THE PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 267, 21 March 1911, Page 8

THE PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION

.MEETING ON MUNICIPAL MATTERS. There were thirty-six present at the first open general meeting of the Municipal Progressive Association, which was held in the Town Hall last night. Mr. E. Griffiths presided, and stated that the attendance despite the muiiy counter attractions showed the strong interest that was taken in the association. Mr. Griffiths stated that the special object of the meeting was to formally introduce nominated candidates to members of the association, whose first work would be to secure their election. With this end in view, the ward committees would have to work very hard in enrolling all electors in sympathy with the association. The objects of the association a3 far as the borougu council was concerned were unknown to candidates. Its general objects were to try and arouse in townspeople a greater interest in the town, to pay more attention to the streets, and to make everything in the borough more acc.sssilile. If they could secure the election'of tlieir council, and keep His Worship (Mr. Tiseli) in the chair, the association would be starting on a fair way to success. He then gave nominated members an opportunity to make a few remarks. Mr. J. C. Morey said he did not see that they could say very much at present—not until they had some idea of the procedure in the council. Mr. Tisch congratulated the association on its formation. It was a good move, and a step in the right direction, and no doubt it would have plenty to do. He did not propose to discuss the candidates, but would leave that to the electors. He touched on the tramway scheme, to which, as lie said, he had given much time and, consideration. When first he brought this forward he recognised it was too much to ask the burgesses of New Plymouth to go in alone for a scheme that would be of just as great or greater benefit to Fitzroy, St. Aubyn, and Moturoa, and so had been in favor of a tramway board, with a defined area. This, however, would mean dual control, and as the borough owned the water power and electric light and power, it would be the better plan to make the trams a municipal concern and go in for a Greater New Plymouth scheme. The area he suggested was from the Breakwater along to Barrett's lagoon, and through Frankleigh to the Waiwakaiho. This would be quite large enough to comply with the Act. Before a tramway scheme was gone on with the amalgamation of the borough and outside districts was necessary. The association could do good by watching the progress and taking care that the town did not lose prestige. There was the matter of the Trust Office, which was being transferred to Hawera. He had intended interviewing the Acting-Premier on this matter. Of course, they had no right to dictate to the Public Trustee if h# thought Hawera was more central, but if they allowed small things like that to pass without protest, they would soon be losing others. New Plymouth was the capital of Taranaki, and he felt he would not be doing his duty if he did not protest. Reverting to tramways, he referred to those who advocated waiting till the Edison storage batteries came along. They might not! come for a long time, and while we waited other places progressed. This scheme could always be extended as required, but they must be united 011 tile need for a line from Fitzroy to Moturoa. The association could do a lot of good in assisting any new scheme. At pre- ! sent it was difficult to get anyone to 1 take up a progressive movement. With regard to the £11,225 loan, one object! in bringing this forward was so that' the outside districts to come in could, not say those streets had vet to be made, and that they would have to pay for them when they joined the borough. This loan would not only do the streets! scheduled, but the increased revenue, would enable other streets to be made at no further cost. Everything was in favor of Fitzroy coming into Greater New Plymouth, as the law said they would not be liable for any previous loans. The water, for which they now! paid lOd in the £, annual value, they would get far Cd in the £. Mr. Griffiths said the recent Town Board election had shown that the majority in l'itzroy was in favor of amalgamating with New Plymouth. Mr. McLcod said the association want-! Ed to insure that the new council would not only consider the tramway scheme, but would place it before the ratepayers. It was not the question o£ routes, or style of trams, but the principle of installing tramways, that needed decid-l 1 ing. It was in the best interests of all that the question should be fought out by the ratepayers. The main plank of the association on tramways was as follows: "That it is desirable in the best, interests of the community that consideration of a comprehensive tramway ! scheme be immediately proceeded with."! It had since been stated that there was nothing to prevent any member beinf ■ favorable to giving consideration to 1 trains and against placing them before! the ratepayers. He therefore moved, i according to notice of motion, that this 1 plank be amended by adding the fol-j lowing words ''and that tramway pro-' posals be placed before the ratepayers' at the earliest opportunity." This would give ratepayers a chance of say-1 ing whether or not they were favorable' to trams after the council had placed all information before them. 1 _ Mr. Ewing stated that notice of motion should have been given at a n>en-' eral meeting, and not at a committee 1 meeting. He did not want to object,' but wanted the business done in order. Mr. Carter asked if any mcmbcrl could propose a straight-out motion about the trams without interferin" with the platform. °| Mr. McLeod then moved that it is desirable that tramway proposals be! placed before the ratepayers at the! earliest opportunity. " j Mr. E. Whittle seconded. | Mr. Teed asked if they could pledge candidates to support trains irrespective of what the ratepayers wanted. j The cliairnian replied that all the candidates selected were in favor of trams.' Mr. Ewing: Is it intended to carry' on the tramway scheme irrespective of! whether Fitzroy and St. Aubyn come' in? Is it intended that the borough of New Plymouth take the whole burden 011 its shoulders? If so, I am emphatically and entirely opposed to the

