IN OTHER PLACES.

Shannon News, 3 May 1929, Page 3

IN OTHER PLACES.

LEVIN. , MAYORALTY. Charles Blenkhorn .. .. ; 454 *Thomas Hobson 398 Majority for Blsnkhorn ... 56 BOROUGH COUNCIL. *William Falloon . 1 741 *Clarenee Stanley Keedwell .... 703 George Roe 694 *P.hilip Wharton Goldsmith 672 *Frank Ernest Parker • • 668 *Josiah Harvey 595 William Curran Hannan 577 Henry Walker ••• ,J 67 •John Joseph O’Connor 487 (The above were elected.) Joshua Sigley 471 Thomas William Treen 367 HOROWHENUA ELECTRIC POWER BOARB. (One epresentative.) Blenkhorn 502 Archibald Arthur Brown 331 * Previous holders of office. WELLINGTON HARBOUR BOARD. (Two Bistrict Representatives.) William Lockhart Fitzherbert • • 423 Meldrum Alfred Eliott 422 Harry Tolley ’ 37a

TOTAL FIGURES! Fingl figuies for the election of two members for the Wellington Harbour Board were: — M. A.'Eliott 4291 W. L. Fitzherbert .. - • 3853 | 11. Tolley 2843 Informal . . . . .. 142 GTAKI MAYORALTY. At more 333 Bowden 239 There are seventy votes by declaration to be counted, but these cannot alter the result. i FOXTON BOROUGH COUNCIL. E. Crowley 279 A. Crowe .. .... .. 267 J. Ross 206 C. Rand 201 F. Robinson 248 F. Lucinsky 245 B. R. Baron ........ 217 Roori Rangiheua 214 R Thompson 212 10. Hunt 202 1 The first nine were elected. CANDIDATES ADDRESS ELECTORS The candidates contesting seats mi the Shannon Borough Council addressed a small gathering of citizens in the Maoriland Theatre last Tuesday evening., The Mayor (Mr E. Butt) presided. ~ ,

Prior to introducing the candidates the Mayor said he wished to thank the citizens for the honour they had conferred upon him by returning him un - opposed for the Mayoralty. He assured them that he would again give his time in the interests of the borou/h and hoped that the same harmony i would exist with the new Council. If I they all workt d as well as the last Council they would do well. As senior councillor, Mr Thwaites was the first speaker. He said he was there to take his share of any blame that might be coming to tne

•last Council, but he hoped that they would at the same time give them Lie .benefit of ..my thing- well done’. The ■proceedings of the past Council hud .been amicable and all had pulled together for the benefit of the borough. In connection with the erection of the new .bridge over the Uanawatu, it was mainly through the efforts of the Council that the new rend was not a greater distance away, in the immediate future. lie said, severel big problems would have to ho tackled by the Council, which would require a certain amount cf tact and judgment, among which was the surfacing of the main highway through the borough. This was going to be a big thing fit the borough aiul when tne proposa. was placed before the ratepayers he assured t.iicm thov would be able to vote for it wiih confidence'.. This, be said, -Would not increase the .rates, a» there would lie a ,eduction in the general rate. Referring to the hospital rate charges he said these were stead ily increasing. At present- they were being paid out of rhe general rate, but this could not go on as it holds back essential work in the borougn. This matter would also have to be considered. The Stansell drain rate had not been collected during the past tin-c ' vear-s, but- it was necessary to collect it this year. In conclusion he 'stale u it had been a pleasure to him to sit on the Council in the past and he hoped that he 'would again have that pleassure, when l.e would give of his bos:. Mr Hyde, the next speaker, said that, in looking back over the past two years, the period had been a most critical one for the borough ovVing to the! completion of the works’at Mangahao, the loss of the bridge and unem ployment. They had been hit at- evei-y angle* In regajrd to unemployment, the Council had spent every penny it could to relieve the position by constructing the road to the cemetery and. improvements to Plimmer Terrace. Today the position was improved. Whereas there were 30 or 40 empty houses twelve months ago, to-day nearly every one was occupied. He then, paid a tribute'to those members of past Councils who had given their time and knowledge in the interests of the boirough. Referring to the rates he said they fell on a few, and they should endeavour to get more people here. To do this, two channels were open, namely the' closer settlement of lands adjoining the borough and industries. Regarding the former, he stated that he had induced an owner to offer his property to the Government for subdivion at, a reasonable figure and he did not think the Government would turn L dswn. An inspection was to be made on Thursday. If this was cut- up it would mean at least seven or eight, more families. If they could getr a suitable subsidy towards surfacing Lie main highway he thought they would be wise to carry on. In exclusion he thanked them for returning him as • Shannon’s-representative on the Hornwhenua Poyer Board and if returned as a councillor he would endeavour to serve them faithfully.

