BURGESSES' ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11153, 20 December 1901, Page 5

BURGESSES' ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEKONG. ■ The firet annual meeting of the City and Suburban Burgtsses' Association was fceJd last* night. Mr O'Jiryea Hoare presided, and there were about 15 mcambers present. An β-poiogy was received from 3ir U.. J. «mith, M.H.K. The Canterbury Women's Institute wrote drawing attention to the insanitary state of tenements in whioli women and children lived, aud .asking the Association s assistance in getting the City Council to take aofcion in th-a matter. . The letter was received, and referred to the Committee. The annual import showed that tnore was at the end ot Ui© year a momberehip of SO. The meetings held in connection wilta municipal elections had not been so well actended aa they ought ta> have been, averaging only irow <*0 to 50. Five thousand ciroulars, sewing forth the policy of ti» Association, had .been distributed, and eftcti of the 84 caudidates in the city a&d suburbs had submitted to them questions, and the replies had been published itt the local Press. Reference was made in the report, to the steps taken by the Association to create interest in municipal attains by arranging conferences with various political bodies interested in municipal reform. Concluding, the Executive stated that their hands would be greatly strengthened by a full attendance ol members at the general meetings. In moving the adoption of the report, the Chairman said that tne chief reason for the establishment of the Association had been the intense apathy in municipal affairs, but he was sorry to say that they had been unable to arouse the burgesses. Nevertheless, the Association had justified its • existence. The meetings held prior to the municipal elections had exited mud! interest. One could not go about tho oity ■without noticing a number of improvements that were necessary, but he was hopeless of arouning interest until another election was on. They should endeavour to replace the older members of the councils. Kenning to. "Greater Christchurch, , ' he said that the Association should take every means of impressing its importance on the burgesses. It was hopeless ior men who wire .elected to take a deep interest in matters when those who elected them manifested no interest. It would i>o for the meeting to' devise means for arousing interest in municipal affairs, or honestly pay ;fcheir debts and bury themselves. Mr J). Lumsdan seconded the adoption of the report*. Dr. Russell advocated the continuance of the Association, and considered all that was necessary to make it successful was tenacity and resolution. The migratory nature of tho people "was one reason for tho apathy shown with regard to municipal affairs. There were Jew people w&o resided for any length of time in one ward. They should try to obtain the influence of the better class of teaden people to cup- . port ithe Association. Mr Qb&pilin considered the Association should concentrate its energies on the at- ■ taimnent of "Greater Christchurch." .

Mr H. G. Ell, M.H.R., said that tbe-y were, not suffering from want of power, bub from want of a healthy publio opinion in municipal affftiiSj and the Association had to thank the Press of the city, for the assistance it had rendered in attempting to create this, healthy publio opinion, Begarding the amalgamation of outside looro.ugiis with the city, he advocated the passage of a short Bill providing that 5 per cent. of the tohaibit&nts of each of the district* can demand a poll "on the question of amalgamation. Speaking oi the Jack of interest in municipal affaire, he stated that whilst in Dune- ' don he h&d received from the Town Olerk a email handbook giving in a concise form information about the municipality. . He . had i»rougiit this book under the notice of the Town 01©rk of thia city, who had srtated (his intention/to prepare a similar handbook : for Christchurch. * ■ '- '

The report was adopted. - The. balance-sheet snowed that there was a credi* 'balance of 15a, and that there wene liabilities amounting to about £7, The balance-sheet was agreed m. The following otticeie were elected:—> President, -Mr CKBryen Hoare; vice-presi-dents, Dr. Russell and Mr T. B. Toney clifiej secretary and treasurer, Mr J. H Newlyaj committee, Mewucs H, G. EH, M.H.K., W. 1. {Ballanger, Chaplin, A. F. Talbot, Bilclifi, D. Lumsden, .W- S&Kon*, J. M'Coomb, Uowier, and J. iVasejv Mr G, W. liusseO, K.HiB., addressed the meeting, and vu ppening said i*e waa dveappoixAea anUCx s \k&. *paa»e aV»&dflJxee. MunioijpalpoJiticfl, ibe thought/ were more important to city-dweZZei'ss t&an wencoloni*L politics. lWCiity CtmncU had xiev&r attempted, to exearcaiee iuU $GWe.ta aiforded ii> by the Municipal Corporations alfchoiigZi ise coaeid«re4 it w>e aa excellent body so iar as the n.\aaagemeafc of the etreetft was conceomed. tSiTistchurch was a paradise in tßfit respect an compared with W&Uington. JFor t£e dissociation, to appeal p<uWic it eshould have a polsoy, ana fee suggested- thmb % should consist ot the advocacy of- ••Utleater and the bringing in electrical energy i-or Iwat, and power. He though i> that probably the greatest opposition to "G/*a*» Oiirietoh-urch" would; "be from th« mayors and cauttdilara on* tlio outfiide borougUii. Hβ would support any plan taking the decision of tlia question rig*ht over the*Jieads of the municipal corporations, and placiug: it in Use hainda o£ tihe people. - '$he> Cljairmaa pointed out ibsit the Association had a programme wh'wl'* included the attainment of ''Greater illarislchwrch," and referred to the une&tisftuauxy nvxia of mundcipal affairs "where -tihei* v/ere a nsinxber of contiguous email local bodies.. Mr H. G. Ell, M.H.8., also. addressed th» meeting, a&d. eaad there to une matter he would luce to 1 suggest to tike ■*B'iiociatio>n. Hβ referred to th« Public -rlen*, and stated .that in other centres ■■ii.n §a>dens "were naaiivtaioed out of tv..-,- niuaicipal funds. Considering the etaervea «6a.te cf its finances tho Domdn Boaia had done wondemi. He pointed out .thai the unimproved value of Ohriefechurob, tit, Albans, tsydenhami and "Linwood was £2,225,994, and a rate of l-32ad of Id would give the Board an income of £390j or of l-16tlh of Jd an income o f £580. If the City Council took the initiative, he had no doubt the ratepayer would suppovt them. Hβ also pointed out that Wellington was the only oity which contributed to technical education, and !he considered; the City Council should take the initiative in this matter also. With regard to tramways and lighting he referred to the fact that tflxe Wellington and Dunedin Qounoila had taken the initiative, and had not had to be forced into action. In order to increase interest in local matters, he advocated that the people abxjruld have the power of initiative, and to compel i!he local authorities to acquire certain services or undertake certain works. Councillor Taylor «aid that on several occasions he had tried to move in tlie roabter of the Domain, but he understood from Mr Jacques, the chairman of the Board, that the municipalities could .not contribute to the main*enance jl the jgardene. The Council -was detenniJ&d to owa the tramways, and if the outside boroughs ddd not assist them they would, work those within the oity feQundarm E« also referred to the vater supply scheme, which would be part and parcel oi the larger B©h*rae of city Hnprovemejat, ' A vert» of thteSs was accorded Meesrs Ell and Russell.