MR. T. CARTER AT THE RECHABITE HALL.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 58, 7 September 1881, Page 2

MR. T. CARTER AT THE RECHABITE HALL.

I'r. T. Carter, one of the candidates for the representation of Te Aro Ward in the City Council, addressed a meeting of his supporters at the Kechabito Hall, MannersEtreet, la3t nigbt. There were about 100 persons present Mr. M'Lean presided. Mr. Carter touched very lightly on the Te Aro Reclamation, remarking that the Booner it was gone on with the better. He said, how* ever, that the tramway was a subject he would dwell on. Aa a cabman, this was a

matter he was specially interested in. He commented at some length on the money of tfeo ratepayers being used in raising the tramway line from the Royal Oak to the New Zealander, and also in front of 0- unciUor Maginnity's hotel. He did uot know how mnch the former copt, but a snm of £180 was voted, on the motion of the Mayor, towards carrying ont the latter work. He then went on to allege that two of the wharf hands had been "sacked" at the instance of Councillor Allen and Councillor Brown because they had joined the Seamen's Union, a proceeding which h» strongly condemned The speaker Btrongly attaoked the City Engineer's administration. He referred to a report that the contractor who took the contract for the Wainui-o-mata tunnel at 12b 6d per foot sub-let it at 22s 6d, and that a sum of £5000 had been needlessly spent in bricking in the tunnel Referring to the Street Improvement Loan, Mr. Carter aaid he would let some of the money go to establish fire insurance for the city, but otherwise he would not let a farthing of the money go for any other purpose except that for which it was originally raised, as it had been shown that we had the worst-formed streets either this side of the Line or the other. (A laugh.) Referring next to the Town Clerk, Mr. Carter accused that official of having had the Council Chamber and his own room painted at a cost of £100 without any vote from the Council, and also of having a stable built for his horse and " nondescript carriage," without any authority from the Corporation. He certainly thought the offices of City Solicitor and Town Clerk onght to be combined. (Hear, hear.) Dnring the last twelve months Mr. Travers had cost the ratepayers about £3000. The candidate next referred to the case of his in which the Inspector of Nuisances, he said, illegally interfered, and whioh oost him (the speaker), £32 43. He thought Mr. Johnson held too many offices, and if elected^ he (the speaker) would propose that the rate collector be paid £50 a year extra to discharge the duties of Inspector of Nuisances. Ha thought, in the matter of contracts, the City Engineer ought to be responsible for seeing that the workmen were paid their wages, but he strongly condemned the proposal of Councillor Greenfield that the Corporation should not in all cases accept the lowest tender, saying that this would lead to corruption worse than that of Tammany Hall, New York. In reply to a question, the candidate expressed him¦elf strongly in favour of a modification of the building regulations. On the motion of Mr. T. M'Cauley, seconded by Mr. Rowell, a vote of confidence in the candidate was carried without dissent.