cheiue." Jt would bo absurd, lie snid, .o ask councillors to put, before ratelayers a question tiny uiongiu \,.i3 not, iglit. Personally, lie would lie only too neased to see uie trams even 11 there vas a loss of £OOO, aud he did not, think here would be anything like that Joss, re, however, did not like Mr. McLood's notion, as lie thought the tramways icheme should not be proceeded with uness there was a llreauer New Plymouth. In reply to Mr. J. C. Morey, liis Woriliip said that in basing llis estimates of lie loss at £IOO for the lirst year, 1 ie had calculated the rateable value of j fitzroy as £IOO,OOO, St. Aubyn £IOO,-! 100, and Moturoa £45,000. Mr, G. W. Browne said that -in con-! senting to nomination lie had made ii, 1 i condition that there should be a' Greater New Plymouth before the tram I scheme was gone on with. Mr. J. Clarke: "Then if the Greater, STew Plymouth scheme-fails, it means' that the trams are to be a dead letter.", He did not see why that should be. | Even if the other places came in, the Kew Plymouth borough would still be responsible for four-iifths of the loss.' When the electric light was being in- i stalled, if Fitzroy had been asked to' assist, they would have refused, and now look at the asset Fitzroy had lost. In fifteen years' time, he believed the trams would be a better asset than the! electric light, and turn out a more' profitable concern. If Fitzroy could not] see far enough ahead to join a profitable' concern, why worry them? Even if the Greater New Plymouth scheme fell through, he favored going on with the trams, and, if the progressive association considered his views too far ahead, they could turn him down. Mr. W. Ambury said Greater New Plymouth would be one of the first tilings the proposed council, if elected, would discuss. If Fitzroy came in, St. Aubyn and Vogeltown would follow. He agreed with the previous speaker about the trams. New Plymouth had waited live years too long. If the trams haa been started five years ago, they would be paying handsomely now. He was quite prepared to discuss the Greater New Plymouth scheme at the earliest late. He believed that a lot of work that was done at present by day labor could be done by contract, and time ind labor saved. Mr. Griffiths said lie would support the motion if the following words were idded: "After the question of Fitzroy merging with New Plymouth is settled." Mr. Goodacre congratulated the association on the amount of young blood that was taking an interest in New Plymouth municipal affairs. With regard to a Greater i New Plymouth, he felt an association of this kind could lo a lot of good if it extended its scope jutsidc the borough. There would he 10 difficulty in the matter if tile outlide people only felt that there was suficent life and energy in the borough :ouncil to enable them to benefit by the •hange. He advocated the adoption of i tramway scheme suitable for a Great;r New Plymouth. The whole need not je gone on with at once. Mr. McLeod accepted the addition to iis~motion, which then read as follows: It is desirable that tramway proposals >e placed before the ratepayers at the \arliest opportunity, after the question if Fitzroy merging with New Plymouth s settled," and on being put to tha neeting the motion was earned. The meeting then adjourned.