ONEHUNGA MAYORALTY.

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

ONEHUNGA MAYORALTY.

MR J. E. GREEN OPENS CAMPAIGN

The Mayoral campapign at Onehunga was opened last night, when Mr. J. E. Green, J.P., a candidate for the mayor* alty, addressed the electors in the K(»resters' Theatre. Mr. J. E. Cowell, Mayor, who presided, introduced the candidate and in doing so, said Mr. Green had been in the public service for 42 years, having risen from a mpssn<_'e boy" to «uperin° tendent of Telegraphs at Auckland, which position he had held lor 10 years. Upon retiring ho had decided to reside in Onehunga and had been a member of the council fo-r two years. Mr. Green said "the local bodies in New Zealand owed £52.000,000 in loans and he thought the time had arrived when they should cease borrowing. At the same time it would be nccessary to raise a loan for the drainage of " the new area recently brought into the borough from the One Tree Hill district and to include the drainage of Ellerslie. which would share in the cost. The present council had decided to instal a refuse destructor, for which a loan of £2500 would be required, and another loan of £0000 for the drainage of the McKendrick estate at To Papapa. The ratepayers would be asked to sanction these two loans on the day of the municipal election this month. In an exhaustive review of the borough finances and the work done out. of loan moneys, Mr. Green said the £5000 loan lor street works had all pone. (A voice - Ves, gone west.—Laughter). An auxiliary water supply would shortly he provided from Allan's springs when a pump capable of lifting 20,000 gallons of water per hour would shortly be installed. The (arnegie Library had been put on a sound financial footing and the people of Onehunga were greatly indebted tn Mr. Edw in Hall for giving them a library that was a credit to tlio borough. He believed that all roads could be kept in good order on an annual expenditure o-f £2000. He strongly condemned the action of the Government in passing legislation enabling local bodies to rais7 loans without the sanction of ratepavcrs. For that reason he had oppo-sed tlnaction of the council in raising an unemployment loan without first getting the ratepayers authority. He wns opposed to the Greater Auckland scheme* and would not consent to Onehunga joining the city. r I lie rates per head of population in Auckland were £5 4/1}; in Onehunga they were £2 13/7. The city's public debt' was £6.000.000," while Onehunga's was £240.000. In answer to a question. Mr. Green -aid he did net consider the affairs of the borough were in a muddled condition as the result of wasteful expenditure. If u tried and proved man came out for the Mayoralty he would not retire, but if such n person had come out a fortnight ago he would not have been nominated. After be had answpred several questions Mr. Green was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence on tl- • motion of Mr. E. J. TTiggins, 5ee..,,• bv Mr. H. .Ton OS.