MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS DISCUSSED

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 457, 15 June 1937, Page 5

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS DISCUSSED

CANDIDATES FOR BOROUGH COUNCIL EXPLANATION OF VIEWS TO RATEPAYERS The seven candidates at to-day’s Borough by-election to fill two vacancies on the council addressed a public meeting in the Town Hall last night, and explained their views to a good attendance of the burgesses of Stratford. Electricity charges, the condition of streets, housing, and the erection .of a new Town Hall, were among the subjects dealt while other matters including the removal or otherwise'of the railway station were mentioned when questions were invited after the candidates had spoken. The Mayor, Mr J. W. McMillan presided.

It was very desirable that candi_ dates for the Council should come before the burgesses, and explain their views on municipal masters, said Mr McMillan. The attendance was quite good but the meeting really warranted a better attendance. He wished to disabuse the minds of those present of any suggestion xnat councillors followed him blindly. He had never asked a single councillor to subscribe to his views and he wanted 'the candidates to know that they were independent as far as he was concerned. All the candidates were residents of Stratford and ratepayers and ft was quite immaterial whether any had not been living in Stratford for a considerable time. They might have been useful citi_ zens in some other part of New Zealand. Mr H. S. Sinclair sEid he had been instrumental in having the meeting called and it was his object to make his purpose clear in advocating a public meeting. In the past members of (the council had been elected end the burgesses had had no opportunity of hearing their views. He quoted figures showing that ithe' public debt of the town war in ithe vicinity of £172,000. Any work that had to be don e had to be paid for out of electricity profits and whether such a policy was right or wrong was for the burgesses to decide. In terest and' sinking fund charges amounted to £11,200 and Ithe rates brought in a little over £9,000. He was 1 definitely in favour of a reduction of electricity charges. A meeting of ratepayers had almost unanimously supported a reduction but the council wSth ruthless disregard for their opinions, decided to carry on with the old system. The Stratford Borough Council had renewed their conltract with the Taranaki Electric Power Board under terms which would warrant a reduction in

considering the ratepayers- he was firmly of the opinion Ithat there should be a reduction in lighting and power charges. Other towns had made huge profits but he did not know of any where the profilts had been given back to the people. Mr B. Jeffares said he had been in the building trade for many years, and he had been toid that his ex perience in that' direction would be of value to the council. The policy of the council for the next twelve

charges. It was a community made profit and the profilts should go back to (those who made them. Public heating and lighting cost £842 a year, an amount which could easily be modified. The cost, of lighting the town clock was £SO per annum. Going on to refer to the housing question, Mr Sinclair said that he was one of a deputation that waited upon the council in connection with the question. The Stratford Borough was in a very fortunate position in owning a number of sections, and he considered that with close co-oper-ation with the Government houses could be built. It was hard to see where the electricity’ profit of £3400 was spent, continued Mr Sinclair, in referring to the state of footpaths. Some of them were disgraceful and he was in favour of Itar.sealing at least one street a year. A new town hall and the .tepid heating of the municipal baths were also advocated by Mr Sinclair. Profitable Venture.

months had been laid down and he did not 'think 'that whoever was elected could alter that policy. He was in favour of reducing the electricity charges' but suggested tthat the matter could well be left until the .term of .the present council had expired and their programme coin, pl eted. Mr J. W. Crowe said he preferred to go to the council table with a free ?.nd open mind and do his best for the ratepayers and burgesses of the town. i Railway Station Site. ‘‘Would the candidates give their views on the future site of -the railway station,” asked Mr D. J. Malone. Mr Sinclair houghlt that a cite should be taken. The other candidates favoured leaving -the station on the present site. Mr J. B. Main asked whether the candidates were in favour of the Council taking over Windsor Park, and if so were they in favour of employing more men. The Park should be vested in the Borough, was the opinion of Mr Sinclair. Mr Hancock said the Borough should look aflter the park. Great credit was du e to Dr. Doris Gordon for the way in which she had look~ ed after it. Mr Wood: Someone in la.uthori'ty is needed to look after the park. It would be a pity to see it deteriorate. The Borough Council could Jo no harm, Mr Lawrenca commented. Mr Davis: My opinion is -that all our parks should be controlled by the Council. Mr Jeffares: As Dr. Gordop started it, let her finish. “I don’t think thjt the Council will look after it the same as Dr. Gor don,” said- Mr Crowe. New Town Hall. Mr C. Jackson inquired whether the candidates were in favour of raising a loan to build *a new 'town hall. When the present municipal buildings- were erected it had been ar__ rangd that a section at the rea

