MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5448, 12 September 1878, Page 2

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

MR. MAGINITY AT THE PRINCESS ' HOTEL. Mr. Pownai.li took the chair at eight o’clock, and called upon Mr. Maginity to address the electors. He was pleased to see so many ratepayers present. Mr. Maginity thanked the electors for the interest they had shown in municipal matters by attending the meetings convened by him. He wished to point out that Dr. ewman had comparatively very little interest in the ward, and was almost a stranger to them all. Dr. Newman’s reason for opposing him was this, that the doctor was anxious to go into political life, and. he thought municipal life the stepping stone. Dr. Newman represented a company, the company of Newman, Fisher, and Co. It had been said that he (Mr. Maginity) had been bound up with contractors. He wished to deny the charge absolutely. Those charges should have been made publicly, so that a chance might have been allowed him to refute them. He had challenged Councillor Fisher to meet him there that night, but Tie was not present. In regard to the question of Councillor Greenfield being interested in the tramway, Mr. Maginity had stated that Councillor Greenfield was so interested on the authority of Councillor Fisher. Mr. Travers contradicted the statement, and it became a question which of those two gentlemen was right. He thought -Mr. Travers was probably correct. Mr. Maginity opposed the levying of an extra rate for the purpose of removing the nightsoil, because be thought the ratepayers had enough rates to pay. It was owing to a statement he had made concerning Councillor Fishvr's method of disposing of garbage in his (Councillor Fisher’s) own yard that that gentleman had so much animosity against, him. He had not been asked to join the. deputation except by a. note on the day the deputation waited on the Government re the purchase of the Thorndon reclamation, although it was his proposal that the question should be taken in hand. He stated that Councillor Fisher had changed his tactics in regard to the payment for the banquet. An apologetic letter from Councillor Fisher was read by Mr. Maginity, signed “ Yours fraternally, G. Fisher.” He believed he was in a position to prove the different statements he had made. In respect to Mr. Field's interference the previous night,he would say the city collector had assured him Mr. Field had never paid a rate, neither was his name on the roll.’ The management of the harbor would probably, be better separate from the City Council, but he did not wish to see the city endowments taken for harbor purposes. The time tor a free port was hardly come yet, while the city was so heavily in debt. He wished to retain all the endowments in the hands of the Corporation. He did not believe in collecting the rates in advance. He hoped a graving dock might be added to this city before long. It might be advisable to change the banking account from one bank to another every half year, bat it was a subject he had not considered. —A Ratepayer hoped that some steps would be taken to place the rating upon a more equitable basis.—Mr. Maginity would do bis best to amend the basis of rating. - A ratepayer proposed," that every person using water should have a water meter, and pay for the water he uses.—Mr Maginity had noobjeotion to thepriuciple, and would give it his best attention, and thought a meter system was an economical innovation to introduce. Mr. Bolton moved a vote of confidence in Mr. Maginity, which was carried unanimously. The Chairman conducted the meeting admirably. . : DR. NEWMAN AT KAROBI HOTEL. Dr. Newman met the ratepayers of Thorndon nt the Karori Hotel, Tinakori-road, last night. The room in which the meeting was held was crammed. The chair was occupied by Mr. Marks. Dr. Newman stated that it had been rumored that he was not a fit person to represent the ratepayers, as he himself was not a ratepayer. He, however, intended to make Thorndou his future home. In referring to the actions of the City Council, he thought they had bean very dilatory in many things concerning the town. He thought Wellington before long would ho one of the great centres in New Zealand. He looked upon it as holding the same position in New. Zealand as London did at Home, and that the Council should consider this fact, aud do morejthan merely kerb the streets'and keep them iu repair. It was very generally understood that Wellington was very heavily in debt, and that we should not raise any more money. It was true they owed £270,000, but they had assets of £90,000 over and above that sum. He thought it would be a wise step to sell a part of the Thorndou reclamation to pay off the indebtedness of the city. He did not believe in handing it down to posterity when the money was wanted at once. They had to pay excessive rates for water ; if a small part of the land he mentioned could be sold it would be the means of considerably lessening the , rates. In referring to the drainage scheme, , he thought that there had been a great amount of time wasted, and apparently the Council did not know yet which way the drain would be made. . He would strongly support Mr. Clark's scheme. He thought the Council should engage the service! of a good practical engineer who would understand every little detail, If elected bo would do his utmost to have to have the drain in the Tinakori-road closed up. Ho would also endeavor to purchase a steam roller! He thought the Corporation should be opposed to selling the reserves. The cemetery, ho thought, should be removed from its present place. If the Corporation could not purchase a suitable place, he suggested that a nccroplis company should be formed similar to those in England. He thought there should bo a branch post office and telegraph office instituted at Thorndqn, as persons had to walk fully three-quarters of a mile to post a .letter. Iu referring to a free library, he said he could not enter into- details, as the Dill was now before the House ? but he would do his best, if elected, to get the matter pushed on ns speedily as possible. He characterised ths of tuo wharf as bad, ami thought £2OOO a year more might be made if it were judiciously managed. He thought they should havo freq baths m the

city ; also, a market place, which he thought would very shortly pay for itself. The election of Councillors should be annual. If elected he would try and get an inspector of weights and measures appointed. He thought the banking account of the City Council should be let by tender, by which means they could get £ISOO a year. In answering questions put to him Dr. Newman said that if elected he would try and do what he could to have the election of Councillors annually. He would be in favor of spending a sum of money for the purpose of putting the footpaths of the cemetery in repair. He would have a report laid on the table.of the Council showing an estimate of the monies that had been expended in Te Aro and Thorndon Wards, On the motion of Mr. Salmon, seconded by Mr. Smith, it was unanimously resolved that Dr. Newman bad their fullest confidence, A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. ME. MILLER AT THE TRAMWAY HOTEL. Last evening Mr. Miller addressed the ratepayers of Cook Ward at the Tramway Hotel. There was a very good attendance. Mr. S. Brown, contractor, occupied the chair.—Mr. Miller stated his views to the meeting, repeating in substance what he had already said when addressing the electors at the Princess Hotel, Tory-atreet, and at the City Hotel He was strongly in favor of the Corporation making all the streets except in the case of private streets formed far the benefit of the individual owner of the property, who cut it up into building lots, and who ought to bear the expense. In reference to the Te Aro foreshore reclamation, he was of opinion that the owners of property abutting on the foreshore would be sufficiently compensated by having a street made along the line of the foreshore at the rear of their premises: In reply to a question, Councillor George, who was present, said that in his opinion those parties whose grants of land entitled them to a frontage to Lambtou Harbor could not have such frontage taken away without being compensated. He regretted that the question of the Te Aro foreshore reclamation had not been settled, as it might have been if the first offer of the Corporation had been accepted. As it was, he doubted if the Bill would pass this session, and feared that the matter would be indefinitely delayed. Mr. Miller answered a number of questions put to him to the satisfaction of those present, and received a vote of confidence. One question that was put to him was this : —“ Would you go in for the Corporation paying £40,000 for a cemetery, or have cremation, and save that amount V* It was explained that the Corporation did not propose to spend £40,000 for a cemetery ; but into the question of cremation the candidate was not prepared' to go at the present time, Mr, McColl asked the candidate if he would support the Mayor being elected by the Council? The Chairman said it was provided by the Corporation Act that the Mayor was to be elected by the ratepayers generally. The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the candidate, the chairman,.and to Councillor George for his attendance.