CIVIC ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3059, 21 April 1917, Page 10

CIVIC ELECTIONS

PROGRESS OF THE CAMPAIGN , THE HUTT MAYORALTY At Lower Hutt last evening, Mr. H. Baldwin, a candidate for/the Mayoralty, addressed a largo number of residents in the Lyceum Hall. Mr. Bussell presided. Mr. Baldwin explained that he had not intended to contest tho Mayoral chair this election, but a petition from a number of ratepayers bad caused him to again take the stand. Ho first of all congratulated the ratepayers on passing the loai} at the recent poll in connection with the water scheme. During this three, years they had not added a farthing to the debt of tbo borough. For the three years they had spent £320 less than they had estimated to spend. They had looked back to see if they-had missed anything they had put on the estimates to carry out. and could find nothing that had not been done. This was more particularly a credit to tho staff, who had worked honestly to save all they could for the ratepayers. The borougti now bad £719 to its credit.' The estimated receipts had, however, been lower than had been expected. Tho balance for the last year of j £320 ! had "the receipts come up to the estimated value, would have made a credit balance of £1000 or more. He next referred to the tarring work in the borough, and contradicted a> statement to the effect that he had been responsible for the change in the method of applying tar. This, as he point'ed out, had been accomplished by a council' before bis time. During the last three years the council had' had formed some ten and a' half miles of footpaths, and these cost about £700 to £800 a year for tarring. To spread general improvement over the borough, these footpaths had been dr.ne ono side of the road at a time, and the ol'aer side finished at a later date. Not only had they tarred 10J- miles of footpaths, but on the roads thej- had introduced a system of tarring known-commonly as restar. They had spent some £400 on tarring with restar, and not only was the road made an excellent one, hut the upkeep was practically nil as compared with ordinary metalling. The roads were now costing Isi a'square yard, and tho footpaths 9d. a square yard. ' Mr. Baldwin referred to the enormous area of Government land, not tax producing, which is in the borough, and which he yet hoped to do something with. Figures he produced showed that in Ihe Lower Hutt Borough there was Government -land to the value of £41,286, and a. capital value of £52,211, whioß would, according to rates sis months ago, have produced £742 in rates. One property belongin" to tho Public Trustee he was glad to say had, after going to the Supremo Court, had to pay rates. . Mr. 'Baldwin also touched on hospital matters, and after replying to questions, was accorded a vote ol thanks. , Messrs. Ward and Cotton, who aro aspirants for positions on the council, also spoko.