Mr E. W. Hancock was also in favour of reducing the electricity charges but at ths same time he thought 3t should be done gradually He was a member of the council when the undertaking was secured from a private company and he was racher proud (that the venture ha*d proved so successful. In the last .ten years the council had made over £20,000 profit. Referring to the aerodrome, Mr Hancock said; it was something that had tc come. It wa* an asset to the town and would be a profiable farm_ ing proposition. He also •thoughrt that a section of ths footpaths should be treated annually. Mr Hancock concluded by stating that he had been one of the early pupils of the Stratford school. He had been a member of <the Stratford School Committee, Borough Council, Hospital Board, and on turee different occasions ha’d been a member of the Stratfor! County Council. He had been chairman of tthe Cardiff School Committee and a director and deputy chairman oi the Cardiff Dairy Company for about 20 years'. Mr J. Wood said he had made no promises to those gentlemen who had nominated him and he di! not intend to do so. If elected he would be a worker and would* approach anything that came before the council with an open mind. It was fairly obvious, continued Mr Wood, that there

was a shortage of houses in Stratford but? any scheme was largely pendent upon finance. If 'ths Government were approached to look after the housing of their employees it would help to alleviate the shortage. Touching upon the * electricity charges, Mr Wood said that ithe profits should be equitably distributed rather 'than benefiting only one section of the community. Democratic Policy, Mr H. E. Lawrence said his policy could be put in a very few words. It was democratic to the last degree. He believed in giving fair and just consideration to every l resident of the town. It appeared to him that the councils for the last few years had laid themselves open to charges of grosE maladministration. Monby had been wasted and they nad used unbusinesslike methods.

Mr Lawrence dealt at length with the electricity question and criticised the action of the council in giving away profits? and then having to raise a loan for electricity purposes. The work on the King Edward Park sportsground was, said Mr Lawrence, an example of the waste of public money. The earth had to be shifted as much as ten 'times' and there had been a large wages bill.

Mr A. R. Davis said he was no stranger to Str.vtford, having arriv~ ed in the’year 1889. He wenlt on to detail his experience on public bodies in North Taranaki. Everybody, said Mr Davis, wanted'' a footpath to their gate, but i|t cost money to do the work. When he returned to Stratford some three years ago he was agreeably surprised with (the state »o.f the back streets. While

should be the site for a new hall but the ratepayers turned it down, said Mr Hancock, who considered that the matter of a new hall rested wijth the ratepayers. Mr Lawrence preferred to wait and see whajt the Winter Show Association intended to do. Mr Davis: The proposal should be put -to the people and let them vote. Mr Jeffares: It is needed more than the swimming baths. Messrs Sinclair, Crowe, and Wood were In favour of the erection of a new hall as suggested by Mr Jackson, Going Ahead Too Fast. The opinion thalt Stratford was going ahead a hilt too fast was expressed by Mr Crowe, when answer ing a further question by Mr Main' whether the candidates were in favour of increasing the rates to such an extent that it would not be necessary to use the electricity pro fits. - It was considered by the majority of the candidates that a rise in rates was inevitable. Whether the can'duda’tes were in favour of the safeyards an(i stock routes being removed outside the borough, was a question put by Mr W. H. Peick. Although Messrs Haaico , ck and Jeffares favoured the removal 'the other considered that a.t the present time there was no need for such a step. The final question was asked by Mr Main, who wished to know whe ther candidates favoured* the Council s co-operation with the Government in regard to a housing scheme “The Borough has had enough of houses,” said Mr Hancock. If it equid be made 'to pay it would e all right, but he understood that the past experience of the council had not been satisfactory, Mr Lawrence said. Mr Jeffares was' -against the sug gesltion. 5 - Mr Crowe: Leave it to t h e Go vernment. The meeting doncluded with a vote of thanks to the candi'daites and to . the Mayor for presiding.