THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5502, 14 November 1878, Page 2

THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

SIR. HUTCHISON BEFORE THE RATEPAYERS. Mr. Hutchison held a meeting at the Princess Hotel, Moles worth-street, at eight o'clock last evening. There was a numerous attendance. The chair was taken by Mr. Greig, on the motion of Mr. McColl, seconded by Mr. C. O’Neill. The Chairman, after a few prefatory remarks, called upon Mr. Hutchison to address the meeting. Mr. Hutchison said that during the time he occupied the position of Mayor he had endeavored to see equal justice done to all parts of the city. He felt that he was very much in the position of being on his defence, and therefore he had a right to claim a fair and patient hearing. Daniel O’Connell once.said that he was 1 the best abused man in Ireland, and. in a small way he (Mr; Hutchison) thought ho was the beat abused man in'Wellington, even from groundlings like Mr. Carpenter upwards. He considered that every man’s public conduct was open to fair critieism—(hear, hear), —but he did not think that a man’s family relations and private business should be brought into the question. Mr. Dransfield had called him everything but a gentleman, and had endeavored to make him out as a very - mean man indeed. He was not only content to refer to himstdf; but he had also dragged in his sons, and said they were hungrily expecting to be made Resident Magistrates in some hole-and-corner of the colony. He begged to inform Mr. Dransfield that his sons' business was .far too good to be given up for any resident magistracy. A great deal had been made nut of what was known as the cheque business, but be submitted that the signing and issuing of the cheque was perfectly legal, as it was done under the authority of the Council. [Councillor Fisher : No.] For the sake of convenience, a general authority was given by tho Council to the Mayor to sign the cheques for work done by contractors. There never had been the least demur to this being done for two years. It was said in the report of tha Commission of Inquiry that it was unjustifiable. (Hear, hear.) The gist of the charge was that it ought to have been submitted to the Council before tbe cheque was signed. He would prove from the report of the commission itself that tbe signing of the cheque was both legal and justifiable. The cheque was also signed by Councillor Macdonald, and the committee exonerated him from blame, saving it was done in the ordinary 1 course of business, and in accordance with a practice very improperly sanctioned by the Council. If it was unjustifiable for him (Mr. Hutchison) to sign the cheque, it was surely unjustifiable for Cr. Macdonald to sign it. This showed the inconsistency of the report. [A voice : Who signed first 1] He (Mr. Hutchison) was the first to sign, and he maintained that in doing so he did nothing which was either illegal or unjustifiable. Mr. Kennedy Macdonald was a member of the committee, and therefore present to defend himself, but in his (Mr. Hutchison’s) case, advantage was taken of a man behind his back, and capital made out of the thing. He had no corrupt motive whatever iu signing the cheque, and did so under a general authority which was given to the Mayor by the Council. Mr, Dransfield, in his speech on the previous night, had brought no fewer than fourteen counts against him. The first of these was with regard to the Thorndon reclamation question. What he (Mr. Hutchison) objected to was, that in taking over the Hospital as proposed, they were undertaking a very heavy responsibility, without consulting tho ratepayers on the subject ; and he also objected to the removal of the Hospital from its present site. He altogether objected*to the mode in which this business was attempted to bo done, in making a private arrangement for taking over such a heavy responsibility as the maintenance of the Hospital. Mr. Dransfield attacked him concerning Mr. O’Neill’s appointment. Mr. O’Neill was appointed by the Council. [A voice ; A very correct one, too,] He certainly thought so, and he believed Mr. O'Neill had done a great deal of good for the city. (Hear, hoar.) If Mr. O’Neill’s appointment was not minuted, then it was in consequence of the mode of conducting business which at one time prevailed, and it was because he told the Town Clerk that he did not think ho was conducting the business in the manner in which he thought it should bo conducted, that he made an enemy of the Town Clerk ; but Mr. O’Neill’s appointment was made by the Council, and he believed the proposal was made by Mr. Dransfield himself, though he was not quite certain on the point. He did not understand what Mr. Dransfield meant by his reference to Mr. O’Neill getting 3d. a flag for Caithness flagging. With regard to the drainage question, he thought Mr. Climio had been very much ill-used by the Council, and he believed tbe Council would have to retrace its steps in the matter. Mr. Clark’s scheme could not be carried out in its entirety, because to do so they would have to borrow a great deal more money, and the ratepayers would decline to bear the in* creased burdens' which would thereby be placed upon them. The ratepayers became responsible for all loans, and they ought to be consulted before any loans wore raised. The spirit of the Act was that the ratepayers should in the first place be consulted and their sanction obtained to the borrowing of money. Mr. Dransfield had made a statement with regard to the making of unmade streets which fairly astonished him. He stated that only those who lived in the streets that were made would have to pay for the making of them, and that not a penny would come from those living outside them. There was no law in existence by which such a thing could ba done, but even if it could, it,would be very unfair to make thoso who had been paying rates for the making of other, streets piy solely for the making of those in which they lived. Ho thought tho Tinakori-road drain should be covered iu wherever it interfered with the public health. He had also voted for the making of a new road through Gloubervie-terrace, but that resolution was afterwards rescinded, and it was no fault of bis that the road had not . been made. He begged to thank those present for the patience

