COUNTY ELECTIONS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 245, 6 November 1914, Page 2

COUNTY ELECTIONS.

The Awhitu Riding.

Councillor Renall's Cam* paign.

Mr J. A. Renall, councillor for the Awhitu riding, held his first meeting in connection with his County Council campaign in the Waipipi schoolroom. There was a large attendance, nnny ladies being present. Mr J. Crotty was voted ti the chair. Mr Kenall gave an interesting addreis anj received a splendid hearing.

In his opening remarks Mr Renall said he was present to give an account of his stewardship, and he would also bo glad to answer ques tions. He had been told that he was going to get a very bad time: well, he did not object to fair and gentlemanly criticism. His raason for takiug up this Council work was uot that lie was eager for public life, but that as an old public man lie thought he might do some good for his district. Ho was ono of the heavies; ratepayers in this district, and his desire was to carry out his work fairly and squarely. tie claimed that evory promiso ho had given for a County Council as against Road Boards had been proved correct. The Council were still un ler heavy circumstances an 1 as yet they had not had a fair show He contended that it was batter to send members back who were acquainted with the work ; it would take a now I>t 11 months to get into working order. He had criticised tiie roads here whon he lirst came to the district, and he thought that through his criticism thoy wore getting better metil than hitherto. Regarding complaints, In thought it would be m »re courteous to send these through their warden Matter-* had boon sent to tho Orancil that he had known nothing about till read out to him at a Council meeting. He did not expect as a public man to have the friendship of everybody; nobody could do that, but a'l the same he was going to do what was right and proper. When the County Council started operations there was considerable expense to be met before any return was forthcoming. Land had to bs bough*, offices had to be erected, machinery purchased, etc. Soma omplainea about the erection of ofKces; well, for 18 months they sat in a hovel I'2 x B—he could call it nothing else. They had hard stools to sit on 11 hours at a stretch. Ratepayers ganorally did not recognise the magnitude of the work of the County Council; this was shown when it was seen that a sum of £OO,OOO would pass through the Council's hands for the next year, which would give a fair idea of the amount of work the clerk, Mr Steinbridge, had to do. To carry out the initial steps the Council had struck a Jd rate, the following year a i'd rate was struck; on this tbey could draw a small overdraft, and he maintained that they could not work unless this was done. Councillor Renall dealt at some length with matters relating to obstructing a highway. " Ouce a highway," he said, "always a highway, and no one had any right to obstruct it." It was the King's roadway, and tho Council had to administer the law as the Act laid it down. If he had trod on anybody's corns he was sorry, but as an upright man ho had to carry out the Act and sometimes in these matters one was cmfronted with very unploasant circumstances.

Regarding sledges: Tho C rnncil had been blamed orer their by laws in this respect, but thoy had dono nothing against them. The Public Works Act savs that no vehicle shall be taken along a roadway unless it be lifted wholly on wheels. This was in force long before any County Council stepped in and oven if tho by-laws were not thore any person could lay an information to the police under tho oefore-montion m 1 Act. However, the Council never intended that any hardship should be put on anybody and these laws wero only placed on the Statute Book to apply in very stringent cases. By-laws that applied to town boards were not required in rural districts, and it took time to cope with all the difficulties that they were confronted with. They should look at these matters broad-mindedly, and they would see no very stringent ateps would likelv be taken.

Some exception had been taken to the method of working horse toams on the roads, and some contended that the hor9?s should not be loft standat all. He would like to know how this was to be avoided, and if anyone could tell him of a better plan ho would be pleased He upheld the method of employing surfacemen and no hotter plan had been found, and this had been the practice for the past 20 year 9. When a man criticised this or that ho would like to know what experience that man had had; probably ho had never been away from his mother's apron strings. Present councillors, said Mr Renall, were working in the very best iuterests of the districts they represented and all had plenty of local experience and, he asked, were others that had not this experience going to do better ? Tho receipts for Waipipi soction for 1 912• 13 wero £OO, for 191 3-1 I £ 180. The Government subsidy on Waipipi Road Board rate, 1913-11, was £-15, making a total of £2SS. Tho total expenditure was £248 0s 2d, loaviug a balancoiu hand of £3O 13s lOd on tho 31st March last. The general rate revenuo was £9OOO. Tho management, including salaries, olßce expenses, ami printing and advertising for the period covered by balance sheet ran out at i'T 18 ">s9d, aud the cost of the management worked out at about 8 per cent. Then on tho general revenue for that period, taking the Government grants, etc., £3170, aud interest ou Government sinking fund, rate ou loaus £777, making a graud total income from all sourcos of £12,917. I The total payments from March 31st, 1011, to September 30th, 19U, were £ 1 ti,lBS. Estimating the payments for six months ending 31st March next at £llOO, this would make a total expenditure of 130,188; and; allowing for an increase at double the amouut mentioned the percent- | ago would work out at approximately I 0 per rent, l>eing the lowest record i in the Dominion. This bore out the statements ho had made hitherto regarding the advantages gained by 1

all small bodies merging into a larger body and thereby concentrating the business to one head. However, if they considered Mr Hamilton a bottor man he did not uiind His Mr Renall's) records wore good. He held a little trinkot dangling on his breast that he got—well, for doing no good he supposod. (Laughter). A record for his riding was notwithstanding tho fact that ho wis a Liberal—aad a good one, too—Mr Massey had certainly given him a square dual, for he had got no less than £IOOO in straight-out grants for his riding, and he believed in giving credit were credit was due. In this ca<e he congratulated the Minister upon tho way the district was treated.

The application from the Council for the Creamery road was £250, but Mr Massey had gonorously given him £.500. This would do more than tho Creamery road, so ho would expend the balance further westward, up to those who had hitherto not had the advantage of a motal road. Westhoads had also askod for an outlet. If elected he would endeavour to carry out this with some of the ratos relieved by tho grant; also Mr Jackson's road, which he considered had suffered too long.

Out of the £SOO grant for Lee's gully, tho oxpensos for tho survey and other items would have io be taken, and that would roliove Pollok and Awhitu of the proportional cost now set down against thorn as a temporary debit balanco, and thereby 'cave a balanco to make tho road through for ordinary horse traffic. Next year they should get another grant to complete tho road and so be relieved of furthor loans. A few fiuestions were askol ail I satisfactorily answorod.

On the motion of Mr Oleeson a resolution of thanks —expressing satisfaction in the manner Mr Ronall had administered tho affairs of tho Awhitu riding and contidenco in him as their representative—was carried unanimously. This ended ono of the bost meetings in connection with lccal mattors ever held in the district. Councillor Renall wa9 also to speak at Kohekohe, Awhitu wharf, Pollok and Orua Bay this week.

At Kohokolie and Pollok Mr Renall had splendid wootings. Mr H ircotnbe and Mr £. Oorin were tho respective chairmen. Votes of thanks were heartily passed to the candidate.