MAYORAL ELECTION

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 172, 9 April 1923, Page 4

MAYORAL ELECTION

MR. McKENZIE AT SEATOUN. “You aro going to pay more rates,” said Councillor L. McKenzie to the Seatoun electors on Saturday night. “The rates will be increased. It is inevitable, as you cannot spend money, without paying for it. Every part of Wellington is growing so rapidly that all districts are crying out for money. Mr. T. 11. Wyatt presided and introduced the speaker. Mr. McKenzie said ho had given his best to the city for the past 12 years, and he asked to be allowed to complete his apprenticeship as councillor by becoming Mayor of the city, with the hope of improving it still further, wtihout any attention to pary feeling, without any attention to party feeling. No man could sit in the Mayoral chair and do justice to it while a member of first to the city. Mr. jMcKenzie explained that his objection to agree to an elimination ballot was an understanding arrived at at the last election, but he thought the time had come when the system should be to elect the senior councillor as Mayor, and not to allow a small coterie of people to say who should have the chance of going to the poll. He had received anonymous letters to the effect that he was not a true sport, but he had been a sport all his life, hope to die a sport, and to carry on sport for the younger generation when he was too old to take part himself. Sport was the most valued asset that any commercial concern could have, as it taught the value of team work. Unfortunately their Mayor did not understand team work, and consequently could not get the works carried out. Mr. McKenzie spoke "of the overdraft incurred during the. war period, and instanced the largo and necessary works accounting fpF’itrt He dealt with the new •• valuations .of' the city and' pointed out that had Sir John Luke had the extra revenue of £40,000 which it brought in "in rates there would have been’* no need for an antecedent liability. He did not believe in decrying this magnificent city, which had improvements possessed by no other city of the same size, and had initiated modern methods before other cities in this Dominion. Hie change in traction methods meant tho permanent improvement of our roads, which, to stand heavy motor traffic, must be surface sealed and dry. Ho instanced the success which had attended this method in the Palmerston district.

The reorganisation of transport and transit would make for efficiency, and by the installation of stores in suburbs and the increased use of motors, city works would be carried out more simply and economically. One of the works he had started as a councillor was the reorganisation of transport. A ctiy such as this could not be worked from the corporation yard at Cour.tenay Place. The .only way to give Seatoun and.-the bays an efficient tram service was by means of .an ; express service. ’ " '

Haphazard methods of purchase would no longer serve so large a city, handling £1.250,'900 annually. One man should be in control of all city stores. '

Asked whether there was no hope of better fire fighting facilities for tho Miramar qpd bays districts, Mr. McKenzie said 'that when the Orongprongo water service came in. the direct pressure was estimated to be 3001 b. per square inch. The ordinary pressure was 1001 b. to tho square meh. and some form of receiving _ basin would be needed before distribution. This would probably fully remove the inadequacies of present reservoirs On the motion of Mr. C. "Webb, seconded by Mr. McGirr, a vote of thanks and confidence was passed by acclamation.