MAYORAL ELECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 87, 13 April 1927, Page 8

MAYORAL ELECTION.

MR. BAILDON'S CANDIDATURE.

WHAT THE COUNCIL HAS DOME

AND WORK IN PROSPECT.

Opening his campaign last night, Mr. George Baildon, who is again contesting the Mayoralty, addressed a meeting of some forty people in the Epsom Library. Mr. Norman Wade presided. Mr. Wade reminded the audience that Mr. Baildon had been a familiar figure for thirty years. Thdse who knew him knew what he had done, and those who did not know him should understand that for 30 years he had been actively identified with municipal politics in Auckland. lie had started his career in Grey Lynn, which he had raised from practically a horse paddock to a very important suburb which was eventually incorporated with Auckland City. Mr. Baildon had a splendid record in the Auckland City Council, of which he was admittedly the outstanding member. He was chairman of the works committee; he was the business manager of the city, and was in fact the power behind the Mayors of the past. There had been innuendoes about Mr. Baildon, but the perpetrators were at raid to come into the open. Such conduct, however, had the effect of hardening people to give Mr. Baildon a fair show. The people liked fair play, which was bonny play, and the underhand conduct of his anonymous detractors had really done Mr. Baildon good. Mr. Wade was sure all fair-minded people, who could appreciate a man who got things done, would rally round Mr. Baildon and put him where he should be —at the head of the poll. True to His Pledge. Mr. Baildon explained the position in regard to the Mayoralty, and how he came to accept nomination at the request of his friends, although his personal inclination would have been to take a rest, as he had had a busy term of office, and felt he had done his share. Improving the Roads. Mr. Baildon then went on to deal with municipal politics, starting with the streets improvement loan of £710,000. The council had formed, kerbed, and channelled 153 streets, the kerbing running into 57 miles, which if halved would give the street mileage. In the interests of permanency and the needs of modern motor traffic the council had adopted a policy of sealing the surface with tar or bitumen, as the old style was uneconomical and out of date. Concreting main roads had also been prosecuted vigorously, and £80.000 had been expended. Footpaths had been paved with concrete and that excellent system would be carried out on a more extensive scale each year. Among other important road works was the waterfront road to St. Helier's. The council had taken a prominent part in that very progressive work which, when completed, would bring the residents of Tamaki and that part of the isthmus into such close proximity that they would be citizens of Auckland itself. Other Works. The street lighting contract was practically completed, and Auckland would be the best lit city in the Dominion. Tree planting in the streets had also been a feature of the council's work, and they now had over 50 miles' treated. Another cognate work was the planting of native flora in the Domain, which wduld eventually be clothed on its slopes with a magnificent bush of native trees. Detailing the council's comprehensive scheme for developing the Waitakere! watershed area', he said the council's proposals would give the city 28,000,000 gallons a day. The present consumption was about 9,000,000 gallons. When the filtration plant was completed the city would have a splendid supply of the clearest and most wholesome water that could be desired. Among other works in view he might mention the widening of Parnell Road. Rounding off the street corners was another work that had engaged the attention of the council—an indication of the change that the spread of the motor had brought about, the old rirjhtangled corners being quite out of date. Playing areas had been attended to by the council, and it was fully alive to its responsibilities in this connection. Included in this branch of the council's activities was the acquisition of some glorious bush areas in the Waitakeres which would be of inestimable value to people in the years to come as the forest was every day growing less and less in all parts of New Zealand. Mr. Baildon reminded his audience that next to the Government the council was the biggest organisation in New Zealand, its turnover being the huge sum of £1,500,000 a' year. Naturally, such a business required careful supervision, and he was glad to say they had a vefy capable staff of officials. A great improvement the couhcil had brought about was the control of the traffic by its own men in lieu of the police after the latter had withdrawn. He thought the present method was an improvement as it gave them more uniformity in signals and in other directions. Provision of more traffic outlets from the city would greatly reduce the congestion that had been caused by the amazing increase in the traffic, particularly the motor traffic. One of the most important would be the bridge it was proposed to throw over the Arch Hill gully. Another thing the council had in view was the provision of a three-quarter tide lake at Hobson's Bay, inside the railway ombankmeut. He was keenly interested in extending the bathing facilities around the beaches. It was his intention to prosecute the work of developing the Western Springs area, which was at present a waste, and could be made a most desirable spot for the recreation of the citizens. In conclusion, Mr. Baildon contended that the magnitude of the council's activities proVed that they could not have been asleep all the time. "We may have nodded at times," he said, but I think any fair-minded citizen will admit we must have been fairlv awake to do what we have done. Personi j d°n't tlaim to be perfect, and don t want to blow mv own trumpet, but I can defy anvone to come forward and say that I ever did a crooked action." At the close of his address Mr. Baildon Greater AnoWl hl " fcttitude towards , Auckland atid the bringing in of the districts that persisted in main taming their own independence on the favour ß off d< welcom 'ma In® in v 1. wruoming all the outsidp suburbs with open arms. As for Newmarket he would be in favour of getting legislation to compel it to come h, to the city to which it rightly belonged. Right alongside Newmarket was the huge Domain, controlled by the city Almost as large as Newmarket it»el4