MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 378, 1 August 1874, Page 2

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

MR. MIDDLCMISS's MEETING. Mr. Middlemiss addressed the ratepayer? of West Ward on Thursday evening la«t, at Mr. William's btore. About fifty gentlsmen wore present. Mr. George Walker occupied the * chair. The Chairman said it gave L.im pleasure to introduce the candi fate, who was an old and respected resident of Lawrence, and a gentleman vfhose gdo*s judgment v ell-fitted him for the position in which he asked the ratepayers to place him. Mr. Midcllctniss commenced his remarks by saying that he would liked to have seen his proposer and seconder ■'present on the occasion. He then gave hi 3 views on various matters affecting the interests of the town. He would be iv favor of having the new cemetery placed under the management of the Council, and the bodies which were interred in the old cemetery removed to the new one, so that the land, which was so centrally situated, might be utilised for=the benefit of the town. The candidate was also strongly in favor of petitioning the Government to have all the PJ^pe'S^T&Qi.WQi Ben^«nced l uT)-countrT to

sliort terms of imprisonment, committed to the Lawrence jail, as tho Government had gono to a largo outlay in providing accommodation for prisoner's in the building recently ere.-ted, A great deal of work might be done by the prisoners in the way of forming streets and Othei> USQful WOVks. The candidate iLen touched upon the quesLioii o£ Hie expense of the Town Hall. The snm of £2000 would have been quite sufficient to have expended on such a building. Ho felt assured that the Corporation would not get a further loan at the same rate of interest, but would, in all probability, have to pay a much larger interest. It had been shown in plain figures that the building would cost £4000, instead !of £2000, as originally intended. As regards the water question, he had been told that that subject was his hobby, but it was not particularly so. When Lawrence was formed into a Municipality about eight years ago, he strenuously opposed thePhcenix scheme. He always had maintained that water could not he brought in pure and fit for domestic purposes in tho way it had been brought in, and so far the ideas he held had been correct. But if he were elected, he would, as a Councillor, lake tho trouble to go and personally inspect the race to the foumain head, and see whether any practical scheme would suggest itself. He was in favor of extending the mains to the lower end of Ross Place, as a protection against fire, and would also be in favor of levying a special rate to cover the expenses of the same. The candidate, after J stating that he would be glad to answer any questions to the best of his ability, resumed his seat._ In reply to questions, he said, while the wdrk that had bern done iv Ross Place was very nocessary, still be thought all the main streets should receive equal attention. He would be in favor of metalling Wbitehavenstreet wider, <=o that the traffic would not be confined to such a narrow space. He would be in favor of placing two culverts in nar-rington-sfcrcet, so that the traffic in Kilmar-nock-street to and from the coal-pit might be relieved. After seTcral unimportant questions had been answered to the apparent satisfaction of all present, Mr. Nixon proposed, and Mr. Williams seconded, the following motion, -which was unanimously carried :—": — " That, in the opinion of tbis meeting, Mr. Middlemiss is a fit and proper person to represent tho interests of 'tbe ratepayers of West Ward in tho Municipal Council of Lawrence. A vote ef thanks to the chair terminated tho meeting.