN AT THORNDON. Pursuant to announcement,Dr. Newman, one of the candidates for the vacant seat in the City Council for Thormlou Ward, addressed the ratepayers at the Princess Hotel at eight o’clock last evening. Notwithstanding the inclement state of the weather there was a very good attendance. Mr. Walter Johnston, M.H.R., was voted ft> the chair.

The Chairman said it was quite superfluous for him to ask those present to give to Dr. Newman their patient attention, because they would all feel that the concerns of the city were their concerns, and that the choice of a candidate was a matter of much more importance to themselves than it could po-ssibly be to the candidate himself. The ratepayers were about to have submitted to them various questions which would no doubt influence their decision in deciding between the two candidates who sought their suffrages on the present occasion. Without any further remarks, he would call upon Dr. Newman to address the meeting. Dr. Newman said it was with considerable feelings of amazement th.it he felt himself here on this occasion, and he was still more surprised to find so many ratepayers of the ward present otf such a night. It had been urged against his candidature that lie was not a burgess of this ward. If he was not at present a burgess of Thorndou Ward, he was a burgess of Wellington. It was his intention within the course of a very few months to take up his abode in this part of the city, and he had every belief that he should live permanently in Thorndou Ward. Therefore ho took as keen an interest as anybody could in the welfare of the ward, forthe reason that hehooedtospend pretty nearly the remainder of his life as a resident in Thorndon. He had a special and permanent interest in it, and the objection that he did not at present hold property there was scarcely a rational one. Ho wished first to state his views on what the City Council should do in general, and then his views on a few things in de • tail. Wellington, as the seat of Government, ought to be the largest, wealthiest, best built, and best drained city in the colony, and the City Council ought to do its best to promote this end. He had every belief in Wellington, He felt certain it was going to be the great distributing centre of New Zealand, No one would doubt that it was due to the energy and enterprise of its citizens that it had attained such a position as it now occupied amongst the other cities of New Zealand. The City Council of Wellington ought to be ahead of the councils of other cities, and ought to push and do more for it in an outside point of view than it had hitherto done. Besides attending to streets and soforth, the City Council had also an outside duty to perforin. Sir Julius Vogel came on the scene a few years ago, advocated the construction of railways and telegraphs; borrowed money, and pushed the country on. He made New Zealand what it was now, and there was hardly a man in that room who had not been benefited by the energy and enterprise of the Government of that day. (Hear, hear, and applause.) In the same way, with regard to the city, the Council ought to display more enterprise than it had hitherto done. The city contained a population of about 20,000 people ; it contained a great deal of wealth and exercised a great'deal of ■ influence in the councils of New Zealand. The Council, therefore, ought to take advantage of every thing that would tend to the advantage of the city. It ought to patronise Mr. Macandrew’s line of forty-day steamers, and urge that Wellington should be made the- port of call. In that case Wellington would be known more of at Home, instead of Dunedin and Auckland, as was now the case. If Wellington were made the port of call an immense impetus would* be given to trade in all its branches. It was true that a few merchants had taken the matter up, but it ought not to be left to the exertions* of some half-dozen merchants to get this city made the port of call; The City Council ought to stir itself in the mattnr. In the Legislative Council the other day it was proposed to hhve a deaf and dumb asylum for New Zealand ; but where was it proposed to erect it ? Not iu Wellington, but down in Dunedin. This was another matter in which the City Council should bestir themselves. Even if it cost them a thousand or two in procuring a site for the asylum, they should get a ono and present it to the Government. Perhaps £30,000 or £IO,OOO would be spent in the erection of buildings, and see what would be spent annually in the place in connection with an institution of the kind. Then, again, it was suggested that New Zealand should have a huge central lunatic asylum, and see also what an advantage it would be if the City Council procured a site at Karori or the* Hutt, and presented it to the Government. A building would then be erected by the Government for the accommodation of 1500 or 2000 lunatics, and there would of course bo an immense amount of money spent in connection with,an institution like this, and the city would of course derive the advantage. It was proposed to provide a central'penal establishment for the colony, bub where was it to be built ? Not in Wellington, bub either at Taranaki or Hokitika. In all these matters the City Council should endeavor to get as much money as possible spent in the city. Everyone in that room would benefit by it. Property would increase in value, and there would be an increased income in the shape of rates, and the Council would have a larger amount of revenue at their disposal to carry out the numerous works that were required to make the city great and attractive. Then, again, there was the New Zealand University, with plenty of money and no site. See what a capital thing it would be for Wellington to have fifty or one hundred students and their paid professors here. The City Council should run the town, just as Barnum ran one of bis shows. Barnum gave £IOOO for a woolly horse or £2ouo for a mermaid, as the case might be, in order to make money out of the transaction. In the same way, the City Council should display more energy in outside matters thau they had hitherto shown? Wellington was going ahead very much ; the city was treading fast on the heels of Dunedin, and no doubt before long it would hold its own with any city in the colony. The city had plenty of capital to go

