THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 174, 19 April 1929, Page 10

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

CIVIC LEAGUE CANDIDATES SPEECHES AT MIRAMAR Civic League candidates addressed a meeting of ratepayers at Miramar last night. Mr. J. C. Crawford acted as chairman. Mr. A. C. Blake said that for some time past there hud been a widespread dissatisfaction with the bus service, and with the overcrowding of the trams at rush hours. If there were proper co-or-dination between the two services, much of the over-crowding could be avoided. If the bus service were placed under special expert management, under a man whose duty it would be to run the buses, more for the convenience of the people than to pile up profits on the tram service, buses would become more popular, and reach a paying point. Some of the bus services, it was known, did pot pay when considered separately from the whole transport point of view, hut neither did some of the tram sections pay when taken separately. But these services, when judiciously used as feeders, indirectly increased the total revenue.

Mr. T. Forsyth said that he had served six years on the council in the past, and during that time he had always done his best for the city. If he were again returned he would give the ralepayers of his best and serve them faithfully. He had had considerable experience in dealing with local bodies, and was at present chairman of the Education Board. So far as the trams and buses were concerned Mr. Forsyth said that he believed they should work in together for the convenience of the public and be part and parcel of each other.

Speaking of the eastern access tunnel Mr. Forsyth said that when chairman of the Works Committee of the City Council he had fought hard to have the loan put on the schedule for the work which was very necessary. He wanted to see the tunnel cut straight through the hill, for it would be not only a great benefit to the eastern suburbs but also to the whole of Wellington. Mr. E. O. Thornton and Mr. W. T. Hildreth also spoke on the policy of the Civic League. MEETING AT NORTHLAND There was a finall attendance of electors at Northland last night to hear addresses by local body candidates. Mr. G. Mitchell, candidate for the council; denied the charge that the council danced to the piping of the Civic League. He said lie had never been asked to subscribe to their views, and those who came out for the citizens’ ticket were left an absolutely free hand. He denied that those who sat on the different local bodies were doing so for their own interests, and to further their own ends. He strongly supported the loan proposals on the lines of previous addresses.. In answer to a question, the speaker said he did not favour robbing the tramway surplus to relieve rates, as had been done. As he did not know the extent of the population at Seaview Terrace, he therefore could not say whether the tramline should be extended there. If there was sufficient population then there should be do difficulty in having the line extended. Mr. W. T. Hildreth, candidate for the council, said he had given ten years of service to the citizens, and he was qualified for the office for which he was standing. He would endeavour to represent the city as a whole, and not the particular suburb in which he lived. He strongly favoured the proposed loan, and said citizens could safely vote for the tramway expenditure. The speaker considered each suburb should have its library. The viaduct loan was an absolute necessity. The great cry was for footpaths, and the speaker agreed with the suggestion of the Civic League that 15 miles of footpaths should be completed each year. Mr. W. A. Andrews, a candidate for the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, said he had served Karori in various capacities, and had resided in Karori for 20 years. He was in close touch with social service affairs in Wellington. The speaker said no candidate could promise a reduction in hospital rates, as the very best service was required at hospitals. In his address, Captain Macindoe, who is standing for the Wellington Harbour Board, said that in his -opinion the board had no right to direct shinping companies how to run their business. If the Government took no action, then the board should reduce the charges as compared with other ports. 1 A LABOUR CANDIDATE Mr. W. Atkinson. Labour candidate for the City Council, addressing a meeting at Kaiwarra last night, said that having had extensile experience in public life, he knew the need of watchfulness on the part of workers’ representatives on public bodies to protect the interests of the community as a whole. He stressed the necessity of the immediate need for the erection of a public tepid swimming bath and slipper baths, also Turkish baths. Mr. Atkinson said that he had been’interested in baths and life-saving, and swimming generally since boyhood, and had taught thousands of men and men, boys and girls, to swim. He also mentioned that his improvement on the breaststroke had been adopted by numerous schools, universities, and public bodies throughout the world. If elected with the other Labour candidates he would do everything in his power to help those young men who were doing so much for the city, and would strive to make our teaches more popular than they are even now. He would assist as far as he was able to erect adequathe facilities for the good work to' be carried on. ADDRESSES BY MAYOR The Mayor, Mr. G. A. Troup, will address two meetings next week in pursuance of his candidature for the Mayoralty. On Monday at 8 p.m. he will speak in St. Luke’s Parish Church Hall, Wadestown. On Tuesday at mid-day. 12 to 1 p.m., he will deliver an address in the Accountants’ Chambers. Johnston Street. At the latter meeting Mr. M. DI Hunt will occupy the chair. It is the intention of the Mayor to. deal with policy matters af these meetings. ITe will outline something of what has been accomplished during the two years he has held office as Mayor. He wii.- also outline the policies and works considered npcp.qc;;!i*y for the coming term and deal with some of the criticism levelled at the City Council. LABOUR MEETINGS Three open-air meetings in support of the Labour candidates for the Mayoralty, City Council, Hospital Board, and Harbour Board have been arranged lor to-day. At noon a meeting will be held in the Post Office Square, and will be addressed bv Messrs. W. Nash (Mayoral candidate), R. McKeen. R. Semple, W. Atkinson, J. Thorn. W. Bromley, and P. M. Butler, tonight at 7.30, at Garrett Street, the speakers will be Messrs. R. Semple. R. McKeen. ,(. Roberts, J. Thorn, 11. Lees. Mrs. Snow, nnd Mr. L. Hennessey. At Green Street at 7.30 p.m. tlie speakers will lie Messrs. W. Nash. W. Atkinson, G. W. Whippy, W. H. Sadd. J. 1 licker. I. M. Butler. J. O. Johnson. A. Buick, < . it. Chapman, and P. Fraser. NOMINATIONS CLOSE AT NOON TO-DAY Intending candidates for the Mayoralty of Wellington, the City Council. Hospital Board, and the Harbour Board are given a final reminder that the nominations close with the returning officer (Mr. R.

Tait) at noon to-day at the Town Hall. From the present outlook there are onlv likely to bo two nominations for tlie' Mayoral office, viz.. Mr. G. A. Troup (sitting Mayor) and Mr. Walter Nash (nominee of the Labour Party). There are likely to be over thirty nominations for the City Council, and almost that number for the Hospital Board, whilst an election for the four city members of the Harbour Board is assured. The election will take place on Wednesday. May 1. NOMINATIONS IN OTHER CENTRES CHRISTCHURCH. Hy Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, April 18. The nominations for the city Mayoralty are .1. K. Archer (Labour), the sitting Mayor, and W. Hayward (Citizens’ Association). There are thirty-two candidates for sixteen council seats, comprising fourteen Citizens' Association nominees, four of them sitting, and twelve Labour, of whom nine are sitting mem.t hers, and six Independents. For the Hospital Board, seventeen candidates have been nominated for eight seats, and for the Harbour Board, nine candidates for the four city seats. The elections are to be held on the proportional system. NAPIER. Napier. April 18. Mr. J. Vigor Brown has been returned unopposed for the Napier Mayoralty. WANGANUI. Wanganui, April 18. Keen interest is being shown in the local municipal elections. There are three candidates for the Mayoralty— W. J. Rogers, the present Mayor, Hope Gibbons, and J. M. Morrison —and 23 candidates have been nominated for the council. PAHIATUA. Pahiatua, April 18. For the Mayoralty. Messrs. S. T. Tin nery and I>. Wilson have been nominated, and for the Council seventeen nominations for nine seats have been made. Messrs. P. Tulloch and J. D. Wilson were returned unopposed for the Hospital ■Board and Powes Boaid respectively.