MAYORAL CONTEST

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 7, 30 March 1927, Page 11

MAYORAL CONTEST

MR. SCHMIDT’S CAMPAIGN address at leys institute A meeting In furtherance of Mr. Harold Schmidt’s campaign for the Auckland mayoralty was held at the Leys Institute last evening. The candidate received a quiet and attentive hearing throughout his address. Mr. c. F. Isaacs presided over a Sathering of about 200 electors. As on previous occasions Mrs. Schmidt commenced the meeting with an eloquent satire in verse entitled Uncle on City Finance.” Therein, the present council was taken to task r its numerous "wasteful blunders.' chiefly { n connection with the tramWa y Purchase by “paying a million Pounds where £ 500,000 would do.” Next to receive mention were the corporation 'buses, the lady pointing out that they cost you £30,000 a year,” and hires had to be increased. Mrs. -chmidt's recitation concluded with an e mphatic protest against the waste in connection with the Civic Square scheme. Before commencing his address Proper, Mr. Schmidt urged the necessity of every eligible citizen taking toe trouble to enrol. He anticipates a record poll at the forthcoming elec and urged his hearers to see that *hcir names were on the roll. tramway questions Dealing first with the tramways and lil e ’bus regulations, the candidate considered that the first essential in transport matters was service When y* e People took over the tramways. Penny fares were in force and would continued until 1933 under the old •Vstern. He believed that by reducing /* res avenue would be increased, as was the case when the penny postage restored. “Dunedin.” said Mr. Schmidt, "has penny fares, and so should Auckland with her larger Population." Speaking of the Motor ’Bus Act, he thought that trams could be run more cheaply than ’buses if the waste and extravagance were eliminated from Xf ie department concerned in their maintenance. COMMUNITY ’BUSES Claiming to have originated the community ’bus scheme, Mr. Schmidt he hoped soon to have two or thousand members of his or-

ganisation. He objected to the Government meddling in municipal affairs and stated that Auckland being the superior city could well manage her own tramways without outside assistance. “I really think that Government interference in local affairs should be hotly resented,” he remarked amid applause. The city’s water supply next received his attention. He denounced the system in the Waitakere Ranges, stating that Auckland’s water was the dearest. A Voice: And the dirtiest! Continuing, Mr. Schmidt objected to the public being supplied with “chlorinated emulsion” in place of pure water. He advocated that some other source of supply be tapped instead of the “ehemicalised rubbish we are now drinking.” His policy in regard to the Civic Square question provided for the widening of the roads bounding the area, and the eliminatioi of all corners. He proposed that an arcade of ships be built on the remaining portion, having a flat roof whereon “citizens could promenade in the lunch hour.” This would bring in a big revenue. A CIVIC CENTRE "Why have a civic centre?” asked the candidate. The modern trend is tor decentralisation and not centralisation. The Art Gallery could be incorporated in the new museum, leaving ample, space in the present building for the purposes of the Public Library. The Town Hall could take another two storeys to provide for municipal offices, the foundations •laving been laid to that end. “Besides, the Town Hall is not such a bad building.” the candidate observed. Mr. Schmidt roundly condemned the buying of land in the Waitakeres at £ 500 an acre. Often such land was full of blackberry, and in any case generous citizens could be relied upon to provide all the reserves necessary for Auckland without the council expending money in that direction. CIVIC FUNCTIONS Mr. Schmidt said he disapproved of the council’s method of invitation to civic functions. “The same old crowd goes each time, and it’s not fair that one class alone should go,” he declared indignantly. He advocates that "invitations should be taken by ballot from the city rolls” in future. Mrs Schmidt then delighted the meeting with some further verses from the "Uncle” series. This epilogue entitled "Uncle on the Candidates.” dealt with the hopes, fears, and failings of her husband’s three opponents for the mayoralty, and concluded with an inspiring appeal to her hearers to "vote for Harold Schmidt.” Several questions were answered to the satisfaction of the interrogators and the candidate was accorded a unanimous vote of confidence.