THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2124, 5 July 1898, Page 2

THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

MR JAS. MILLS BEFORE THE ELECTORS.

As notified by posters issued from this office towards the end of last week, Mr Jas. Mills, one of the candidates seeking the position of first Mayor of the newly formed Te Aroha Borough, addressed a mass meeting of electors, j and also those considering themselves entitled to vote, in the Public Hall on Saturday evening last, the 2nd inst. Besides the 3terner sex several ladies were present to hear Mr Mills’ views on municipal affairs. ■ ~ >v* - f Mr P. Gilchrist was voted to the rchair, and expressed his pleasuie at presiding at these meetings, considering it a great honor to do so. As regards Mr Mills, that gentleman required no introduction from him as he was well known to the majority of those present. Mr Mills, on coming forward was received with applause, and began his address by criticising various statements ma le by the local press as to his capabilities for the position to which he was seeking to be elected. The paper referred to said the district wanted a man to represent them who had a certain amount of experience in municipal affairs. As far as this statement was concerned, he might say that he had been connected with local bodies in Lancashire, and had taken numerous water-works and other big schemes carried out in different boroughs. As far as Te Aroha was concerned, he had been associated with it from the opening of the field, and at different times had been a member of the Piako County Council, Town Board, Domain Board, School Committee, etc., etc. As regards the requirements of Te. Aroha at the present time, he was of opinion the first consideration was a a proper water-supply for the district,! and as he had had a deal of experiences in such matters in Lancashire, where the most successful schemes supplying the cities with water were in operation, he hoped the knowledge he had of such matters would prove useful to Te Aroha, and it was partly for this reason that he was offering himself as a candidate for the mayoral chair. As regards the lighting of the town either by electricity or gas, he was strongly opposed to any private company having a monopoly in this matter Mr Mills then instanced casesin which private companies had secured these rights in other boroughs, showing the enormous amount of Capital required to buy back the right when it was found necessary to do so. It would pay the ratepayers better to borrow the money at 4 or 5 per cent, and carry out fie work themselves. The question fi of sanitation was next touched (upon, he was of opinion that as the 'town grows a thorough system of drainage will have to be,’ undertaken, but at. present we would have to be satisfied with a system in keeping with our means, until such time as we were in a position to carry out more extensive works. Mr Mills then went on to review the works carried out by the late Board expressing his dissatisfaction at the manner in which a great many of them had been carried out; aka he said the back streets of the town were sadly neglected. He was of the opinion that the ratepayers had been asked to pay a Is rate when a 9d ratq would have fulfilled the bill. He was not in favor of a Mayor receiving an honorarium, as he did not think Te Aroha was in a position to give it. He was not in favor of the baths being closed on Sundays. After several other minor matters badbeen touched upon and a few questions answered, the meeting was brought to a close by a vote of thanks to the chairman.

MR GAVIN’S ADDKESS.

In the presence of a crowded meeting, Mr Gavin stated his views on municipal affairs last night at the Public Hall, Mr Gilchrist in the chair. Mr Gavin claimed indulgence, as it was the first time he had addressed a public meeting. His opponent had

based his claim for support on his knowledge of publie affairs, but he (the speaker) had .equal claims.- He had been alluded to as a pick and shovel man. Well, he did not object to that, but he hoped he had as much intellegenee as a man who carried a carpenter’s kit. He would now formulate the various planks—five—in his platform, and would give first place to the three which his opponent claimed.

Water Supply : This was an essential thing, and years ago he had assisted to further the scheme, which had to be abandoned for lack of the power to borrow money. The recent fire induced a reconsideration of the question, and the Board had got Mr Metcalfe, C.E., to report on a scheme. The proposed scheme would cost £2463, and provided for a pressure of'solhs to the square inch, and give 60,000 gallons per day. To provide for a sinking fund to repay the loan in 50 years involved a He would have no fear about a loan.

Light: This question was whether gas, electricity, or some other light should be used. The question had never been lost sight of. When the matter was first mooted, Chamber* and Son, of their own accord, sent up an electrician to report on it, and after examination, that gentleman abandoned the idea as the power was inadequate. Then came Mr Atkii s »n’s proposal for gas, at 10s ptr 1000 feet.

In the meantime the Board had consulted Mr Cadman, but he was afraid Mr Parham’s report only endorsed Chambers. Sanitation: The Government was asked to construct a main sewer from the river to the Domain offices. The vote was, however, insufficient. Ehrenfried and Co. had promised £HO towards the scheme, and they intended to ask Handcock and Co. for a similar contribution. Ehreofried’s had* subsequently promised to double Hancock’s contribution. A main sewer was required, and he (Mr Gavin) bad no doubt that between the brewer® L2OO could be obtained for the purpose. As regards the nightsoil, they would see from the papers that this had been deferred until the Borough had been constituted. These formed the three planks in his opponents platform, and the people could now see that Mr Mills had not forestalled the Board in any particul; " “ “

particular. Domain and Thermal Springs.This, in the speaker’s mind, was the most important question of the lot, as the town would be nothing’ without the springs. If they were not developed, and every effort made to keep Te Aroha a leading sanatorium, there would be no need to discuss a water supply or any other thing. Mr GavihJ then proceeded to outline the domain improvements in contemplation, particulars of which have already appeared in our columns. The last plank in his platform to which he would call their attention was that he had always striven to benefit theplaee, and had always endeavored to spend all the money he had earned in the town, and he thought it only right that that should be done. Endowments.—He could tell them that there was every probability that .the Thermal Springs and Morgantown would be borough endowments, and although they could not spend the revenue from the springs on the streets, yet the more they developed the springs the more would the town benefits He had no objection to criticism,the more criticism the better work, and he would just like to deal briefly with some of the points raised by his opponents. As regards the Rewi-straet bridge he admitted it was too high by about eighteen inches. it was substantially built, the Government had paid half the cost, and it was better that the bridge should be 18 inches too high, than 12 inches too low. It had been urged that thpjj'had struck a Is rate unnecessarily, as at the time they had a credit balance of _£l2J7 lie.. The real fact was that their credit balance was £B2 2s lOd, out of which they had to pay outstanding accounts. Their credit balance just now was £2 OO odd, blit £l9l of that had only been received since 19th May, and therefore a Is rate was perfectly justifiable... If, as his opponent alleged, more work had been done under a 6d rate, he would ask his hearers to remember that he was oif the Board at that time, and was consequently entitled to a share of the commendation ? As regards the valuation roll, Town Districts rolls were only made up once a year. As they were on the eve of a change in their constitution, the Board decided to wait the issue of the new Government roll. This proved to be so.inaccurate . that they had to objoet to it, and had 'consequently to fall back on. the old roll. He was sorry many names had to be left out, but they were powerless to prevent it. ‘He accepted all responsibility for cutting down the pine trees near the offices, but was sorry the willows had been cut so short.

QUESTIONS. . In reply to questions,\ Mr Gavin stated that he had no connection whatever with P. Snewin and Co., and he did not know that ever he would have. He was in favour of the Council and Domain Board subsidising the Town Band, and fitting out the old office for a practice room. H® was emphatically in favour of supplies being submitted to public tender. If a majority of the members of the Council wore in favour of a return to the old hours for closing the baths, ho would offer no objection. A vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the meeting to a close.