PUKEKOHE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 264, 3 April 1917, Page 2

PUKEKOHE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Mr .Costello Leads Off.

The large gathering present last night in the Premier Hall to hear an address from Mr James Costellr. in futherance of his candidature for the mayoralty of Pukekohe testified to a refreshing awakening of public interest in local municipal matters and more particularly in the contest that is at hand for the mayoral office. Mr Henry Dell presided and with the Union Jack being prominently displayed on the platform the proceedings were appropriately opened by the singing of the National Anthem

CANDIDATURE APPROVED. Mr Costello, at the outset of his remarks, explained that as the outcome of a meeting held last week of his supporters and of supporters of two others in the field, at which they agreed among themselves to abide by the choice of those present, it fortunately or unfortunately fell to his lot to appear before the electors that evening.

TOWN BOARD DOINGS. He was for some four or five years a member of the old Town Board and he claimed that that body laid the foundation of Pukekohe's present progress. In the time of the Town Board Pukekohe was simply starting as a town and they only derived £424 from rates but he took credit to himself that with the Board's limited income he helped to start the town on its onward career. The Town Board also pui chased for the purpose of a Town Hall, destined to be built in the future, a site which was now worth four times the price they paid for it. Then again as a member of the Town Board he took an active part in securing for the town a Technical School, which was one of the best equipped of any country school in New Zealand.

THE ROADING PROBLEM He was of opinion that at the present time it was undesirable in view of scarcity of labour and money to enter into any fresh works unless absolutely necessary, other than those in hand. As regards the roading work now being carried out a good deal of money was being spent on tarred macadam, a policy to which he was opposed. Tarred macadam roads had never been a success in any part of the world and he instanced the failure of the process on Karangahape Boad, Park Road, aad the Newmarket Broadway as proof of his contention in regard to a district near at hand. The life of tar was at the most two years and it was a waste of money to go on with a method that would never prove of a lasting nature. He contended that the Council ought to get the advice of a competent engineer and he believed such advice would be for the construction of concrete roads, even though probably owing to the expense involved they would only be able to do at a time about half of what could be done in tarred macadam.

a mayor's social duties. Mr Costello went on to refer to the social duties appertaining to the mayoral office. As his hearers knew, he said, they were passing through a great crisis and it behoved all British people to stand shoulder to shoulder to combat the enemy. If one could not go to fight for his country it was the next best thing for him to help those who had gone forth (applaust). Soldiers were returning from the front maimed and wounded and it was the duty of those who remained at home to provide for their future living. Especially he considered it was the duty of the Mayor and Mayoress of the town to give a fitting send-off to the gallant boys proceeding to the front and a warm welcome to all those who came back f applause). If it fell to him to be their Mayor he would promise that those social duties would be strictly carried out and he would particularly do his best towards providiug for the comfort and future of those who had fought their battles and whose living was impaired by wounds received. It was only right and just that a Mayor should attend all social functions and receptions, especially of a patriotic kind, and he was fully prepared to undertake such duties. (Applause). Moreover he reminded liis hearers that in all probability within the period for which the Mayor was to be elected Peace with Victory would be declared, in which case he would promise that if he was their Mayor fitting celebrations would be arranged (applause). ELECTRIC LIGHT. Proceeding, Mr Costello said he hoped to see electric light soon in operation in the town and he claimed that such installation had been materially assisted by the foresight displayed by the Town Board in selecting a plant for the Power House of a type that was specially designed for generating electricity for which they had given consideration (applause). THE RECREATION GROUND. He certainly advocated that the Recreation Ground should receive attention and should be made available for use for the benefit of the young people of the district. WAGES TO WORKMEN.

In the matter of the payment of a war bonus to the Council's employees he recognised that high rents and excessive cost of living pressed hard on the working maa and ho favoured them receiving the full wage to which they were legally entitled. COUXCI I. ADMINISTRATION.

He recognised that the retiring Council had been a progressive body They deserved credit for whit they had done and he trusted to see many of the retiring Councillors again in ollioe. At the same time it was advantageous if new men came along with fresh ideas He considered that }he ratepayers should be taken into the Council's fullest confidence and he was of opinion that too much had been done in the past two years " in Committee." A I,LOTTING EX I'ENTHTURK. Mr C'ostollo next dealt with complaints made t > him by ratepayers that they went on paying rates year after year and vet no money was spout on roads in their respective localities whilst they also had re-

ceived 110 consideration in the allotment of the loan money. He (Mr Ooitello) wished to make it clear that it was his opinion that at least a portion of the rates should be tt* panded in the locality from which they were raised (applause).

MOItOUGH ENGINEER PROPOSAL. He considered that in every way it would be in the best interests of the town for a Borough Engineer to be appointed and then they would have skilled supervision over everything. The present system was unfair to their Foreman of Works as too much was expected of him and he was overtaxed with work. If the borough could not afford an engineer of its own he (Mr Costello) suggested that they might combine with such neighbouring local bodies as the Waiuku, Tuakau, Papakura and Manurewa Town Boards for an Engineer to be appointed to distribute his time amongst all of them. That matter was one he considered all-important in the interests of the town and he therefore made it a particular point of the policy he intended, if elected, to put before the Council (applause).

CONCLUDING REMARKS In conclusion, Mr Costello remarked that as a ratepayer and the head of a family he was personally interested in the town's welfare and recognising that it was a citizen's duty to serve the town in which one lived he had decided to offer himself for election as Mayor. He left it in the hands of the electors to say, after giving consideration to the views he had expressed that night, whether they wished him to occupy the office to which he aspired.

QUESTIONS. The chairman then invited questions to be asked of the candidate and the decisive and prompt answers given to the same by Mr Costello created a most favourable impxession. In reply to Mr J. H Webb, Mr Costello said he would favour a tarred footpath being constructed past the Public School in Queen Street and be considered that if they could not have good roads they should at least have good footpaths. Asked whether he considered that the public pound should be removed from its present site. Mr Costello replied that he was strongly of opinion that it should be removed owing to the risk of contamination of the source of the town's water supply from the presence of cattle in the pound. Mr J. Patterson enquired whether the candidate thought the present time .opportune for the raising of rates and the candidate having answered in the negative with the further remark that he would rather see them lowered than raised, Mr Patterson wanted to know how a Borough Engineer could be appointed without any increase in rates. To this' Mr Costello replied that he considered that more money than would be required to pay an Engineer was being wasted now but he reminded Mr Patterson that his proposal was to appoint an Engineer jointly with certain other local authorities and there would oertainly be no difficulty in finding their proportion of the salary to be paid to such official.

In answer to the Rev 8. Nixon, Mr Costello said he thought it was quite time that the by laws should be put into legal form so that they could be enforced. Asked by Mr John Russell whether he would favour fshort or long dated loans, the candidate replied that the greatest financier could not under the present conditions say which form of loan would be the best. In reply to a question whether he agreed that the Waterworks Engineer should be paid 1J percent commission on the water scheme works, Mr Costello's reply was " Yes, certainly. If you use a man's brains you should pay for them " Answering Mr J. H. Webb, the candidate stated that he favoured ft scheme of drainage for the Recreation Ground. The meeting concluded with the usual vote of thanks.