on. He was told that if the reclaimed land they would realise something like £400,000 ; a large profit would be derived by reclaiming, sixty; orSeventy acres at the head of the , bay ; there would also be a large profit on the reclaiming of. land at Oriental Bay, and a good area could also be reclaimed on the Kaiwarra side of.the\Tuorndon Baths. If from the sale of -the Thorndon recla-med land they paid off their liabilities of £270,0C0, they would have upwards of £IOO,OOO of-sur-plus money to devote to drainage and other works of- an important character. Tho city was ' in•„ a .., sound fnancial cohdi. tion. ,■ He did not see how the town was to- go ahead as it ought to unless they borrowed money. By the time the drainage of the citv was completed there would be abbut people in the place, and it was only posterity should be made to bear, its just /proportion of the burden, because to posterity the paying of interest on £150,000 would ‘be as nothing compared to what it would be if paid by 25,000 persons only. He thought their financial condition was such as to give them great hope, and therefore they should make up their minds to push the city ahead as much as possible. One of the most important questions to be dealt with was that of drainage. It was one to which he had always paid special attention, and if they did him the honor to elect him, he should try aud get the drainage scheme pushed through to complctiou, aud do something more in the matter than merely put notices . on the notice paper that reflected on his colleagues, . iu order to catch the votes of the ratepayers.* (Hear, hear.) He could nob see that there was any advantage to be gained by putting this question off from time to time. It was not by merely putting notices on the paper that the scheme of drainage would be carried out. He must say . that upon the whole he gave ■ his vote and belief .to 'Mr.. Clark’s scheme. He did not, at the same time, think that Mr. Climie had been fairly treated. He was bound down to a certain thing, and the City’ Council said to him, “ You must only spend £BO,OOO, and discharge your sewage In & certain fashion,” He (Dr. Newman) thought that here the City Council made a huge blunder. (Hear, hear.) They ought to have' % said that they wanted the best* engineer they * could get for a thousand a year to carry out their drainage scheme. They would not get a good man to come out here aud work for £2OO a-year, and then be bullied into the bargain. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) It was a great mistake to go in for anything cheap and nasty. If they wanted the best skilled labor they must pay well for it. The City Council made a great mistake when they advertised for a man to lay all the levels of the city at £2OO a-year, A great deal had been said about sewage farming in connection with this drainage scheme, and it was stated that Mr. Crawford would derive an income. of about £IO,OOO a-year through the sewage being placed on, a portion of his property known as the sand dunes. At Home, where money..was lent at a cheap rate of interest, and where labor was also cheap, there was not a single instance of a sewage farm having paid. One or two instances were mentioned to show that it had paid, but the accounts were cooked, for the purpose. Therefore, to suppose that Mr. Crawford was to make £IO,OOO a year out of it was ridiculous. As to the question whether the sewage should be deposited on the sand dunes or thrown into the sea, his belief-.was that it would pay to throw it into Cook Strait; but if it were deposited on the sand dunes, there would be one continual expense, and the result would not be nearly - so satisfactory. The question, however, ought to be referred to engineers. He preferred Mr. Clark’s scheme, and it was nonsense to say that a gentleman of Mr. Clark’s experience aud talents had only sucked Mr. Climie's brains in this matter. Another qestion which interested the citizens, especially the ratepayers of Thorndon Ward, was that relating to the drains at present in existence. There was no doubt that there was gross mismanagement in this matter. There were stinking drains the whole way down the 5 thoroughfares. The City Engineer should.be told to stop these offensive smells, and if he failed to do so the sooner he was got rid of the better. If he had orders either to stop the smells or go, there would soon be a change.:for the better. (Hear, hear.) He thought they could afford to do a great deal more towards improving the streets and laying down Caithness, flagging, which in large quantities could be done at a cheap rate ; and the streets ought to be very much more watered than they were in dusty weather. Compared with its rate-, able value very little had been done in.Thorndon Ward. In Te Aro and Cook Wards new streets were formed, drains made, and large cuttings done, but in Tnorndon Ward very little had been done. One of the things that ought to be done in this ward "ms the cutting’ of a road through Glenbervie-terrace, as the people'had bought their property on that uuderstanding. The City Council oaght to proceed with the work and pay for it. It seemed to him a very extraordinary thing that- any representative of theirs should vote against the scheme for