BIRKENHEAD BURGESSES' ASSOCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 66, 18 March 1915, Page 7

BIRKENHEAD BURGESSES' ASSOCIATION.

MOTOR SERVICE DISCUSSED. pOOXCIL TICKET TO BE SELECTED. The Birkenhead Bn rjresses' Association lelda meeting in Victoria Hall. Crescent JRoad, last night, open to all persons on the roll, the objprt being principally to select candidates for ihe coming Borough Council election. Mr. J. Leonard (president of the Association) who occupied the chair, urged ihe desirability of the meeting selecting from the available candidates those *rhom it wa s considered would best represent electors on the Council. So far as he could ascertain, for thermicn c seats on the Council, only four of the present councillors were seeking re-election. Messrs. E. Hill and George Goodall moved to confine the '"•ticket" to a number of new candidates, thus leaving members free to vote for such of the aid councillors as they desired. An amendment, proposed by the cliairJnan, and seconded h-v Mr. T. O, Tixard «us. however, carried to the effect that ihe Association should nominate the fuil tkket of nine candidates. Messrs. F. J. Stewart. .T. T. Cordon Tizard. Albert Hadfield. William Sampson. J. R. Salt. George (roodall. A. E. Wilkins. and W. U. Timewell (new candidates), together with the sitting sonncillors. Messrs. C E. Campbell. Colin Mason. Kobrrt Webb, and Reg. Shepierd. were nominated. The ballot to reduce the number to nine was deferred till the :2flth inst.. in order to allow of a full and representative attendance of electors. A pledge was given by several of the new candidates to retire from the tontest if not selected, and to loyally support the ticket, while a regular attendance at the Council and committee meetings was promised, if elected, some of the complaining of the irregular attendance of some of the sitting souneillors. Considerable discussion took place regarding the establishment of a motor bus service, most of the speakers advocating that the proposed service should be municipalise, and that the matter should be placed before a ballot of ratepayers before a private company was allowed to undertake it. 'It was stated that a loan would be required to place the roads in a euitablp condition, and it was argued that for a further amount of £2.000. the borough could own the eervice. The chairman thought that by amalgamating with Northeote. a more advantageous service could be ruu •round Xorthcote. Birkdale and Birkenhead. Mr. F. J. Stewart said he was prepared to lose every penny he might put into a private company to establish the service because of the great benefit that -would accrue to the district. Other matters were dealt with in the ronrse of a general discussion, including the constitution of the committees of the Council and th e printing and circulating of the balance-sheet.