THE MAYORALTY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 79, 5 April 1910, Page 3

THE MAYORALTY.

MR. CRAWFORD'S CANDIDATURE ADDRESS AT TOWN HALL. Last evening Mr. C. J. Crawford inaugurated his campaign for the Mayoralty by an address in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall. Downstairs w»6 comfoitably filled, and there was a fair attendance in the gallery. Ir. introducing the candidate, the chairman (Mr. C. B. Morison) eaid Mr Crawford had come forward as a candidate in response to the invitation of a number of people who knew him, and believed that he could discbarge the onerous duties of the office of the Mayoralty, which carried with it the greatest and gravest responsibilities. Ho •was a native of Wellington. He had been educated here, and was the son ot one of Wellington's earliest settlers. Mr. Crawford had the great qualification of being a worker. He had seen in that evening 8 paper a statement tha* this was to be a political contest. That war, news to him (Mr. Morison). Speaking as » ratepayer, h» thought they wanted a man as Mayor who was not a politician. They wanted a man who would throw his whole heart and soul into the interest* of the city. He thought it should be affirmed as a principle that no person engaging in politics should occupy the Mayoral chair. The city Had its own destiny apart from politics. NOT A PESSIMIST. Mr- Crawford, who was given a cot--dial reception, said he was not a pessimist, and no pessimist should come forward to accept the office of Mayor. This city, like other places, had recently gone through a period of depression, and the person who was elected as Mayor should have unbounded confidence in the present position and future prospects of the city. He possessed that confidence. He referred in passing to the splendid geographical position of Wellington, and to 'its magnificent har.bour and grand back country. He condemned the past action of those who had allowed the Government to run the -ailway along the foreshore to Petone. A reserve chonld have been made along the outer eide of the railway for a road line. He »leo disapproved of the construction of a costly wall at Oriental Bay, and parting with the foreshore of many parts of the harbour, including Evans Bay, as dad been done. He approved, however, of the reclamation of eighteen acres at Evans Bay, near the old Kilbirnie Hotel. That particular area would be of no use ior recreation purposes. Why the people of the city should have allowed the Harbour Board to take away co much of the foreshore of the harbour as they had done was a. thing he could not understand. THE DOCK. He was opposed to the construction at present of a huge and costly ddbk. He was of opinion that the decision to go on with the construction of that dock was not backed up by any weight of public opinion. If he was elected Mayoi, he would also be a member ot the Harbour Board, and he would be in favour of indefinitely postponing that huge work. It would be much bettei to pay Interest on the sum already expended on the work — which wouid mean the payment of some £2500 c. year out ot harbour dues— rather than complete the dock, thus involving an annual charge of £15,000 a year on the city, which could not be recouped by the dock, because the dock would not pay. THE CITY ACCOUNTS. At the end of the last financial year there was a debit balance in the city's accounts of £45,000. H* understood that tha balance-sheet for the year iust ended would show that that debit balance had been very much reduced. He thought they could al' congratulate the Mayor and Council on having pulled the city finances into a very much healthier state than they ha*d been. (Applause.) If elected, he would oppose to the utmost of his energy any increase of rate?. Rather, he would be in favour of reducing rates, it that were possible. GENERAL QUESTIONS. He favoured an extension of the woodblock system in the streets of the city, and he telt sure a satisfactory financial scheme could be adopted to carry it out to a certain extent. The construction of winding footpaths up the hillsides round the city, and making suitable plantations of trees and shrubs on the slopes, were also matters which he favoured. The speaker outlined in brief a system under which athletic bodies, such as football and cricket clubs, would he enabled to secure playing grounds — the bodies being lent money by the Government in the same waj as local authorities, guarantees being required that the land would not be used for speculative purposes ; but the grounds should be exempted from i-atec. He approved of a thorough system of milk inspection, but \va* opposed to municipalisation of the milk supply. TRAMWAYS. In his opinion- tramways were constructed for the convenience of thecitizens. In a growing city like Wellington it was absurd to hope that the tramways would be a, relief to *he rates. Our tramways should return interest on cost of construction, in addition to provision for a sinking fund and depreciation, and such s reasonable margin as might be necessary to ensure that these charges were properly met. If the traffic on our tramways went on increasing as it had beeu doing, the number of cars would have to be increased It was uoi viglit that people going to and returning from their business should be packed like "sardines in a tin.' ART GALLERY. He was not in favour of anything elaborate being undertaken by the city at present in the way of the establishment of an art gallery. Something j should first be done in the way of getting private subscriptions, 'lhe art gaLfery. when erected, should be placed i in a position where it would be of tho ] greatest use to the greatest number. GAS COMPANY. Mr. Crawford said he did not favour the city taking over the Gar' Company's business The citizens owned the electric-light, and the competition between the gas and electric-light would j keep both up to the mark, and tho citizens would reap the benefit. Ii« conclusion he stated that he had had twenty years' experience of municipal affairs, and an extended business training. He had been in close contact with the affairs of the city for many years, and he was now in a. position to devote almost his undivided attention to the onerous duties of the mayoralty. Whilst bearing testimony to the many able men who had occupied the position of Mayor of Wellington in the past, he thought that he might fairly claim that the training he had received would enable him to rise to the level of those who had gonr before him in tho Mayoral chair. He made no claim to repfeseu* any special portion or section of the citizens— he thought the Mayor ■hould represent all sectionr. He remarked incidentally that in hie last successful contest tor the Mayoralty of Miramar, he had received the support of the working men of that district. Wellington, he concluded, . »vas a city with a great destiny ; and i* he were elected Mayor, he would— backed up by the council— do his best to make the

city the foremost in the Dominion. (Applause.) QUESTIONS. In reply to questions, Mr. Crawford said he would consider the matter of the appointment of an appeal board to deal with the cases of casual labourers on the wharf. He would give a definite reply at a subsequent meeting. If there was any violation of the law in regard to members of the council tendering for supplies for the corporation, he would let the citizens know. The theory of expending the rates in the portion of the city in which they were collected sounded all right, but was impracticable. On the motion of Mr. Yon Haast, seconded by Dr. Martin, the following motion was carried with acclamation: — "This meeting expresses confidence in Mr. Crawfora, who is a candidate for the Mayoralty, and promises him its hearty support in his campaign." Mr. Crawford will address the electors at the Roseneath Schoolroom this evening. Mj. Willford will deliver his first address nt Fullford's Hall, Brooklyn, on Thursday.