TE AWAMUTU

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 18, 12 April 1927, Page 3

TE AWAMUTU

MAYOR SEEKS RE-ELECTION (From Our Own Correspondent.) TB AWAMUTU, To-day. On Monday, at the request of an influential deputation, the retiring Mayor, Mr. L. G. Armstrong, consented to nomination for the mayoralty of Te Awamutu for a further term. In reply to several speakers, Mr. Armstrong said: “It is no use saying otherwise, that any man after eight years as mayor and two years as a councillor, could be otherwise than influenced by such a representative deputation and the knowledge of having given satisfaction to a great number of citizens.” Alluding to immediate policies, he stated that in 1918 the rates collected amounted to £3.851. There were 320 ratepayers, so that the average collection was £l2. In 1927 the rates amounted to £9,517, paid by 535 ratepayers on an average of £lB each. Taken in 1918, therefore, for 12 contribution, what did the ratepayers receive? There was no street lighting, streets were a sea of mud in winter and a cloud of dust in summer. He then compared the conditions of to-day. Dealing with the cost of metal for street improvement, he said in 1924-25 they had treated 15,263 square yards of _ road surface at a labour cost of 2s sld a yard. In 1925-26 the yardage was 17.500, at a labour cost of £1,369, or Is 43d a yard. Dealing with the streets loan. Mr. Armstrong said the council had in hand £3.714, with £6,000 yet to be lifted. The borough council had to pay £3,800 to the Waipa County Council' for streets placed in the county, leaving £5.914 for expenditure within the borough. The borough council could, if it thought fit. raise £4,000 additional. To complete the works named in the schedule there remained 19,400 square yards of road to be treated, and he was certainly hopeful that it would be possible to complete the work according to programme. In any case he would make every possible effort- 1(j do so.