THE MAYORALTY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 May 1938, Page 7

THE MAYORALTY

MASTERTON CANDIDATES ADDRESS ELECTORS MR. JORDAN AND HIS OPPONENTS PROMISES AND PERFORMANCES The Mayor, Mr T. Jordan, and the two other candidates for the position, Messrs A. Rippon and L. J. Taylor, each delivered fifteen minute addresses at the meeting of electors in the Opera House last night.’* Mr R. N. Shaw presided. “After over 20 years’ service on local bodies,” remarked Mr Rippon, “I have no hesitation in offering my services for the Mayoralty.” Dealing with the question of Borough rates, Mr Rippon said he could not see that the expenditure of the Borough could be curtailed and he went on to refer to the amounts spent each year in maintaining essential services and improving the streets and footpaths. The council had no control over the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board rate, nor over that levied by the Masterton. Fire Board. He agreed that new swimming baths were necessary and considered that the council should obtain a subsidy from the Government on the labour and then raise a loan for the balance of the cdst involved. The cost should not come out of revenue or be included in the rates struck. A women’s rest room and conveniences were essential, and he had moved in the direction of securing them over 18 months ago. It would mean another loan, but that would be quite right as future residents would then contribute towards the cost of the services they were benefiting from.' He went on to deal at some length with the Waipoua River

scheme, and said he favoured the larger or ideal scheme as proposed by the Borough Engineer. Mr Taylor said he was not contesting the Mayoralty in the interests of any political party. After reading a report from the “Times-Age” of remarks by the Mayor last Thursday night regarding party politics and local body contests Mr Taylor said: “I like British fair play and I expect the papers to give us fair play in this fight. Referring to an election advertisement signed by the Masterton Citizens’ Committee, Mr Taylor said: “What is this organisation of mushroom growth, I have never heard of it.”'A voice: “It is the National Party.” Mr Taylor added that he had been nominated for the Mayoralty by two men not connected with any political party and added: “I would advise the papers to look very carefully into some of the things they have been publishing in the last few days.” Passing on to deal with his election chances, he said he knew he would get two votes —his own and his wife’s. A voice: “You have got her schooled up?” Another voice: “I think you are a good place bet.” After referring to his work as 'chairman of the Masterton Unemployment Relief Committee for the past three years, Mr Taylor said that from 1933 to 1937, £30,000 had been spent on unemployment relief in Masterton. In one year alone, prior to 1936, a sum of £ll,OOO had been spent. Most of that money had been expended in chipping grass off the footpaths and on the Waipoua River Scheme. The money should have been spent on something that would have shown definite benefit and results. If the council had worked in co-operation with the present Government a lot of the unemployed men would have got work much sooner. A local body should work, not only for the benefit of Masterton, but for the men on relief and in co-operation with, the Government in power, whether it was Nationalist or Labour. Touching on the Borough water sup-ply,-Mr Taylor said it would cost £lO,000 to instal water meters, which would not save an ounce of water. The existing supply was all right for a town with a population half the size of Masterton. Money should have been spent on improving the supply- years ago. He favoured the provision of new swimming baths, and said that although hundreds of children used the Dixon Street baths every week during a hot summer, the water was only changed once a week. If the baths were a private concern and not the property of the Borough, the water would have been condemned long ago. Referring to a statement by Mr Morice regarding absentee voters for municipal elections, Mr Jordan said the Government had promised to make provision for them to forward their votes by post. He took some credit for obtaining the promise. “I am not here to make promises,” he added, “but to be judged, along with my other colleagues, on the performances of the past term of office. After referring to the sound financial position of the town, along the lines of his remarks at last Thursday’s meeting, Mr Jordan said that in 1925 the general rate struck was 4Jd in the £l, and this year for the first time, it had got up to 4 5-8 d in the £l. Quoting statements he had heard to ttie effect that “Jordan. put the rates up,” the Mayor said: “Don’t blame me, I am only one of twelve.” He went on to refer to his efforts in obtaining a subsidy of £4 per man instead of £2 5s for the Waipoua job, and said that the increased subsidy had meant some £3OOO to the Borough. If the Government had told them that a definite sum would be available for unemployment relief instead of receiving small weekly allocations in dribs and drabs, something worth while

might have been done with unemployed labour during the depression. Mr Jordan dealt with heavy traffic fees, fines from motor offences and revenue from motor taxation, and said that the Government had at last admitted that the towns were not receiving their share of the taxation. That was something worth fighting for, and when it came into effect Masterton would receive probably three times as much as its present £2OO. (Applause). Like the other speakers, Mr Jordan thanked the chairman for calling the meeting, and congratulated him on the manner in which he had conducted it.