The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 1911. THE MAYORAL INSTALLATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 104, 3 May 1911, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 1911. THE MAYORAL INSTALLATION.

Vor tttcann that lack* <u*i*ta»a», for the vrong that needs retUtfnot, rar **« future in the distance, 4"d Uμ good tlmt we feu Uu.

The speech which Mr Q. J. Parr delivered to-day on the occasion of hi? formal induction to the Mayoral Chair is in many ways an interesting and important public- document. We have already expressed what we believe to be the general feeling of gratification and approval that marked Mr Parr's elevation to this distinguished position; and the comprehensive and far-reaching statement of municipal policy which ho laid before the citizens of Auckland today should confirm the conviction that they have chosen wisely. Mr Parr's views in regard to our financial position and prospects are certainly optimistic; but when optimism is backed by energy and forethought, and is strengthened also by such a mass of detailed knowledge of affairs as Mr Parr has marshalled in support of his schemes, it appears to us to be one of the most useful qualities that a public man ca n possess. Mr Parr's policy is μndoubtedly progressive and enterprising; but, taking into account all the circumstances of our position, we can see no reason for anticipating anything like extravagance in our civic administration or undue precipitation in prosecuting the scheme of pub Hα works and municipal improvement which our neiy Mayor has outlined. In discussing the most important practical problems that our municipal rulers have to face just now, Mr Parr rightly gave . a foremost place to the streets question. Everybody who lives in Auckland has the best of reasons for knowing that most of our public highways, badly need complete reconstruction; but hitherto the heavy outlay that the work must entail has been accepted as a sufficient excuse for deferring the matter and dragging on with our present expensive and wholly inadequate system of repairs. We commend to our readers the figures cited by Mr Parr in support of his contention that it would really cost less to relay such a street as Symonds-street on a permanent basis than to go on patching and tinkering it for an indefinite time. This is the view we have held for some years past, and we agree with Mr Parr that the time has come ior the city to take a bold step forward. The Mayor is convinced that the work of reconstructing our chief streets, consistently with the needs of the city, would cost quite a quarter oic a million; and. this he urges us to borrow, spreading the expenditure over some seven years s and providing for the extinction of the debt com' pacatrwily short period of time.

We need not recapitulate the details of Mr. Parr's financial proposals here, but his idea of a short-dated loan/ with a substantial sinking fund attached, to be repaid partly out of tramway profits, seems to us well worthy of careful consideration. Wβ have no doubt that a loan on these terms could be practically' paid off! in less than thirty years, end tha benefits that would accrue to the city from prompt action in improving our roads and kerbing and channelling alj our streets would be simply incalculable. In regard to the estimates prepared by the City Engineer, the Mayor believes that the expenditure of so large a sum as £400,000 is- unnecessary; and the fact that there is a wide choice of material for finishing the- surfaces of our streets —ranging from 10/ per square yard in the case of concrete to 19/ for hardwood blocks and 22/ for asphalte—shows that there must be a considerable margin for selection in these figures. The Mayor'a suggestion that some conrprpniise should be arranged with the Tramway Company about paving the middle of the inaiu streets, should not prove impracticable. And whate-yer" we eventually do with our streets it is to be hoped that the City Council will pay attention to Mr. Parr's warning and make such arrangements as will obviate the necessity for tearing up the sidewalks- and cutting up the roadways as soon as they are laid».down.

Several other pufblic topks touched upon by Mr. Parr will ibe discussed in dne time by the City Council, and. -we may. ibe. aMe to-deal "with. them, at greater length, -then. While! "we sympathize "witii the Mayor's proposal for two- new public baths, we- still hold that Shelly Beach is too far away from, the city to be an eligible site, and tha± proper -dressing accommodation is all tliEut is required for ithe convenience of ibathers there. As to the Hobson-street «ite 4he water" argument appeals to us.strongly, and we would certainly prefer Mr. Parr's alternative of a floating bath well outside the iw-harves in the open tideway. But Mr. Parr's arguments in favour of increasing the number of public reserves on the west and more populous side of the city seem, to us unanswerable; and the proposal to purchase an area, of 12 acres or so above Shelly Beach for a public recreation ground appears to deserve strong public support. Another suggestion of which we heartily approve is -the establishment of a branch of the Free library in ILaiangahape-ioad »to supply "the needs of *he densely-crowded suburbs on that side. The success of the branch, library at Netstown in Welungton is, •certainly a. strong argument ill fa-wux of this, -scheme,- -and the outlay. would b® inconsiderable lalstivo to the

The strong plea advanced by the Mayor on behalf of a proper system of sanitation should appeal to: eveiy intelligent member of the community. We owe it to ourselves and our city to sweep away everything that, could, attract or

harbour disease, and we hope that the new City Council will proceed to caxry on an active campaign against fijth ana disease, and above all to hunt down and extirpate the rat. No doubt all this will mean a great deal of money, but the expenditure will be well worth while. The public health is the life of the city, and anything that militates against it is the most dangerous of all menaces to our prosperity and success. And no one can read the brief financial statement with which Mr. Parr closed his address without feeling convinced that Auckland, municipally considered, is in a strong financial position, and that it would be utterly false economy for us to grudge the money required to protect the public health, and to improve and beautify our city. Our public debt is heavy, but we have assets of enormous and rapidly-in-creasing value, and our resources are constantly expanding. There is, therefore, no reason why we should hesitate to launch out upon a general. scheme of city improvement on the lines indicated by Mr. Parr; and if extravagance in administration is carefully avoided, and due precautions aro taken to secure the

liquidation of pnr debts, we believe that the new Mayors sanguine prognostications ac to the future or our city will be fully justified by the result.