with which they had listened to him, and ho would bo happy to answer any questions that might be put to him. Before Bitting down, he thought it probable that Councillor Fisher would make a speech. He would be most happy to listen to Mr. Fisher, Mr. Marks, or any other gentleman, but he would claim the ‘ right of reply. In answer to questions, Mr, Hutchison said the large overdraft was caused by improvements being carried out daring the time ho was Mayor. His reading of the Act was, that May-street mid other such streets were private streets. Ho believed that whilo he wa« Mayor something was done to May-street. Mi. Anderson. : A little, at electioneering time, - Mr. Marks considered that Mr. Hutchison had at the very least acted hurriedly and unwisely in signing the cheque without consulting the Council. - Councillor Fisher said that as between the two candidates they were reduced to Hobson’s choice, and he was sure the ratepayers would not so far stultify themselves as to roturn Mr. Hutchison as Mayor of Wellington. He (Councillor Fisher)* begged to state most distinctly that the Council never gave him authority to sign the cheque. The certificate ought to have been placed before the Council, and payment ought not to have been made until after the lapse of fourteen days; but what were the facts of the case ? That the subject was never mentioned to the Council; that the very next day the Town Clerk (Mr. Hester) declined to pass the cheque for payment on such very meagre information; that Mr. Hester thereupon Bent tho treasurer (Mr. Page) to Mr. Hutchison; that he was asked whether the cheque should be signed, and Mr. Hutchison said “Yes, by all means sign t” Yet, in the face of these facts, Mr. utchiaou came there that evening and gave a distorted version of an administrative crime. [Councillor Fisher made some very strong remarks with reference to the subject of corruption, and for a .while tho meeting became very disorderly. There were interruptions of all kinds, and the chairman threatened to leave tho chair if further personal observations were indulged in. Comparative quietude was ultimately restored, and Councillor Fisher continued to speak, concluding by saying that in this contest his vote and interest would go against Mr. Hutchison.] Mr. Hutchison then reiterated his former, remarks with regard to tho signing of the cheque. Mr. McColl proposed a vote of confidence in Mr. Hutchison. Mr. White seconded the resolution. Mr. Madelat moved, as an amendment, — That in the opinion of this meeting the interests of this ward and the city in general would bo best promoted by electing Mr. Jos Dransfield as Mayor. Mr. Anderson seconded the amendment, Tho amendment. was put. On a show of hands being taken, there were for tho amendment 11. The contrary was not called for. * The Chairman then, called for a show of hands for the motion, and declared it carried. There were cries of “Divide/’ bub the meeting immediately broke up.