cutting a road through Glenbervie-* terrace. If he was elected he would vote for such a work. Grant-road had also not been* properly treated, ’ The Tinakori stream ought to be covered in, and made less of a pest-trap than it is. There were many other things .that ought to have been attended, to if this ward had all the money spent in it to which it was entitled. He should of <course vote for haviog a market place, A market place was greatly wanted in this town, and everything should be done, to encourage its establishment, because it would serve as a means of communication between the people of. the town and those of the country. The City Council should also do all in their power, in. conjuction with the County Council, to make, the roads around the city better than they were. The City Council ought also have gone to the Government In a body and urged the construction of the Hutt-Waikanae line of railway. The City Council ought also to ask the Government to establish a post and tele-' graph office in Thorndon as well as in ‘Lambton aud Te Aro Wards, and it was scarcely fair that 7000 people should be asked to go down all the way to Lambton Ward to post their letters or call at the Telegraph Office. Rethought that a post and telegraph office at' Thorndon was a thing which they might demand of right, and he thought they would succeed if the City Council exerted themselves in the matter. He thought it would be a good thing for the city if the Engineer was instructed to lay off an esplanade along the harbor, which could be done at very little expense. At present, visitors to the city complained that there were no pretty walks about it unless they went’ up into the hills. He would favor every project that had a tendency to make the city attractive. He thought there should be a Harbor Board for Wellington, in which the- City Council should have a preponderating, influence, but at the same, time open to. take, advice from good men in matters concerning the : interests of the harbor and the revenue to be derived from it. He thought that greater care should be taken than hitherto in the expenditure of money. Where they had a"Bysteta”ol committees there was always a very. large expenditure of money, with very small results. By the energy and industry of one Councillor (Mr. Fisher) something like £2400 was saved to the ratepayers. (Hear, bear, and applause.} He thought the banking account of the city should be let by tender, aud he believed-’that £IOOO or £ISOO would be saved by some bank being willing to do their business for nothing for tho first year or two. He thought £3OO a-year was far too small a sura to give to the fire brigades, and hia only wonder was that the brigades were so efficient. They required the newest appliances, however, aud sufficient funds for this purpose ought to bo placed at their disposal. He thought it would be a very good thing to have a general library for the city, which would in a few years be an ornament aud a credit to the place. He came before them a perfectly new and untried man. "He had felt that he had no great right to ask for" their suffrages, but some'of his friends thought ho ought to make a good city councillor, and therefore ho came forward as a candidate. Ho bad given no pledges, except to do his best .for the ward and the city generally.' He was not connected with rings ; he had ho shares in tho tramway company, the gasworks, waterworks,’ or the like. If elected, he would do his utmost to save expenditure. ’ He would bo party to rings aud cliques, but would go on his own basis. If he worked with anybody" it would be with Councillor Fisher. (Hear, hear, and applause.) He thought Councillor Fisher .had done a great deal for the city, and a man who ran on his own basis ought to be accepted in preference Jo an avowed supporter of rings and cliques, or a contractors’ dummy. (Applause.) Ho was perfectly free and untrammelled, and ho hoped to win and deserve the suffrages of the ratepayers of Thorndon Ward. (Applause.) The Chairman said that Dr. Newman would bo most happy to answer any questions that might be put to him. There were loud cries of “Mr. Fisher," and that gentleman came forward. Councillor Fisher thought it was invidious to ask him to say anything on this occasion, or to say anything that migjit influence any of their rotes. He should have refrained from saying

anything but for, the fact that at the last 1 meeting_ofJ;ha,City J3ouncil..he.was told -by one' of the candidates that- ho was taking'an. active interest to secure the return of his opponent. Well,' if anything would tend to make him' support a candidate it was the spoechtwhioh had just been delivered by Br. Newman. (Hear, hear, aud applause.) lie would always support a man who was opposed to rings aud cliques. Iu a 3«ort time they wnuld be spending something like lialf-a-million a year, and see what corruption might ensue-if a great deal of care were not taken pnd watchfulness bestowed on - the expenditure "of the money. The man who 3aid he Would sat his face against any possible corruption" was the man'for him.