COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 241, 23 October 1914, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

I Mr J. Batty, who is contesting the HUuku riding, speaks at Mauku on ■aturday, October 31st, and Waiau Ha Monday, November 2nd. IMr J. A. Renall, the sitting Bnincillor for the Awhitu riding, Hanounces his intention of being a ■mdidate. I Cr J. Flanagan, tbe member for Hie Drury riding on the County Houncil, is again in the field, and Hublishea an address t>> the electors Hi our advertising column?. ■Mr Henry at PatumahoeI At tbe Patumahoe hall last night Hr J. Henry, the sitting member for i Hdauku riding on tbe County Council, Helivered his opening address. Mr Hv. Finlay, president of the iocal Krancb of the Farmers' Union, Miresiaed. I Mr Henry said he was there to Hive them his views on the past, Kresent and future of the Council. Be regretted that not more people ■were present that night; this lack of Hnterest in public affairs had been ■the cause of the district being kept Kack. The candidate then proceeded Hto deal with the activities of the Hcouncil during its pant term of office, Hand began bv explaining what the ■boundaries of the Council are and ■which road districts are comprised lin its area. With these particulars Headers of the "Times" aie already ■thoroughly familiar. The total ■valuation of the county was 363,047, and with its valuation ■of J8346.979 Mauku was a close ■third in the comparative values of ■the ridings. Details of the respecHtivc values of the ridings were ■given, but ai these appeared in ■ the "Times" recently they need not I be repeated Mere. The beginning of the County ■Council, said Mr Henry, entailed a ■ considerable amount of work. The ■ first year only one farthing in the ■ pound rate was struck, and it was ■ only in tbe second year of the H Council's existence Jhat its work Hahoned any betterment. Ratepayers ■ were inclined to grumble a* the I pool apparent results of the expendiI ture of tbeir money, but they forgot I tbe large amount ot initial work H which their representatives had to I put in. Mr Henry proceeded to I explain the steps taken in the I appointment of county officers; Mr I McArthur, the engineer, be said, I stood high in his profession and his ■ work was giving satisfaction. H Id tbe Mauku riding the old I Mauku road district was the only I part that had merged; Karaka had I full control of 'its roads except that I portion of the Waiuku Drury road I which ran through Karaka territory. I Continuing, the candidate dealt with ■ the amount raised by rates; last H year Mauku riding raised £1446 14s H 1H °f wbicb Mauku district contriI buted £773 3s 9d ard Karaka disI trict £672 lis 21 Beeides this I there were special loans over Mauku I district. Tbere was an indebtedness I of £l5O or £2OO and this had been I met by imposing a special rate of I a farthing in the £ for seven ■ years. Against the income of £1445 I there was a charge of £334 for I administration, etc., leaving £llOO H for repairs and maintenance of I roads. During the year work had I been done on Mauku creamery, I Union, Patumahoe to Pukekohe, I Church, Quinn's, Hunter's, Cuff's I and other roads, which was a fair I allocation of the money over the I different parts of the district. He I bad been anxious to conserve the I rate income and had made applicaI tion for grants .for a number of I roads, including Jox's road to I Paerata £SOO, Pilgrim's £SO, I Quinn's £IOO, Tramway £IOO, I McMabon's hill £IOO, Waiau £250, I Woodbouse road £250, Four Mile ■ bridge £2OO, Hog wood's road I £2OO, Waiuku-Drury road £IOO, Patumahoe-Drury £l5O. He expected to see a large number of these grants on tbe Estimates, but was very disappointed to find that only a revote for Putabi creek appeared. He immediately wired to the Prime Minister asking if provision had not been made on tbe Estimates for the Patumahoe post office and pointing out the conspicuous absence of the thirteen grants asked for, all of which were badly needed. Mr Mausey replied that £BOO had been put on the Estimates for Patumahoe post office—(applause)— and that he was enquiring into the other grants and would do his best. Feeling the confidence they could always place in Mr Massey he felt that a fair number of these grants would now appear on the Supplementary Estimates. Mr Henry said he was again offering his services as a councillor and if returned he would always act in the interests of the riding as a whole. Before the next three jears the Waiuku railway would be almost completed and special facilities would be needed to road to the station so as to take full benefit of the railway station. In these circumstances what they wanted was a progreseive representative He suggested that a road should be cut from Union road running out at Patumahoe-Pukekohe road, practically bisecting Mauku proper. With another road crossing that again the people of Mauku wcukl be given equal facilities with the people of Patumahoe. He thought the ratepayers would be willing to contribute to a special loan to have these roads put through. When the war was over, the Council would put into operatiun a scheme for the betterment of the roads of the whole county. They could not reconstruct and keep their roads out nf current rates. In that scheme it was intended that the past system of doling out grants should be done away with and a system of £ for £ subsidies substituted. These proposals had been put before ths Prime Minister, and were very favourably received, and he understood were practically embodied in an Act now before Parliament entitled "Grants to Local Bodies Act." The idea was for tbe Council to borrow £60,000 or £BO,OOO and to claim a subsidy of equal amount. From this sum the allocations would be £15,000 for work in Mauku and £IO,OOO for Karaka. He suggested that the first work they should do was to put the main metal roads ot tie district in a thorough state of repair, then metal T'tamway road from Bell's corner to the Puni metal, Waiuku road, to complete the main roads in this part of the riding, Woodhouse hill road, and other works which were named. These would give a fair for the

