COUNTY ELECTIONS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 244, 3 November 1914, Page 2

COUNTY ELECTIONS.

Mauku Riding Campaign. Mr Batty held a meeting in Mr Guthrie's store-room, Mauku, on Saturday evening, when about 30 farmers were present and listened to an interesting address by this candidate for the riding. Mr E. Gillou, chairman of the Mauku School Committee, presided. Mr Batty, iu his opening remarks, said he was pleased to see such a nice company present, it being an indication that tho ratepayers were beginning to take more interest in the county affairs. Mr Batty spoke at some length on County Councils employing their own road-making plant in addition to contractors. He maintained that the work could be done <[uite as cheaply and in better season by the Council having their own teams for the work of forming and grading. He would not advise having more than three or four two-horse teams, excepting under special conditions, and would favour placing each plant under charge of a good working foreman : the whole of tho plants to be supervised by a thoroughly competent overseer, who was capable of seeing that tho engineer's levels, etc , were carried out. This ovorseer could also bo utilised in inspecting and measuring contractors' work. Ho favoured tho working of these plants in one riding at a timo. The plants would in a sense be in the care of tho riding member and it should be his duty to give assistance such as securing paddocking, accommodation and camping ground for men and horses. He said he was aware of the difficulty of getting suitable men and the trouble employers have to hold them, but all contractors havo the same trouble and therefore put such prices on their tenders as to compensate for it. Many contractors do not manage their work on the best lines and local bodies are more or less the sufferers. Regarding bouudary alterations, Mr Batty criticised the time the present Council had wasted over these matters when there were much more important (questions needing attention. In speaking on tiuance matters Mr Batty said he was a progressive man and was not opposed to boirowing, especially for road and bridge improvements, but before voting for any borrowing scheme he would have to be satisfied that the money was really needed and was going to be wisely speDt. If ratepayers found the money was being well spent then they would have more confidence in their mombers. Mr Batty maintained that tho present Council's works had been done too much in committoe, especially in reference to boundary work. He would not be afraid to state his views openly and considered that much more work should have been open to the ratepayers. Mr Batty said he considered that main roads should receive nearly as much attention in unmerged districts as in those already merged. Because a district had not merged it should not be penalised. Regarding the two chain Tramway road he considered steps should have been at once taken to dispose of one chain of this to adjoining owners. In conclusion tho candidate said that if elected lie would endeavour to do his duty to the Mauku district as conscientiously as in his own district, ami he felt sure that in a few months they would all be satisfied that he was right in touch with all their wants. If not elected, however, lie would feel that ho had done some good*by having ventilated .some matters that otherwise would not have been brought out. Mr Batty said that to-day, whilst around the Mauku district, he had been told that he had use.l influence to get certain evidence in connection with the Karaka bridges, ne wished to emphatically deny this imputation for he was quite innocent of any such thing. At the conclusion of his address Mr Batty was heartily applauded. In response to a request for questions several ratepayers asked Mr Batty's views on various matters. Mr Wily said, with regard to the suggestion that Mr Batty had attempted to influence a witness at the Karaka bridge enquiry, that neither Mr Batty nor his lawyer knew what the witness intended to say, and anyone uho said he did was acting verj* wrongly and improperly. In reply to Mr Wily, Mr Batty said he was in favour of a good camber on metalled roads, and ho would be prepared to e.vperiuient on a small portion of some road with burnt clay as a metal binding. Mr Rogers said that some of tho present members seemed to think that all they had to do was to attend the l'J meetings held by tho Council. Ho asked, if returned, would Mr Batty make a point of periodically visiting the vast majority of roads in his riding Mr Batty said if eloctod he would take it on himself to go over all tho roads and if any settlers would come with him he would be pleased. Mr Rogers, in a lengthy question, reviewed the many improvements in various trades but dcplorod the oldfashioned methods still adopted in road-making. Ho wished to know if it was not possible to treat roads iu a different way with little or no more cost, or if Mr Batty considered they had arrived at perfection in road-making. Mr Battv said ho was not competent to speak on all modern road methods, but ho did not think anything liko perfection had boon arrived at. Ho was every day becoming conversant with new methods; he was a strong believer' in blinding on metal, and greatly favoured the roller. A hearty vote of thanks was pro- j posod by Mr lv Gillon, seconded bv Mr Rogers, and carried by an lama- i tion. In seconding tho vote of thanks | Mr K. igors said such a meeting as I this was certainly tin improvement. 1 This was the Hist time he had ever known a candidate to come and con- I for with the ratepayers as to tho best I means of looking after their interests j and ho thought it might augei iiu- ' [Movement lor (ho future of tlieii t roads. A vote ul th inks to th'> ch'ii rm in j |'|uiilil lei the niec'illg. which was I stud I i be the be-it of its kind yet I held ill the distiu t.