CITY MAYORALTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 91, 18 April 1929, Page 15

CITY MAYORALTY.

MR. G. BAILDON'S RECORD.

MANY PROGRESSIVE WORKS

NOT A PARTY CANDIDATE

A review of the activities of the City Council during his'term as Mayor was given by Mr. George Baildon last evening in the Krev Lynn Library Hall, when he delivered his first address in furtherance of his candidature for re-election to the Mavoraltv.

Mr. M. J. Coyle. who presided, said it was unnecessary to introduce the candidate, who had lived in the district since boyhood. The chairman commended Mr. Baildon as one who worked hard for the city in a sincere and thorough way.

Prefacing his address with a resume of his public career, Mr. Baildon referred to his term as chairman of the Arch Hill Road Board and Mayor of Grey Lynn, and traced his long connection with the City Council and other public bodies. A great deal of destructive criticism had been levelled at the C'ity Council, said Mr. Baildon. but the facts would show that much had been done. A progressive policy had been followed in regard to water supply, the Nihotupu dam, with a capacity of 500.000,000 gallons, and the Waitakere dam, with a capacity of 450.000,000 gallons, having been built.

The Huia dam, now under construction, would be finished by the end of the year, and before the next dry season came the water would be reticulating through the city. When the Lower Nihotupu dam \ras fini.-heil over 20.000,000 gallons would be available daily, which would be twice the quantity available at present. Speaking of filtration, Mr. Baildon said 25,000.000 gallons could be treated daily. When the new reservoir at Mount Eden was completed there would be storage capacity for 6,000,000 gallons in the city area. The speaker felt that as a result of his waterworks extension policy, brought down in May, 1925, and now being carried to completion, the city would never again go short of water. Reading Improvements. When he (Mr. Baildon) joined the City Council there were no concrete roads in the city; there were now 26 miles of concrete highway. Visitors from abroad said that Auckland was one of the bestroaded cities in the world. (Applause.) At a cost of £457,000 some 266 streets, of a total length of 55 miles, had been kerbed and channelled, and tarred and sanded or sealed. Mr. Baildon explained , the various projected traffic outlets and >treet-widening schemes. He believed (that the council was nearer than ever it had been to the possibility of acquiring sufficient of the Shortland Street Post Office site to form a street which would carry traffic direct from High Street to Fort Street. This would relieve traffic congestion in Queen Street. It was his hope that before his term as Mayor ended, he would be able to announce that favourable terms had been obtained in respect of the Shortland Street property. Civic Square Earning Revenue.

Mr. Baildon took credit for the council's policy in converting the Civic Square into a commercial area, earning revenue for the city. At present £10,000 was being returned, and in a few years the rentals would return a handsome revenue. Sewerage bad been given careful attention during his term of office. The abattoirs had been improved, so that thej- were now the most modern in Xew Zealand. Every effoit had been made to provide playing areas. An area of 12£ acres in Walker Road, Point Chevalier, was almost completed, and four or five football fields would be available there in the coming season. Mr. Baildon said he also took credit for obtaining Motuihi Island as a marine park for Auckland—there was no better island anywhere in the world. Libraries at Remnera and Point Chevalier had been established durinjr his term, and he did not think it would be long before the Avondale people and Tamaki residents would be provided with their own libraries. Touching on relief works, Mr. Baildon said all regretted the necessity for such measures, but there had been ample evidence that many men and their families had appreciated the opportunity afforded by these works in a time of depression. Finance for the War Memorial Museum, and lectures on municipal subjects at the Auckland University College were matters in which he had been usefuly interested.

Traffic Outlets.

The time was not ripe for any big public undertakings, apart from the Transport Board's very necessary proposals, but it did seem to Mr. Baildon that consideration -would have to be given to the provision of traffic outlets and the widening of congested streets. All the considerable improvements effected during his term had been cairied out in an economical way. A candidate had characterised the out-going council as the most incapable, futile and disastrous that had ever held office. Mr. Baildon said the man who made that statement had never during his term as a councillor raised his voice against the inaction of the council. 'T represent no party and no faction, but stand for the welfare of all, and that is my policy,"' concluded Mr. Baildon. At" question time, a man alleged that he had been compelled to ere t tanks to collect water from the heavens because the City Council water gave him and his family heartburn. This, he believed, was due to excessive ehlorination in the process of filtration. Mr. Baildon said there was not a hundredth-millionth part of chlorate of lime, because the lime dripped into the water as it rushed throujrh in millions of gallons. "Anyone who suffers from heartburn as a result of drinking can speedily get rid of it," said Mr. Baildon, "though I shan't mention the remedy!" (Laughter.)

A vote of thanks and confidence was declared carried, an amendment of noconfidence being defeated oil the voices.