FRANKLIN COUNTY ELECTIONS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 325, 9 November 1917, Page 2

FRANKLIN COUNTY ELECTIONS.

The various candidates are now active in connection with the County Council flections to he held next Welntsday. A" previously stated, contests are taking place in the Mauku Riding, where Cr Henry is opposed by Mr J. S Montgomerie ; in the Drury Riding, where Cr J. Flanagan has Mr W. H. Thomas as an opponent ; in the Awhitu Riding where Cr J. A. Renall is confronted by Messrs H Furniss and J. A. Short ; in the Waiuku Riding, whore Cr R. Higginson has to compete against Messrs R. T. Reid and C. Hodgkinson ; and in tb* Mercer Riding where both Messrs C. A. Hille and G. II Stubbs aspire for the teat vacated by Mr R. Lyons. HOSPITAL ItOAKD ELECTION'. In conjunction with the County e'e tions voting will also take place for the represent.tt'on of the combirud district of Franklin County, Puk?ki«he Borough and Waiuku Town District on the Auckland Hos;-i;al and Charitable Aid Board, the rival candidates being Messrs J. P Aslier. C. K Lawrie and J G. Ru lierf.nd For this election all County ele. tors (including ratepayers o" Tuakau and Mercer), all persons on the Pukekohe B'»rough Electoral Roll and all persons on the Waiuku L\>wn District Electoral Roil are entit'ed to vote, the sa n Q being in all <ases limited to one vote only. Votes may be ca>t at any pollingI, ioth in the various County ridings; at McEwan's Hall, Papakura ; at the Puolic Hall, Tuakau ; at the Town Board office, Mercer; at the Town Board otlice, Waiuku ; at the County otlice, Hall Street, Pukekohe; or at the Auckland polling booth in Mr D W. McArthur's office, 3 Palmerston Buildings (first floor), Queen street—adjoiniug the Union Steamship Company's office. Tne hours of polU|g will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

MR J HENRY S CANDIDATURE

Mr J Henry openel his election campaign in the Mauku Riding en Wednesday evening las*, when he addressed a well-attended meeting of ratepayers at Waim Pah. Mr A. G. In inter was voted to the chair. The candidate dealt with various matter, of interest to the County generally and to the Hiding in particular in the way of roadingand finance and triced the progress that had Wen made in the past six years siuce the different areas controlled by the various Road Boards had come under the Council's jurisdiction. He pointed out the advantages of the Council over Road Boards in regard to financing loans. He referred to the utter impossibility of constructing roads out of rates in country that had not been already permanently roaded and strongly urged the desirability of raising loans for the purpose of making metal roads and of utilising the rating [lowers to meet the inter est and sinking funds on loans and to keep fie roads so constructed in repair. Mr Henry also emphasised

of all lands where the production had not been raised to its highest capacity in order to enable the people to bear the heavy load of taxation necessitated by expenditure in connection with the war. He pointed out that there was no County in the North Island in which there was so much land only partially developed and said the production capacity could be increased tenfold. In order to bring that about, however, it was necessary that roads should be constructed to enable the farmer to get his manures and other material on to the land and his crops to market after they had been raised. This, he pointed out, applied particularly to Waiau and a large portion of the Karaka part of trie Riding and he directed special attention to the comprehensive roading scheme which he had drawn up in connection with those two districts. He added that he had already submitted the same to the Council and that the preliminaries for the loan to give effect to the scheme were being vigorously pushed ahead by the Council. He hoped that a considerable amount of actual work in connection with this roading scheme would be put in hand during the coming summer. Mr Henry claimed that as a resident, born and bred in the district, and having farms and other interests in various parts of the Biding, his personal concerns as well as his public inclinations were identical with those of the ratepayers themselves and be assured the meeting that no effort of his would be wanting to facilitate the roading of the districts and he felt confident of being able to secure the finance for the necessary work. At the conclusion of Mr Henry's address a vote of appreciation of the manner in which he had represented the district on the Council for the past six years and of entire confidence in him was unanimously carried amid acclamation MR FLANAGANS CANDIDATURE. Mr J. Flanagan, chairman of the Franklin County Council and candidate for re-election for the Drury riding, addressed a meeting of ratepayers at Bombay on Wednesday. Mr Andrew French presided. Mr Flagnaan first referred to the condition of the Troads under the control of the Road Boards and their improved state since the County had taken them over. He regarded good main roads as essential to the pi ogress of a district. As to the merging of Road Boards and the objection urged that the side roads would be neglected by the County be thought the result spoke for itself. Times, he said, were altered, dual control was not advisable, and with increased revenue the County was able to undertake work cheaper than the Road Boards. As to main roads Mr Flanagan pointed out that in the Drury Riding there were more metal roads to maintain than in any other part of the County. Whilst the County were anxious to do their best for all ratepayers it was, however, impossible to do that without revenue. Metal roads had to be kept in repair and the speaker said he would do his best to have them maintained. In regard to raising money for carrying out work Cr Flanagan suggested that ratepayers should either raise money out of rates or raise debentures for a period of 36 years until the loan was repaid. The war had had a serious effect on the labour question and to meet difficulties as much as possible the County had purchased extra teams and plant for carrying out their own work instead of con - tracting. In addition, a metal quarry at Mercer had been purchased. Those acquisitions indicated that the Council was anxious to help ratepayers all they could. Cr Flanagan next referred to statistics and said that the Bank overdraft for the Drury Riding on March 31st last was £llO and that the estimate revenue for the riding for the current year was £2225. Of 100 miles of roads in the riding opened for traffic 44 miles were metalled and if about 10 to 12 additional miles were formed and metalled the same would meet urgent requirements The valuations ot Drury, Opaheke and Paparata sub divisions were respectively £173,128, £117,355 and £103,875 making a total of £394,358. Cr Flanagan contended that the expenditure in Drury Riding had been made prudently. He had, he said, given a good deal of time in the interests of the riding and whilst, if elected, he would continue to use his best endeavours to promote the interests of the Riding and County he would make no rash promises. He particularly pointed out that owing to war and other conditions he could not entertain any hope that new roads would be constructed but would do his best to maintain present metal roads. In conclusion Cr Flanagan remarked that if the ratepapers elected his rival as their representative he would acsept the verdict cheerfrlly. A few questions were then asked and satisfactorily replied to, including an assurance by Cr Flanagan that the cost of the construction of the approach road to the new station at Drury would be borne by the Government and would not be paid for out of County rates A vote of thanks to the speaker was carried with acclamation. Last evening Mr Flanagan addressed the electors at Rama Rama. FORTHCOMING MEETINGS Mr J. S. Montgomerie is announced to address the electors at Runciman to-night (Friday), at Patumahoe to-morrow, at Waiau Pah on Monday and at Mauku on Tuesday. Mr J. Henry will be holding meetings at Drury to-morrow, at Mauku on Monday and at Patumahoe on Tuesday. Dates of the two latter meetings have been substituted in order not to clash with Mr Montgomerie'B arrangements. In the Mercer Riding, Mr C. A. Hille speaks at Mercer to-night, at Pokeno Valley to-morrow, and at Maungatawhiri on Monday.