THE MAYORAL ELECTION. MR. HUNTER AT NEWTOWN.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 515, 21 May 1879, Page 2

THE MAYORAL ELECTION. MR. HUNTER AT NEWTOWN.

Mr. George Hunter, M.H R , one of the candidates for the Mayoralty, addressed a meeting of the ratepayers at the Newtown, Hall last evening. There were nearly 200 persons present, and Mr. Hunter was received in an enthusiastic manner. The chair was occupied by Mr. G. Bayliss, who, in a few appropriate remarks, introduced the candidate. Mr. Hunter, after expressing his regret that the citizens had lost the valuable services of Mr. Dransfield as Mayor, proceeded to state his views on the more important questions now before the public. He remarked that a few weeks previously a meeting had been held in Newtown to consider matters of local importance, and blame had been cast upon him for not having been present. The only explanation he could offer was that he did not know of the meeting until about an hour before it took place, and then it was too late to alter his other arrangements. If, however, while he held any public office an intimation was sent to him that his presence at a meeting was desired, he would make it his business to be present. (Applause). He hoped that this contest wouldbe carried on without any disagreeable personalities, such as occurod at the last Mayoral election. The only subject on which he need say much was the "works" which would have to be undertaken in this city ere long. There was to be an expenditure of £100,000 on the making of roads, and he was glad that when the ratepayers were asked to sanction the loan they agreed to it It was apparent to all, but especially to the residents in Cook Ward, that a large sum of money required to be expended on the roads and streets of the city. Steps were being taken to have the loan placed in the London market at the earliest possible moment, and he had reason to believe that the documents in connection with it would be sent , Home by the next English mail. He hoped 1 to hear in about six weeks that the loan had been raised, and that the money was available for expenditure. Great caro, however, would require to be displayed in spending it, for if it were not spent judiciously it might almost as well not be spent at all. He proceeded to state that for some years past they had been making streets without having the necessary funds, and it became a question whether their ordinary revenue could stand the cost ot maintaining them. He saw the necessity that existed for raising the money, and therefore he voted in favor of raising the loan. (Applause.) Referring to the Te Aro reclamation, he said they all knew that during the past two years many attempts had been made to get the work carried out. Lost session of Parliament he brought down a bill dealing with the matter, and was fortunate enough to get it put first on the list oi private members' bills. Just before the bill was called on, however, his colleague presented & petition agaiost it, signed by a number of persuus who were directly interested in the work The question was then raised as to whether the bill was not a private one, and when it was referred to a committee they decided that it was a private bill. Ho believed that if the opposition of the foreshore owners had been withdrawn the* bill would have been passed He did all he could to get it passed, but when it was reported as a private bill it practically lapsed. He thought that if they could come to an agreement with the foreshore owners there would be little difficulty ir. getting the bill passed next session, and then a must necessary work could be proceeded with. Ho believed, however, that no agreement could be come to with the foreshore owner?, and that Parliament itself would have to deal with the question. Though he was personally interested in the matter he was quite willing to join in with any arrangement that might be made. He now came to the drainage question. He had given the matter his most careful attention, and was of opinion that of the two schemes of drainage proposed, that of Mr. Clark, with some slight modifications, was the best. He admitted that in preparing his scheme, Mr. Clark had rather an' advantage over Mr. Climie by being untrammelled by conditions, while Mr. Climie was limited to an expenditure of £80,000. It was in his opinion impossible to drain a city like Wellington for such a sum. As he understood it, if Mr. Climie'B scheme were adopted a large portion of the city would not be drained at all. The all important question now was, "Shall we accept Mr. Clark's scheme, and who shall carry it out?" Mr. Hunter then explained how it happened that Mr. Clark came to Wellington to prepare the drainage scheme, but as our readers are already familiar with the facets, it is not necessary to repeat them ■ He thought Mr. Clark's scheme might be carried out by Mr.' Baird, who had been continually in the company of Mr. Clark, and was acquainted with his plans, See. They should now make a begioning, and proceed with the work gradually and cautiously. In regard to Mr Climie'B scheme he might say that if carried out, it would cost £40,000 more than was anticipated, for that sum would have to be paid to Mr. Crawford before be would allow the sewage to be taken on his ground. On the whole, be felt confident that Mr. Clark's scheme was the -best one. (Applause.) He now came to the question of increased water supply. The present supply was not sufficient, and if the drainage scheme were carried out matters would be even worse. It was therefore highly necessary that we should have an increased supply. When Mr Clark was la Wellington he, accompanied by Mr. Baird, visited several localities in search of water. He did not, however, make any report on the subject, as he wished to take his memoranda Home and send out Ms report, and the Council did not think it necessary that he should do so. Mr. Baird was then asked by the City Council to make proposals, and he did so. He recommended that water should be brought from Wainui-o-mata, and Mr. Clark approved of it. The cost of bringing in the water would be about £75,000, but the supply would be sufficient for very many years to come, and the water would be of much better quality than that wbich we nowuse'. At the present time there were a great many people who did not get the water at all, though at the same time they had to pay half rates. If they could be supplied they woutd have to pay full rates, and the result would be that the revenue would be increased, The first expense would • be the only one, and that was a tact which should be borne in mind. They would shortly have £100,000 to spend, and in bis opinion they would be acting judiciously in going on with the drainage, road making, and water supply at the same time, so that the streets would not need to be broken up time different times. Of course this would necessitate the expenditure of a large amount of, money dt one time. Councillor Greenfield had moved in the City Council that a, vote be taken as to the expediency of raising £150,000 for drainage purposes ; but as no provision was made for an increased water supply, he (Mr. Hunter) thought it would be better if the proposition were withdrawn, and the ratepayers were asked to sanction a loan of £300,000 Instead. There would then be sufficient funds to enable (he works to be completed, and no further

