THE PONSONBY WARD ELECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 212, 7 September 1899, Page 3

THE PONSONBY WARD ELECTION.

MR PARR'S ADDRESS TO THE RATEPAYERS. Mr T C Parr, a candidate for the | vacant," Ponsonby seat on the City Council, addressed a meeting of rate- I pavers of the Ponsonby Wart! last Uening. in the Ponsonby Hall. Every seat in the hall was filled, and the speaker had a very good reception receiving a unanimous vote of thank? at the close of his address. Mr \\. J. Eees occupied the chair. ■ Mr Tarr outlined his views on matters connected with the administration of the city. He considered that the- two great necessities at present were a supplementary supply of good, pure water, and a proper system of drainage. He attributed the high death rate of Auckland to three causes —the absence of a proper drainage system, the very inadequate system for the removal of night soil, and the filthy condition in which a -number of the backyards of this city were kept. While the other wards of the city were comparatively well drained the Ponsonby Ward, with an area equal i to all the others put together, was practically without a drainage system at all, and it was the duty of tht> Ward's representatives on the Council to see that Ponsonby received an uaequate share of whatever money was spent on drainage in the future. The sooner this work was carried out the better for the city. He approved of the Mayor's proposal to spend £3000 in improving the fire brigade station and j plant. The pi-esent station was a dis- j grace to the city, and the alarm ; system and plant in use were qui-e . antiquated and most inadequate. The 1 proposal to pave Queen-street witii \ , wood blocks was another commend-; able scheme, and should be carried out at an early date. With regard to electric tramways, Mr Parr said the whole trend of modern municipal politics was in the direction of improving the public, services, and he considered that, given a competent Mayor and Council, the municipalisation of the tramways was j the best- thing for the city. The;y should not. let so profitable a service get into private hands. With regard to I finding "the wherewithal" for the above works, there was only one answer: Find out what, the work will cost and then borrow that sum, and not a penny more. He thought the i Council had done wisely in introducj ing an Empowering Bill, by which they could borrow £100.000. The ! money was absolutely required, and , th e pi-esent income of the Council was ! sufficient to pay the interest on the loan. The idea that if this money were borrowed the rates would be raised was absolutely without foundation' As a fact it was expressly stipulated in the Bill itself that the rates were not to be raised beyond the present amount. 2/ in the £. There was no necessity for raising the rates, and if elected he would strenuously oppose any such proposal. Tie considered the ratepayers of Ponsonby had strong1 grounds for asking the City Council "to secure Freeman's Bay reclamation for a recreation gro-md. While other wards had their parks a.nd "lungs," Ponsonby had not a single acre in the shape of a public recreation ground. He did not think it would mean any great cost to the city. The Harbour Board' should be approached with a view to obtaining a long lease (say 999 years), with a purchasing clause. The citizens ou?ht not" to be short sighted in this

matter; it was their duty to wee that this reclamation was reserved for pub- ] lie use. As to the city's finances he did not take it gloomy view of things. They must remember that in thirty j year's' time the present £10,000 a year derived from the city endowments would be swelled to about £30,000. In conclusion he hoped they were going to have an improvement in municipal matters. They could only get that' improvement by introducing a little new blood into the Council. If they chose to elect him they would have a man who would vote straight and who could not be '•squared" by anybody, and of whom at the end of his three years he thought they would admit that he had done his duty. On the motion of Mr D. B. Mac Donald a vote of thanks was accorded lo Mr Parr- for his address, and theproceedings closed with the customary compliment to the chair. aMCM»IIWiMIMIIIII»llll lIIIWIIiaM