CIVIC ELECTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 96, 24 April 1931, Page 11

CIVIC ELECTIONS.

MT. EDEN MAYORALTY.

"GOING TO BALANCE BUDGET"

ME. POTTER REVIEWS FINANCES. win assurance that, despite murmuringis by pessimists to tlie contrary, the borough would "balance its budget," was given by Mr. E. H. Potter, in launching his campaign for re-election as Mayor of Mount Eden in the Gordon Road Hall last evening. Mr. Potter accorded an excellent hearing by a large number of electors, and a vote of confidence in him was passed. Mr. G. L, Taylor presided, and, on the platform were several aspirillg councillors, who were introduced as supporters of the policy enunciated by Mr. Potter. Prefacing his remarks by Acknowledging the support given him by retiring councillors, Mr. Potter said: "I am going to say that Mount Eden can cheer up, because we are going to balance our budget. It was reported by pessimists —fortunately Mount Eden has few of them—that that was impossible, but the borough is in a sound and safe position, despite reduced revenue from new buildand the money it was necessary to find to assist the unemployed." For the last two years expenditure had been kept well within the revenue. The expenditure in 1930 was £79,355 and the income was about the same, there being a credit balance of £266 in the general account. Mr. Potter traced the development of the district since its conversion into a borough in 1906. With the advent of' the trams, he said, roading improvements became imperative, and work had been carried out at a cost of £170,000 from loan, and £30,000 from revenue, and today Mount Eden was the finest roaded borough in Auckland. The work of surfacing the balance of the roads would cost approximately £40,000. The suburb was well served so far as sewerage was concerned, and reticulation of the greater portion of it had been effected by the expenditure, of £336,500. "The general scheme of drainage has received the approval of the ratepayers," added Mr. Potter, "but it was not thought advisable to ask for more than £100,000 at a time, and the debentures were issued as work progressed. The interest was paid only on debentures on the work in progress to the extent of £25,000 to £30,000 per annum, and ih this way interest has been kept within the anticipated revenue from new buildings."

Passing reference was made by Mr. Potter to the further drainage programme, -which was turned down by the ratepayers recently, but was later sanctioned by the Board of Health. When the proposal was not approved by the ratepayers, he declared, there was no other course open to the board than that adopted, if it desired to safeguard public health and to prevent anything in the nature of an epidemic. Mr. Potter referred to the quality of the electric lighting and other essential services which the borough enjoyed today, and said that during his office the bathe had been improved, and open spaces had been developed to' the fullest possible extent. He touched on the part played by the council in bringing about the formation of "the Auckland Electric Power Board and the Transport Board, and advocated the development of the Waikato Biver scheme as a means of providing water, not only for Mount Eden, but for the whole of the Auckland metropolitan area, at a low cost. Replying to complaints that rating in the borough was excessive, Mr. Potter said that the amount paid under this heading .per £1000 of capital value in Mount Eden was £10 5/, as compared with £11 16/ in Mount Albert, and £12 4/ in the city. Bates in 1929-30 produced £591,474. If he was returned, Mr. Potter said, there would be no increase in rates.