MUNICIPAL MEETING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1309, 21 February 1883, Page 2

MUNICIPAL MEETING.

A littie after eight last evening a considerable number of persons assembled at the Empire Theatre, which was fitted up with a temporary platform for the occasion, , On the motion of Mr Rapp the chair waß taken by Mr McOardle, The chairman said he was not prepaied to state the particular business of the meeting. He believed it was to induce candidates to express their views, but he understood that other matters, would be discussed. He first, called upon Mr Corbett as better up than his opponent, in election matters. Mr Corbett, who was well received, could hardly say what his vioiva were. He censured the present Borough Council for neglecting to provide a water supply, and never taking any trouble about streets till 'the winter came-on, Hisrviews were pretty well known, and to cut it short be would simply expreM his willingness to answer questions. The counoil appnared to occupy most of its time in discussing Milner Stephen. He rediculed the idea of intelligent councillors voting against ut letttr carrier who would not cost the borough a shilling. Mr j, tyilliams— What a!re your views with regard to the loan ] '. . Mr Corbett ndvooated going in for a proper loan. It would berediculous to borrow two or threo thousand pounds only They required enough to include a water and a gas supply, Mp Rapp—Are you in favor of altering the present building regulations, Mr Corbett did, not exactly know what they were, (A laugh,) ''He would oppose the erection of woodeu buildings on account of fire. He had been rejected -many limes, but he felt quite sure that in time thp people would cume round, to Mb views, Mr Ohjnchen, who wbb next oalled upon asoended tho platform amid applause, He BRi'd in appearing for the first time ua a candidate his remarks would be more brief than Mr Corbett's! (No INo I) He was more at horns behind a counter than before the footlights. He was not in favor ofakoe loan, It elected he was willing to have water laid on if it was found that funds would permit, That was all he Iwl to say. The chairman said that no doubt Mr Chinohen having broken the ice with a first speech would subsequently go in a plunger. Mr Eenall—Could you not make a speeoh for him Mr Chairman ] _ The Chairman suggested that a vote of thanks should be proposod'to the candidates, and then they could discuss other matters afterwards, Mr Renall proposed taking other matters first, and letting the vote stand till afterwards. A voice—Now Russell. Mr Eenall—la there a programme prepared ? ... t The Chairman—l have Been none. Mr Eenall said they have heard the candidates, and so far as anything they had said they might have kept away, Mr Corbett Bald they knew his views, but he for one had never heard him express any. The last blood to be put in the Council seemed to run as thin as water. The town seemed to be getting into a worse fix |han ever. Last winter, he could not.cross the road for mud, and tha other day' he nearly got buried in horse-dung while orossing the street. The present_rates were insufficient to keep the town in a state'of decency. When he was in the Council things were better, but they were getting a subsidy then, and the Borough expenses were very light, owing to the engineering assistance given by Mr Bjjssell' and himself, He deprecuted borrowing to relieve the town from the fix it was in. His experiences of other towns which had borrowed was unfavorable. They suffered perhaps more from drouth' and dust in summei- than from mud and wet in winter, It was better to bear with these evils than to go into debt. He advocated,, however, loans' for gas and water (as these enterprises might be made Belf-supporting, When in the Counoil'he found; it more economical to repair roads' by. contraot than by day work, and thought that it would be wise now to revert to the former plan. In former years the Provincial Council saved 85 per' cent,by,substituting contract work for day labor, The Chairman thanked Mr Renall for 'relieving the meeting from a difficulty by making a Bpeech, Mr James Russell proposed a vote of thanks to .the candidates, ; He was the first to launch the Municipal boat: They got it afloat and it sailed on pretty well for a number of ye»rs. They got in shallows sometimes but generally managed to weather the points, _ Recently the vessel had, been '{ak,en into.'the jjort of Despair instead' of the port of Success and there it, lay. No doubt much of their' post success .was due:to letting BontractsfrottlUwenty to fifty per cent under cost, He Bpoke of himself as a victim of persecution and derison, (No 11 No I) claiming that the Couucil bad seven-I

"teen'rniles of plane, from him: for, eighty ' , pounds, OounoiliQrSj too. wished him to i prepare plana" gratis" for. the next two '■ yeatfl., His objebt from beginning to end had been to further the interests of the town, He hoped those young oandj ' dates when they mot into the GounoU would be able to think of something more than they had told them that evening. Mr EenalUaidil nobody would second. Mr Bnssell's motion he would,, It would nofaost rauch;' : He'did'no't'think. Mr laugh). Considering the difficulty of raising money in the Borough the Council ' i had paid him.as much as it eould afford. After an allusion to eneineerinK he referred to a matter personal to himself with referenee'tb'the £2oop'aid to hihfby the Borough for land taken for street . widening, He contended that not one penny of this sum .'went into his, -pboket, as it would be required' to 'fill up'creeks. Mr Payton, in commenting upon this arrangement in the Daily, had used the expression of seeing "the cloven- foot" in. it. He characterised the attack as \ dastardly and unmanly, and challenged Mr Payion to meet him then on the'subject. Mr Pay ton said he had no, recollection of the 'expression'to' which Mr Renall referred. If Mr Renall desired to bring suoh a matter before the meeting he should hate produced the paper to which he alluded. Mr Woodroofe spoke against the borrowing policy of the two candidates, He had voted for Mr Corbett , on two previous ocoasions, .but; would oppose his borrowing proposals to the death. He spoke of Borough iniquities generally suoh as excessive 'Valuations' whioh would makeia horse blush. Mr Corbett iu reply to Mr Renall said that the latter had propheoiod four years ago that the town would be in a flourishing jondition with plenty of money for all , necessary-works.;. Instead- ofthiVtheir roads were worn through, and they had a thousand pounds overdraft,'.. He could not underatandMr'Woodroofe. Amajiwholent money at 20 per cent ought noCffiobject to borrowing at five. (A laugnjivThe ■ meeting that evening was called more to ventilate grievances than to listen to candidates., Mr Woodroofe denied that he ever lent money at more than ten per cent. Once he was offered twelve and a half/ but: he {■, let the man have what he wanted' *t ten, .'. .'.'.-'; : v ;; ,-; -i Mr Busaell said he did not come with a grievance. He had only been drawn ; out like a snail in warm weather. [ \ A vote of thanks to the ohair terminated the proceedings, ' '" •;■ •'