THAMES NEWS.

Thames Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 10348, 24 April 1911, Page 2

THAMES NEWS.

[Advebhssment.]

BOBOUGH CIORMOIL ELECTION.

TO THE" BUKGEISISIEJS.

Ladios and Gkxutlemien,—■

I beg to intimate that I am a candidate for your suffrage at the forthcoming election of Borough Councillors. In soliciting your rote and interest may I be permitted to point out that I fully recognise the responsibility devolving upon the position of Councillor. For the past twenty-five yeara I have talklem a very deep and fceien interest in local politics; so that I venture to hope the knowledge! thus gained may be of some moment in helping to guide the future 1 destinies of the. Thames. The possibilities of the Thames are vwry great indeied and 1 should you honour m& with your confidence it will ibie my earneet endeavour to help these possibilities to materialize. As I shall not have an opportunity of addressing! you before the election I desire very briefly to lay before you what I consider matters of para* moumt importance in the future of the Thames. 1. Water Supply.—.lt is fully time that thesis respon&iblei to you should recognise the impcrtaiieo of having ai thoroughly up-to-date and plentiful supply of water. It must be apparent to you all that for many years the supply has been anything but satisfactory especially to those of the. Borough residents who are unfortunate enough to rtesidia near the higher levels of'the 1 town. Par some considerable numibei- of years the "Water Revenue Account" haa shown a credit balance of varying amoutote. The interest payable on this actoount is some £2&2 odd. I claim that the balance to credit of this fund after providing for payment of interest and sinking fund (if any) should have been set aside for the purpose of improving the supply. Had this beien' done the necessity of a "Special loan" would ~ lia,va Ibteetru avoidtedl, oi' if necessary the amount required to be raised would have total very" considerably less. If elected, I shall, .with tha assistance of nay fellow councillors, endeavour to bring; aibout a satisfac-' tory solution of this difficulty. 2. Street Lightingl.—This also requires immjediate attention. At the presient time, apart from tha main thoroughfare, there haa Ween no defined- plan for proper lighting; so that the Borough haa a; reputation of being one of the worst! lighted municipalities in the. North Island. I believe that, for the expenditure of some .£4O per annum, a. much improved scheme might We introduced. Any improvement in this direction would ha.v]Q my hearty support. 3. Boatiugh Footpaths.—There 1 is room for much needed improvement in tliia direction, particularly at the northern ant! southern ends' of the town. A better system of grading and levelling miglit -tfell be introduced in them portions of the Bbi €- ough. The cost would ibie comparatively small. This matter would receive 'my attention, as would also any street improvements generally.

4. Drainage and Sanitation.—While fully recognising the difficulties that exist in clonneiotion with an up-to-date drainage system in the Borough. I am preipartd to heartily support any s-jhenie whicli would be an improvement upon the present state of affaire.

5. Wast© Lands at SOiortland.-— These at present prevent anything like prosperity to that end of the Borolugh. Owing to th:e land belonging to the natives there would no doubt be tionsiideiraible diffic-ulty in dealing with this question. With the development of the Hauraiki Plains this piart of the Borough must of ne- ' cessity improve 1. If your City Fathers todk concertied alction 'through the member for tho district, assisted by the owners, I Mieve that nedessary legislation might be introduced.whioh would facilitate very much an improvement in this important part of the Borough. - 6. Communication with the Hauraiki Mains.—-Any scheme having for its object a,n improved) and convenient means of communication with the Hauraki Plains Would secure my very best support. I believe that a " great deal of the future prosperity of the Thames is depcindant upon it. There are very great possibilities and immense resources only awaiting 1 development on the Bains, aiutf it behoves the residents of the Thames to secure immediate , and direct communication with the sattlers there. Personally, I believe the nearer to our doors we can ibringl the settlers the fetter for th.c Thames, and I could not support ciammi initiation be-^> ill"- established via Hiikntain or .-■(Hb!^^^ other rcincfe part of the district. In conclusion, if eloctexl my motto will be: PROGRiBSS EfPFICfrEIXCfY Ladies and Gentlemen, each of you will have nino Tfcutea on eleotion day ; may I venture to hope that you will spare mo OA TiE. Youlra faithfully, • W>. SMMO'NDS.