MAYORAL ELECTION

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 154, 24 March 1908, Page 9

MAYORAL ELECTION

OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN

MEETING 'OF'MR. HISLQP'S ' ' SUPPORTERS. A. meeting of-, those interested in the reelection of/.tlio Hon. IV/\Y. Hislop to tho ; City Mayoralty ■ was .held; in ' Messrs. AV.. H» -Tui'nbuil and Go's, auction room last evening. Mr. 11. D',; Bell, presicled,- ; ';and there was a large - attendance of - the candi•dato's supporters.' ' ■'~ . V: ■ > Before proceeding' with tho 1 business : of. tho 'evening, namely, the" formation'.of a qentral committed, 'Mr: Hislop delivered a .brief -address to'those present. Ho had no doubt, .lie '.said,' that cllir jiig' tho ' forthcoming campaigii certain, suggestions and' criticisms -.would bo inildo regarding tho business of. tjio past three years. ./Whatever'- had been .dorio was - done iii open/Council. .. Every. ..facility .'.had been, 'hiforded to Press and publio, alike'of -acquainting -tho;"citizens. with the city!s affairs. During/the year' only /five/sittings of the' Council ' had' • been;• held: in, committee. Referring"',to'/the. financial' operations of the Council; during' his, •reginio as 'Mayor,:"the 'speaker; said that l money, had v always 1 been' ■raised'at; the lowest:; possible .rates. . The 'sinking-funds had, been' so> iuvosted that- in'stba'd of'rpturniiig 4. per.cent., as' formerly, .they hoiv; 'realisoilj,' '.in '■ intcrbat/.i!'!. 155."-. per cent/', Tho. annual,, expenditure on street improvement works now . amounted to. from. £5000 to 'iBOOO,; spread .'over all parts, of. the .city/ i IJiio future;' continued Mr. Hislop, held for/the ; .city.'-'administrators ;.two important: • • .t'.The.lfirst'-' was the question; of tho municipalisatipn/ of tho.'gas iworlss; ,A..prb••Mhtot'':'ihqfaber ..oft-', .the;. ;Gas.; Company/had, during tho ,initial istages of tho negotiations for the l , transfer :of 'tlio Company's business : to,the Council,'''evinced the .warmest friendship towards liiin* (tlio speaker),' but owing to. 'tho> uncompromising attitude adopt-ed, by him this- gentlpman was .'now ap 'active supporter 6f '.his;.;6ppoi.ierit.' / Tho' .'of; the' Company's business,.was aaiiattor.,.wh'ich must; ' be 'deal t 'with . - The'goodwill 'was worth sonieithing: like £206,000, .but !lie .'would ask' them; 'to' reflect upon what this ! siiih' would bo when', tho population'.of. tho city dohbletl'itself. Tho .'s(Miul 'question 'related to tho 'public health of 'tho.'.comiiiunity.',:;Prudent - and carcfiil ; in-'.yestiE-itioh 'was required in tho -matjior 'of'regulating the sanitary conditions of tlio'city's supply/.liiilk, .etc.'; , Tho' speaker; made' somo' reference, to'''tho ,acquisition,^ !- by oityj .pf ,th<) clc'ctric .light :work3,' tho Ttraiisfcr of .'wliieh,'' hey contended,'..had 'plishodiupo'u,' a; sound ;nnd: satisfactory ;.fihanipial b«sjs./;;Thoy';had>ls6 :hearcl.a'good:'deiil Pf joriticism.;regarding the,city;tramways.::Ho. '.would■ point out, ho' saidi that:£42;ooo. had. bepii i'oxp.Mided.: on - :oxteiision, schcnics,\. : liow cars,/ etc!/ - alone, itliiis 'Creating : ,a-' certain "amount: of/ capital:;:; l ' This',orpenditiiro/ lio •argued/had :bceii/carrieab ; out;:with duo'Cre-'. ;.gardvto jtlib',pnnciples ,'of. sound . business/'and' tho • interests' ! of,,the .citizens.; /Tho -ipeakeir-! 'ho-'considered. to ?bp the .shoi't-sightpd - his\ predecessor; ;his,: present ; oppoiTenti ! ■ They-.''would rcinom-; b'er,;that,/diiring'-Mr. ' BeU's, tenure ,ofi.officpi tho,' oppoa'-tuiiity '-was;• offered;>tliem"vof:,-aci Quiring,-Miraraar Estate; for -£75j000.. • ~Mr.: Bell was succeeded iby-jMr. Aitkcn, and, in .pbuiequoiifco. of ■ policy;, this. op-" portunity .-wos,'.'lost. y ; 'SubSequeritly/' an' offer •of ,500 acres, as ,'a:free, gift,' had ;been made,' Pdiitingent upon. 'tho/ constructidn 'of trani- : ' ways' tP' .Miramar, and. Spafoun,'"Had. this : ,beion taken lip, tho city would now have :'tieon in: possession; of those tramways and 500 I acres ,of .land./.3Jlr.,.Hislop'. stated''that 'when : lio 'j camo* :'into i: ." ?r, co \it., was' practically, im:|w>^siblo'lio" jarr.' ; SC'-MtOaioonralie' of: . tho' city'a - finC' ',j/ position''' frpm' tijo balance: i i.!|hc'ots : 'Vfc' M f /lound , waiting for,him. Less ' than'c'' li' iook/offic_e,':'£7s,Qoo had l!, ? c /.i'&i'Ss"-a' washing-up, loan;.'later; .^Oi'OOO-.-ha^r-fbeeftjifpttntt'.'f^e^ l ..i/carefnl'.exaniin'atipii/^of' ■tho.'-, ci tyls a fiifand®, : oil 7 ; lie'/ I 'aftfsji iffefl-' tli b- • ho liSa 'fo)tnd''it".iiw<^fe^-'t<f : fin® an'.'; additional /£780O;,:'/He '-'p'lit/it' .to'- them ,ii revorsipn/to {-hcs6 f: mothods;'6f -a cohtinuaiicb;' of, :;thb/present' regimo' r was /to, their;,best/int^rcsts:/.',./ ■ .- : ./'

•' VL'JI W tH t v/UHUUI L t/XSW , liiit'il .-UIUULIXI, ' :bpir.pose'd;;of ; /tho^b v Mr/' H. 'I). ,Bell,\lC.C;, as chairman, and tho Hon. T. K. /Macdonald, 8LL.0., and-Messrs. G. Winder aiid' Dr.ViU'Korizio-Jas/vice-chaifnion. 1 ; // ■,:',A';meeting;:of ; _itli9se :, ladies'j'arid--'geiitlem ■'who /are /interested/in 'the. eleciibn'' of/Mr.:- J.'. - G.; Wr-Aitken'; -M;P./ as Mayor, of; tK' f City of Wellington:'for the 'eaisiiing term '>vill; be; (almost- opposite'Kelbiirne Avenue), to-iiight : (Tuesday), /at> 8.; o'clock, for/, tho' purposo.' of. forming a committse and. arranging, tha'plan of campaign.., - -' ';/•/ -.'