THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 51, 29 August 1894, Page 4

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

MR. W. HIGGINBOTTOM AT NEWTOWN. The opening address of the coming municipal campaign was doliverod in the Newtown State School last night by Mr. W. Higginbottom. one of the candidates for the Cook Ward. There was a fair attendance of ratepayers, and Mr. C. P. Worth preBided. The candidate said lie had come forward on the principle that the infusion of new blood into a body was a good thing. They had been told that candidates in this eleotion must be sound on the drainage question. There was-no man in Wellington more in favour of a thorough system of drainage from one end of the city to the other than himself. There could be no doubt that in connection with the present system the staff had coat more than it should have done in proportion to the work done. Up to the year ending the 31st March last, the engineer's staff had cost something like JK477 12s 4d while the amount spent in labour was .£3297 as 4d. The coat for the staff was a long way too large. Citiaens had not, he was afraid seen the difficulties in front of them. If they uid, not fiud themselves involved in serious litigation he should be very pleased. He explained his action in tho recent agitation against the Drainage Loan Empowering Bill, and olaimod that there was no immodiate necessity for passing tho Bill. Ho objeoted to tho borrowing powers conferrnd on the i ounoil under tho Bill ; there was no finality about it, and the prinoiplo of permitting a corporation to borrow by way of a special order, without coming to tho ratepayers, was a most obnoxious ono. The Counoil, further, nioro, should only charge the ratepayers the actual cost of making the drainage connections. By reduoing the interest fixed by the BjII from 6 per cent to 0 P o r o^?* • tho ratepayers had been fcaved .£250 per aDnwn. Then, as to the Building By-laws. They wore most vexati.i s<, and were, as a matter of fact so |i\ng the progress of the city. He ", ~ "'7.? n *° understand that a sum of someih.Lu like which would have been spent in buildings was at present looked up in tne banks, and all on account of the excessive and foolish demands made by the city authorities. He ventured to say that here was scarcely a contractor in town who knew whether he complied with the by-laws I ° r A ( Lao ? htei ;-) The by-laws shodd be made thoroughly dear, definite, and binding -not made to-day and broken to-morrow" (Hear, hear.) All footpaths should be properly paved, and property-owners shonld not be compelled to pay more than the aotual cost. There should be public baths, and ho would support the oonatruotion of suoh baths as soon as possible. Ho advooated the taking over by the Council of all private Etreets as soon as they wero properly formed In reply to questions, Mr. Higginbottom 8 v j i i 00 -°Peration could be applied to tho drainage work on the cooperative principle pure and simple he would support it ; there should bo poliingbootbs at Newtown and Courtenay-plaoe • ne favoured taxation on the unimprovr j value of the land ; also municipal fire ins- a ance. Any work which would asßiat x*r" progress of the oity ho would suppo J"? elected to tho Council. ** rf Mr. Tnrner moved — " That Mr. F■> _t_ bottom is a fit and proper pe. sou to re v**™*u **™* Cook Ward in the Oounoif." **<**** Mr. W. Smith seconded tho motio - t- v was carried without opposition. ' «niea JctSLZ** ° f thank 9 waa *>— a to