- 'Although some members of the Council said they wouhV carry out their convictions to a legitimate' conclusion, still there had been an abatement of ardour on their part. But he (Councillor Fisher) occupied the same independent ground now which he occupied when he addressed them prior to his election. His oplnijins had not changed ono jota however the opinions of others might have ehinged. He. should give" Ur. Nowman his support because that gentleman had declared himself the'opponent of cliques aud rings, and expressed his determination to set his face against them. (Hear, hear, and applause.) Dr. Newman had stated in error that the fire brigades.got of his (Councillor Fisher's) the City Council agreed to give £SOO, and the insurance coin•pauies also agreed to raise their contribution from £3OO to £SOO, thus making £IOOO in all. Dr. Newman's remarks showed, however, that his mind was teudibg in the right direction on this subject. They were now only waiting to see'what the effects of the new arrangement Would be. * ' ■ The Chairman inquired if any ratepayerdesired to ask any questions. ' ' '■ 1 ' Mr. Madeley asked Dr. Newman whether it.would not be fairer to rate property as per frontage instead of on the improvements made in the way of buildings ? Dr. Newman said that property should _be rated according to its value. People retaining large frontages without building upon them ought to be made to pay according to value ; they should not be allowed to pay less than' the poor man who built a house on an eighth of an acre. Mr. BaRNETT would like to ascertain clearly from Dr. Newman whether he was in favor of a free public library, under the management and control of the City Council. He knew that many influential citizens, and even poor men, would contribute willingly towards . the establishment of such an institution. He should also like to see connected with it a fine arts gallery. Dr. Newman thought one of the great wants of Wellington was a free public library. It was a very great, want that should be remedied with the least possible delay. He should vote and do all in his power for the establishment of a free public library. He hoped also they would have a fine arts gallery in connection with.it. ■ Mr- Marks asked if Dr. Newman would insist on the tramway cars carrying only such a number of passengers as they could accommodate without inconvenient crowding, to the . danger of life and limb ? Dr. Newman thought it would bo illegal to crowd the cars beyond their carrying capacity, and he should do his utmost to ensure the convenience and Bafety of the'public in this respect. . . ■ Mr. FIELD stated that before Dr. Newman had become a candidate he had taken a great interest in a contemplated movement for the establishment of a free pnblic library. " In reply to Mr. (i. Anderson, Dr.- Newman saia he thought, the water rate was far too high to small consumers, compared with : large consumers. He thought the rate should be reduced to a minimum. In reply to Mr. Makk3, Dr. Newman said he thought the City Council would make about £2OOO a year more out of the wharf if it were under better management. This question would coine within the functions of the Harbor Board, aud he only trusted that better management would be the result. The Chairman expressed a hope that if the City Council took up the question of a free public library they.- would also convass the city for subscriptions. There were many citizens who would gladly contribute, and he for one would be most happy to do so. He believed that "if the City Council canvassed for subscriptions, they would meet with a much •warmer response than they anticipated. (Applause). There wereno further questions put. Dr. Newman returned thauks for the reception he had met with, and the' attention that had been paid to his address, and .again assured the meeting that if they did him the honor to return him to the City Council he would do everything in his power to advance the interests of Thorndon Ward and the city at large. A vote of thanks was passed, to the chairman by acclamation. As the meetiug was breaking up Mr. Field thought those present had forgotten to pass a resolution of confidence in Dr. Newman ; perhaps they would do so now. Av oice : We'll do it at the poll. Mr. Field : Oh, very well. The meetiug then separated. ''.' ME." COFFEY AT NEWTOWN. Mr. Coffey, one of the aspirants to represent Cook Ward in the City Conncil, met the ratepayers of Newtown in the Newtown Hotel last night. There were about twenty-five persons present, and Mr. Wilson occupied the chair. He briefly, explained to the ratepayers present . the object of the meeting,. and. called on Mr.. Coffey to express his view 3 concerning municipal matters. Mr. Coffey said that at the request.J>f_a .number of ratepayers residing inthe diatrict,he had met them, to introduce himself, as. it were, to them. He did not profess-to be a great-financier or a man of figures, at tha same time he hoped that he had sufficient common sense to represent the' ratepayers in the City Council. He thought it was the duty of any man when called upon to enter.lnto municipal matters to do the best he could for his.fellow citizens. He had resided in Wellington for eighteen years, all of which had. been, spent in Cook Ward. He had. passed the best -years of his life there, his children had been born there, and i(? would take" a great deal to make him leave it. It had been mooted that' some person .should . come'forward who had an interest in the locality of Newtown. .He might say that six-. teett, years ago he purchased land in the district, at the same time, however, he had never been able to find it. The Newtown of sixteen years' ago was quite a different place to the Newtown of to-day, and he looked forward • to the time when the township would command considerable attention. Mr. Coffey then briefly touched" npon the subjects he mentioned at the L Princess Theatre Hotel, which have already been reported.

'Xhe only, question asked the candidate wa3 whether he was of opioion that the footpaths should be fanned by the Cityi Council?.' The.; candidate replied that he considered that all footpaths should be formed by the Corporation:' They had money enough at their disposal, and should do it. On the motion of Mr. ViviaS, seconded by

Mr.-Carswzll,'ifc was unanimously carried That*MrTGoffey was a fit and proper'person to represent the electors of Cook Ward in the City Council: • •' A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated theineeting."