NEWMARKET COUNCILLORS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 101, 29 April 1913, Page 8

NEWMARKET COUNCILLORS.

ADDRESSES TO RATEPAYERS,

A 1/XSEbY OPPOSITIONIST. The Mayor of Newmarket (Mr. D. Teed) and members of his Council took, the platform at the Newmarket Hall last night for the purpose of giving an account of their stewardship during the past two years. There was an attendance of about 200 ratepayers, and the presence of a few rowdy 'spirits 'became evident «-iirly in the proceedings. The Mayor explained the doings of the Council in connection with, the roads-im-provement scheme, for which the raising of a loan of £30,000 was sanctioned three or four months after the tost election. Unfortunately, the work had not been completed with that sum, and the Council had, through a recent amendment of the Act, failed to secure the customary additional "10 per cent" loan. However, he and Councillor Wliittome had interviewed the Prime Minister tliat tiay, with the result that the Council now had every possibility of securing the extra money. (Applause.) The speaker remarked that within the next six or seven ironths the people of Newmarket would hf supplied with electric light and. power for their homes and their factories at the same price as that charged in the city. (Applause.) He advocated a more up-to-date system of fire-fighting, and suggested the erection of more pretentious council offices. .Mr. Teed said their balance-sheet was one to be proud of, in-1 aemuch as the genenU account showed a credit of £1,249 10/s—a record for the borough. (Applause.) 'Some people ha<l elated that the rates would be increased considerably, J>ui he was pleased to say that the increase would not amount to more than 3d in the pound. A Voice: But. what about the increased borough valuations? The Mayor: Last year they were £30,500, and this year they are £31,700. The increases have occurred mainly, in the bueiness part of the borough, and thep cannot be considered excessive. (Applause.) Mr. S. Donaldson criticised his fellow councillors, contending that they had not fulfilled their promises to adhere to the allocations for the various streets as set out before the sanctioning of the loan. Mr. A. E. Whittome entered upon a vigorous defence of the majority of the Council against the attacks of the previous speaker, and asked if it was likely that one man could always be right and the remainder always wrong. He enthusiastically championed the Council's progressive policy, notwithstanding a deal of heckling by a minority of the audience. ■After Councillors F. .T. O'Meara and C. Leek had identified themselves with thn "progressive" section of the Council, the Mayor refuted the inferences of Mr. Donald-son to the evident satisfaction of the meeting. \ vote of thanks to the Mayor and retiring councillors was unanimously carried,