district and would enable them to bave roads in the winter as well as in the Bummer. He was not saying much about Karaka as that district was still under its own Board. So far as cost was concerned their engineer etited that if the Council went into the scheme thpy could da the work for very little increased rate—perhaps no increase at all—as the lepaira and maintenance would be so small. The present method of dumping metal meant waste. He felt sure that the ratepayers would be satisfied with the scheme if there was only a small extia ra'e.

The candidate said he co Id not. cb:e his remarks withrut nf.rring to Mr Batty's aid esi give,) the other mnin?. Mr Batty was a gentleman for whem he had the greatest resp ct. Mr Batty complained ot the want of attention his part ff the district had received; but' Karaka was aa unmerged district and the roads were controlled by the Karaka Road Board. The Council only had control ot the main roids. Mr Batty had himself admitted that an unmerged district should not have the fame amount of attention as a merged district, but said the unmerged district should not be penalised in the way of roads and bridges. Karaka had not been penalised.- The bridges to which Mr Batty referred had been put in order, except McPnerson's bridge whicb the Council found would ccst £IOOO to do in concrete and which they were not then prepared to go on with. At present the Karaka road district bad several hundreds of pounds to its credit with the Council. He agreed with most of Mr Batty's remarks with regard to the by-laws, but said Mr Batty was entirely wrong in suggesting there had been an over-appointment of official?. Replying to the suggestion that tbere was too much ommittes work Mr Henry said that nothing had been done in committtee which should properly have been dune in open council. A subcommittee went into the riding boundary questions but when their report csme before the Councii the deliberations were open to ratepayers and to the pres?. The speaker went on to suggest that as manager of the Karaka Land Company Mr Battv would serve his own end. "Our own personal interests influence us unconsciously," said Mr Henry, "and the same may he the case with Mr Batty." With regard to tbe Karaka bridges it may have been Mr Batty's honest opinion that they would benefit this district, but it was tbe honest opinion of the people here that those bridges would not benefit this district at all. But some people had short memories. Previously at a public meeting Mr Batty stated that Mauku or Patumahoe would not benefit but that Waiau would. As to Karaka end the speaker said be (aid that district all the attention he considered necessary under the conditions that existed, and in connection with the riding boundaries he had always acted according to the deeire9 of the Road Board. Mr Henry concluded by saying that if elected he would in the future as in the past pursue a constructive policy. (Applause). In reply to Mr Wily, Mr Henry Baid he would support any movement to have a greater proportion of charitable aid rates paid from the Consolidated Fund. He said the Council bad considered the question of establishing a cottage hospital. Mr Wily: That would double the rate. Mr H. C. Hay said it was frightfully dangerous to have the horses straying about the streets at night, and he asked it the County Councii had any by-laws to prevant it. Mr Henry said, "Yes; but it wutild be a hard job to get a poundkeeper." Mr Hay: Let the Council take the names of the owners of these animals and summons them; that will stop it. Mr Henry agreed that to allow horses to stray was highly reprehensible and he would like to see it stopped. There being no further questions (he candidate said he took their silence as an indication that they were satisfied with bis work. A hearty vote of thanks to Mr Finlay for presiding was carried. On the motion of Mr Hay (who said his opinion was that if they showed their common-sense tbey would vote for Mr Henry) a vote of thanks was accorded the candidate for his address.