THE MAYORALTY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 173, 15 April 1908, Page 8

THE MAYORALTY.

■ • ——»— —— • MR. HISLOP AT NORTHLAND. CONCERNING CONTROVERSIAL METHODS. The'.Hon. T. W. Rislop, in lurtlieranco of his mayoral campaign, addressed a largelyattended meeting in the Primitive Methodist Schoolroom, Northland, last night. Mr. Findlay M'Leod, who presided, alluded to the'"courtesy and kindness which tho Northland Amalgamation; Committee had . experienced from the Mayor, and declared that Mr. Hislop's record as a member of Parliament, a Minister of the Crown, and Mayor of Wellington was a highly honourable one. (Applause.) Mr. Hislop, in his address, said that during tho present campaign lie had been accused of indulging in personal abuse of his opponents. If free criticism of the public acts of public meu was abuse, then he had been abusing . people throughout his career. He contended,, however, that it was of the very essence of public life that one should be allowed to utter free criticism of tho public acts of an opponent, and to point out their tendency, and it was only dilletantism of the worst kind to dpny that, right. He would never object to having his ,own acts publicly criticised. THE KELBURNE TRAMWAY. ."I want to say," continued Mr. Hislop, "that, Mr. Aitken got the better of mo last night in_ one respect. This was in regard to the Kelburne tramway, concerning which Mr. Aitken stated, in a previous meeting at Kelburne, that, if ho became Mayor, ho would' at - once try to come to somo arrangement to take over that tramway. It 'seemed ,to me peculiar that Mr. Aitken should say this, in apparent ignorance of the torms of the agreement with tho tramway company, which I thought was concluded during his term of office. I was mistaken in tho supposition that the agreement dated from Mr. Aitken's mayoralty. I had taken tho 'information at second hand, and it is about the only tiling that I have taken at second hand during, this contest, and that has been proved wrong. I am very sorry I made that/statement, but I'don't think it alters the: main point I was making against Mr. Aitken, namely, that ho ought to have known that it was not in our power to alter tho agreement, and that until February next we could do nothing with tho directors of tho..company." 1 MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION. Mr. Aitken had'claimed that ho did not descend. to abuse; Well, it was not necessary for him to do so himself, because ho had lieutenants to do it for him. Hero followed Mr. Hislop's usual' references to Tire Dominion and .private individuals. Mr. Hislop / also s,-;idf that his opponents had not been able; to 1 find any fault in his municipal administration. Ho had cut down tho cost of management by 2 per cent.', not counting tho effect of oortain changes in regard to tho tramways staff. Peoplo spoke of Mr. Aitken as such a good man, inferring that ho himself was a bad man. Ho did not profess to be such a good, man as Mr. Aitken, but v it was for thom to decido whother ho was not a hotter Mayor. . (Applause.) ' ; WATER SUPPLY." There .were now '150 miles of municipal water mains, and one-fifth of that length had been laid during the last two years. In that period there had been such, a check upon expenditure that in almost every. case it had turned out as estimated.:' There was Tan exception in regard to the parks, but this had been compensated for by a saving that was not reckoned on. The Kelburuo waterworks /had been opened ! that day, and although they were designed only for' Kelburne, he was pleased to be able to t-ell thorn that the'tank was high enough, and tliero would bo . water enough to servo Northland also. This could bo done as' soon as tlioy had obtained the requisite mains and mado tho arrangements, by means of an Act of Parliament. which would - first be. submitted to tho Northland residents. / OTHER WORKS/ ■ / • Mr, Morton, who was a most capable -'and useful officer, and was wiser in/nothing than in his readiness to acquire information; had • stated - when .drawing up the drainage scheme for the suburbs that £40,000 would be enough to provide for present needs, but had recommended £60,000 1 being borrowed. Ho (tho Mayor) advised that £100,000 should be borrowed; and that was done, and would be justified by events. Mr.'Aitken, to judge by his : utterances,, would have simply taken, the, Engineer's first advice, and blamed him afterwards if. the : sehcmd was jouhd to be inadequate. • ■ , In regard to the Kelburne' tr£mway, they had to wait till February, and the extension of that lino beyond the present terminus would thon have to be considered'and placed before, the ratepayers. Referring to Mr. Aitken's foreshadowing .'of,'a tramway line up Sydney' Street, Mr. Hislop ' asked why Mr. , Aitken did not liavo -, tho lino there in the first place. It was a pity "Mr. ■ Aitken. did not get better advice years ago, and not lay tho Wallaco Street line on \ such a costly route, and make similar mistakes in other places.; His own policy would .be, .not' 1 to make a Sydney. Street lino at present, : : as it .would bo ,very .costly,'and would starve the Molesworth Street - section.- During the last three years ..the mountain fastnesses of Brooklyn, Vogeltown, arid; so forth had been .brought into touch with, civilisation,- arid if things went on in the same way in the future, tho Northland district would benefit in the same way. (Applause.) , V ; QUESTIONS. In reply .to a question asked by Mr. A. C. Pearce (Mayor of Karori), Mr. Hislop said that it. was quite'right that the question of a tram-line ; from the Kelburno- tram 'terminus through Northland "to Wadestown ■should be inquired into. It was the natural route to take, when tho population warranted it. The subject had been talked over already. . -./■"' /,■ To . another questioner Mr. Hislop' replied that he'thought tho greasers and stokers in the employ of tho ' Corporation' had beer brought;-into : lino with others in'regard tc overtime and holiday pay. If not, ho. would look into it..' Another inquirer elicited tlu assuranco thai tho Council was fully aim to *th'e importance of Mr. Hindmarsh's proposal tb| cope with the housing problem, and no doubt something would be'done. In this connection Wilton's Estate had bean reported on, but 1 tho cost of making the necessary ( access to it was found'to be verj great/ .. - ' On. the motion of Mr. Pearce, secondec by Mr. ,G. Ritson, Mr. Hislop, was accordec a -vote of thanks and confidence.: '/NOTES AND COMMENTS. . The electoral rolls close to-day, and : thos< entitled to vote who have not . yet enrollec should do so. by 5 o'clock. '• , / The Mayor was very neatly bowled oul by. Mr. Aitken oh Monday evening, in oon nection with tho Kelburno. .tramway' agree ment. ' Mr. Aitken. was accused by Mr Hislop of .making an agreement detrimenta to' the interests of the city. Tho fact ; thai Mr. Aitken was not in office when the agree ment was made and had nothing whatevei to do with, it must have proved rathor : shock to Mr. Hislop when he learned it He admitted his. error last evening, but— the usual "bnt" was in'evidence, in an at tempt to/minimise the injustice done, ari( Mr. Aitken ,'was blamed for something else Still it is something for Mr. Hislop oven fci • admit that it is possible for him to err. 1 A marked change _ has taken place ii public opinion ooncerning the chances of tin 1 Mayoral candidates for the city. At tho cut set Mr. Hialop's supporters appeajed to bi ; better organised than his opponent's, due t ' Mr. Hislop .being earlier in tho field. Thi 1 onergetic manner in which Mr. Aitken's com mittees got to work, however, quickly re 1 duoed this handicap, and to-day tliey are oon iident of success. Mr. Hislop's party stil 1 declare that their candidate will win, bu 1 there is. not the same oonfidont assu-rano " with many of them that was exhibited at tb ' beginning of the campaign. - Meanwhilo bot] ' Bides are working strenuously, and the un ' biased onlooked anticipates a closo finish. j Mr. Hislop will address a meeting at th ) Church Bohoolrooijj, Upland Rood, Kolbumt