As chairman of the Road Commit' tee, Mr Bownes said his committee generally came in for most criticism, both at council meetings and at election time. Any work they had done ther had always tried to make of a permanent nature. In laying down footpaths every engineer would tell them that'it ivas necessary to go over them twice to get a good path. Bealing with the surfacing, of the main-highway the Council had received an estimate of £BOOO and if the Council was only going to get a £2 for £1 subsidy, he assured the audience that as long as he was on the Council he would never support the work at- that- cost to-the borough. It would cripple the berouoh. He saw no hope, of reducing the present rates, out if elected he would do his best to see that they were not increased. . t Mr J. Curran, jun., said that during his term as a councillor he had tried to ffiolt after the interests of the ratepayers. Referring to the main highwaV he did not think there was any doubt about getting a £3 for £1 subsidy. It had been given to other boroughs. If elected he would do ms ■best to helpi the town and if not elected and there was anything lie could do to help the Council he wouiu be only too pleased. : . ‘ Mr Jas. Curran, sen., in coming before the electors again, said he had done his best while on the Council. Tie was not offering himself for any honours, but for the purpose of doing what he could for the town. If he had been after honours in, the past, instead of being “old Jim Curran’-’ now he ivoul.l have been Sir James long ago. (Laughter and applause). He said he would be grateful if they supported him, but if not he would lose no sleep. Mr’ R. Hook said his term on the Council had net been long, he having been returned unopposed at a- by-elec-tion. While there he had kept his eys open and had gained a fair knowledge of the work. He agreed that the town should not be overburdened with rates, also that each section should carry it r own burden. The Council were not in a position to take on any new work. He would support, going on with surfacing the main highway if a three-to-one subsidy could be obtained, as the expense would not be any more than the present cost ot maintenance. The fif.st of the new aspirants, tor municipal honours, Mr S. Anderson, was the next speaker. In offering his services he said he had no past publiclife, except for a short term which he served as a member of the school committee; but he had been a resident and ratepayer of the town for the past twenty yOais and had the interests of 'the town at heart. He wou.il support anything that was for the good of the people as a whole. The nealtli of the community should come first and in this respect it was necessary that the water channels should be cleaned out regularly, otherwise they become a breeding ground for flies. He was not criticising the past Council as he thought they had done all they could with -.he funds available. At present

he had no knowledge of the inside working of the Council, but if elected he would always do his best for the community as a whole. Like the last speaker, Mr Grey said he had no public performances to nlaee before the electors, but he assured them that, if elected, he would go fully into any proposals that came before the Council before coming to anv decision. He recognised that the actions of the Council were governd by -finance and he had no doubt that the past Council had done their best with the funds at their disposal. After paying a tribute to the work of the past Council Mr Laurvig said that, in offering his services, 'he assured them that, if elected he would at all times use his best judgment in the interests of the citizns. Mr 11. Hook said lie had no ambitious schemes to place before them He recognised that the work of the Council was limited to suit their pocket. He would like to see the main highway through the town bitumenissd as it was a work that.should be done as soon as suitable arrangements could be made. It would be a great improvement tc the town both in appearance a.nd convenience.

Apoerently those oresent were satisfied as no questions were asked, the meeting terminating with a vote of thanks to the chairman.