STATEMENT REFUTED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 643, 20 April 1929, Page 6

STATEMENT REFUTED

MR. VAILE AND WAITAKERE LAND DEALS ST. HELIERS ADDRESS Personalities have entered into the campaign for the Auckland City Mayoralty, and Mr. H. E. Vaile, at his meeting at St. Hellers Bay last evening, spent some time refuting statements which have been made in other quarters regarding land deals in the Waitakeres. “It is said that you have been responsible for selling land in the Waitakeres to the City Council at £4OO an acre,*’ was one of the questions put to the candidate. To this imputation Mr. Vaile gave a flat contradiction in support of which he quoted from a statement made by the Mayor, Mr. George Baildon, and appearing in thePress on September 9, 1926. Following is an extract from the Mayor’s statement: — “Mr. Vaile has for some time been advising the council on the matter of acquiring scenic and other reserves in the Waitakeres. . . . Mr. Baildon said Mr. Vaile was doing this work of acquiring property in the ranges for the council without any remuneration to himself or to the firm. So far as the purchase of Mr. Shepherd’s property at £BSO was concerned, Mr. Vaile carried out the council’s instructions to the letter, and was not responsible in any way for any delay that occurred. “I would like to reiterate,” said the Mayor, “that Mr. Vaile was doing his work free of commission. Mr. Vaile has contributed toward the acquisition of land in that area by purchasing 45 acres of magnificent bush and presenting it to the city as a free gift, to be added to the Waitakere Park. I would also like to say that Mr. Vaile had nothing to do with the purchase of Si acres of land at Titirangi for £3,500.” “The charge is grossly untrue,” said Mr. Vaile. “The highest price my firm has sold land in the Waitakeres for is £lO an acre, and then only for a small area.” ROAD TO ST. HELIERS The candidate said he had always been an advocate of a waterfront road to St. Heliers. He believed that it should ultimately be taken right on to the Tamaki estuary, but for the present it was essential to complete it to SL Heliers. He also advocated a system of allnight telephones in the St. Heliers district, to facilitate fire brigade communication. Mr. Vaile congratulated St. Heliers on joining the city. “I am first and foremost a Greater Aucklander,” he said, “and I hope the time will come when we shall have a great and united municipality, well governed and directed, with a permanent staff, for the benefit of all. “As far as my speech is concerned,” said Mr. Vaile, “I shall hold entirely to my policy. I have drawn it up on definite lines, and I am determined to stick to it at all costs.” Mr. J. W. Carr presided at the meeting, which was attended by about 250 electors. On the motion of Mr. C. J. Lovegrove, seconded by Mr. B. C. Chilwell, the candidate was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.