borrowing need take placo for a great length of time. Returning to the subiect of the Te Aro recUmation, he expressed the opinion that a sufficient quantity of tho land should be sold, in order that they might recoup the expense of reclaiming. If they raised the extra £200,000 their total indebtedness would ba £500,000 ; but he did not think they would have any difficulty in paying the interest on that amount, for of course their revenue would be very largely increased by the making of streets, and tbe extra water and drainage rate. As a Municipality Wellington could" not be satd to have overbonwwl. " She. had not borrowed nearly as much as Auckland or Dunedin. With regard to tbe proposed establishment of a Harbour Board, ho said he quite agreed with those who; thought such a Board should be formed. He did not see why, as some people seemed to think, a Harbour Board would clash with the City Council, and if the Board were formed the Queen's Wharf, and the bonded warehouse would have to be -sold to it, and the result would probably be that thetnuniclpality would not require to borrow so much money — at all events they would have to- pay. less interest. Referring to Mr. Hutchison's address, Mr. Hunter said ho noticed that that gentleman hesitated to come forward " because the opposition given to me by the ring party is of a character so unscrupulous as to make support of my candidature rather unpleasant." Mr. Hunter denied that any. ring existed in the Council, and he thought tbe ratepayers were too discriminating to send members of a ring into the Council. Nobody was justified in applying the term "unscrupulous" to any member of the Council, and ho altogether obected to ii. He left the ratepayers to express their opinion of him through the medium of the ballot-box. He, like Mr. Hutchison, came forward ' ' without tear of slander or intimidation." He denied that there was any necessity for a change in the)2municipal management, and if the ratepayers returned a gentleman who would try to effect any such change, the Councilcould not work with him. He would now refer to a peraonal matter. In one* of the evening newspapers of the 7th instaat there was an interesting paragraph headed, " Mr. Hunter f*s Others See Him." It had been written by a pressmai in Wellington, published In a Southern pr .per, and copied into a paper in, this city, fuose present doubtless knew the purport of it. He did not know who the writer was, nor did he want to know, but he wished to make a short explanation. On three previous occasions ho bad been asked to stand for the Mayoralty, but he had always declined. In tho year 1874 he received the following requisition:— " To Mr. George Hunter, Esq , J.P., M.H.R., M.P.C.— Sir,— Parliament having conferred on tho citizens of Wellington the right oF electing the Mayor of the city, we, the undersigned ratepayers, feel that we cannot better prove our fitness to exercise this privilege than by inviting you to become a candidate for the office. Under existing circumstances it is essential to the welfare of the city that the civic chair should be occuoied by a gentleman of high character and position, and we know of no one more fitted than yourself to fill the office with credit and advantage to the city. Earnestly requesting you to comply with our wishes, and promising you our support. — We are, sir, your obedient servants, &c." This letter, was accompanied by a letter from a pressman' to the following effect:— "Oct. 8, 1874,— George Hunter Esq., M.H.R..— Dear Sir,— l have been requested to forward you the enclosed requisition, inviting you to become a candidate for the office of Mayor for this city. You will observe that it is signed by nearly 200 ratepayers, including most of the Influential citizens. The signatures must represent noarly 1000 votes, and from the opinion universally expressed I am confident that if you comply with the request made, you will take office with the consent unanimously expressed of the inhabitants of this city, of which your .father was first Mayor, and with which your own namo is so honorably iaontiffed.-^I am, sir, your oiiedient leryant (Signed). E. T. Gillon." His object in quoting this letter was to put the opinion of one pressman against that of another, regarding himself. ' That was the opinion of one prossnuni four years ago, whatever it might be now. He seldom took notice of newspaper criticisms, hut he might point out that when they found a newspaper making false statements in one respect, it was only fair to assume that all its statements were made With equal carelessnee*. In "a paper published that evening he was accused ef having refused the stupendous sum of £200,000 for some of his property. He could only Bay that he had never had such an offer, and he would be very glad to meet anybody who was willing to make it to him. Though he had lived in Wellington for 40 years he had never been rejected by the people when he askedT for their votes, and he now left himself in their hands. ' ' In re|>lyto questions, Mr. Huhtbr admitted that Adelaide Road was in* l/dd state, 'but he did not see how any great improvement could be mado until the loaa was raised ; he was not obliged to resign his seat as a Councillor before he was elected Mayor j he would support the formation of the Pollhill dully road If it possibly could be carried out; he would do hit best to get tbe drainage and water supply schemes carried out at once; if funds permitted he would support a proposal to givo Mr. Baird assistance. A vote oi thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceeding's. ' "

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