TAKAPUNA ELECTIONS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 9, 1 April 1927, Page 4

TAKAPUNA ELECTIONS

f RATEPAYERS’ MEETING MAYORAL CANDIDATE SPEAKS A public meeting - under the auspices t>f the joint Ratepayers’ Associations ran held at the Picturedrome last evening. Mr. A. M. Gould took the chair and there was a large attendance. The chairman explained the position it the moment as regards the legal conflict with the borough council. He drew attention to the fact that, although the Supreme Court gave the decision that the council had no legal PoWer to purchase the Tram and Perry Company transport service, it was going ahead again. The injunction ivas applied for on two broad grounds. The Crown decided on the first and had no necessity to adjudicate on the •econd. lie also referred to some of the evidence given before the Transport Appeal Board, for instance, the evidence of Mr. Ford, who stated that trams, being larger than buses, were better fitted to handle the peak loads and when recalled, admitted that in certain places there were buses of larger type which were capable of carrying 60 or 70 passengers, and further admitted he had not investigated the financial side of Takapuna affairs. Mr. Gould went on to speak of the K Importance of the coming election. ■ Takapuna had peculiar problems to H face. We were faced with large loan ■ obligations and it behoved the electors H tcv-be careful in their choice of candi|fl dates to the council, which body had

great responsibilities as well as great powers. Cr. Williamson, whom he was pleased to introduce to them as a candidate for the mayoralty, had accepted nomination at the request of the largest deputation ever known in Takapuna. EXTRAVAGANCE CONDEMNED Cr. Williamson said it was of the utmost importance that the electors should make a wise choice of candidates, men who were duly impressed with a sense of duty to the borough. No doubt they would have to go cautiously and refrain from indulging in extravagant and speculative schemes like the purchase of the trams. Water supply and drainage were immediate requirements. If the North Shore went in for the scheme of getting water from the Waitakeres, he was informed that Takapuna’s share would be £BO,OOO. He did not agree with the majority of the council in their waste of public money. So far the sum of £866 is shown as being spent in connection with tram purchase and it would be well over £I,OOO. There was a disinclination with men of good standing to come forward owing to the amount of mud-slinging. Last year the majority on the council had been consistently held up to ridicule when pressing for a division and were jibed at. Although they had a fearful debt they had a bright future and when this tram purchase movement was overcome the place would go ahead. He detailed the policy he would adopt and concluded by saying he would resist domination by a section of the community. The council would do its duty and not rely on instruction from the Tram Company or a certain section in Bayswater. The intending candidates were well received and gave satisfactory replies to the questions asked of them.