MAYORAL ELECTION

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 80, 6 April 1910, Page 3

MAYORAL ELECTION

♦ . MR. CRAWFORD'S CANDIDATURE. ~Ui C. J. CrawfoiJ, in continiianco | of his candidatme for th; city Maymalty, addressrd another meeting of ele>;- j tois r.t the Ro»c>:iFath Schoolroom last night. Mr. Wa»d was voted to the chair, and there wrrc about a score of poisons present, including eight women. Air Crawford's remarks were mainly on the lines of hi* previous night's Address at the Town hall. He disclaimed any intention in 'lis previous night's speech of having reflected on the hnauital aiiangementrt made by the late Mayor (lion. T. W. Hi slop), and he gave a definite reply to a question put to him at his first meeting regarding the right of appeal on the part of ca&ual labourers on the wharf. He was, he said, in favour of the right of appeal on the pert of tho&c whom he described as "permanent casuals," in the came way as the permanent hands. It was being stated by a number of people that if ho were elected Mayor lie, 'haying been ' Mayor of Miramar, would try to get i Miramar included in the city. A* a matter of fact, a year ago the question of tho inclusion of Miramar was <ou sidered, and it was decided that it would not be in the interests of Miramar to include it in the city, as it would mean an increase of rates for the ratepayers of Miramar. Next year the rates of Miramar would probably be reduced, and it wonld be nbfcoluMy absurd to think that Miramar would desire inclusion in the city boundary. Having remarked that he had been twenty years i in public life, nnd "never been licked," Mr. Crawford proceeded to criticise the work cf the council ii connection with > th? Oriental Bay Esplanade, which had ' destroyed the foreshore, and was "the | worst bit of vandal Urn he had seen anywhere about Wellington. 1 ' Dealing particularly with Rosencath, he said he had | discovered a good deal of neglect on the part of the council in connection with the streets of the district — neglect which was inexcusable, because a very small amount would give them decent communication with *ho tram line. Roseneath, with other outlying parts, needed more lights, which would probably be supplied. To pro Tide the necessary funds a {Treat saving could, he urged, be effected in connection with the cost of street watering and street .jesvenging. lie was not in favour of tarring the roads, but he submitted that great economy coald be effected by going in for ar extensive policy of wood blocking along the thoroughfares where the traffic was heavy. He did not want to go in foi an extravagant borrowing policy, but a policy of short-dated loans, for a period equal to about the life of the wood blocks, say aboni fifteen years, at the end of which time they wonld have [paid off the loans aud have Jt he concrete foundations remaining, leaving «Jy tb» wood blocks to be replaced.* Regarding 1 tramway extension, he said all the citizens of "Wellington would haye # his sympathy in any syst-m of extension which ; was likely to show a profit — which would extend the living area with any reasonj able show of profit. In conclusion, he claimed that he was a sample of the colonial who had gone ahead, and fought his battles and come ont on top, and !that if elected lie could do the city good [servicft and carry out tho dntie» of the office in a proper manner. (Applause.) I In answer to a question, the candidate, referring to Ihe work? at Oriental Bay, contended that every effort should have been made to retain the old beach as it was. The various drain pipes could hare been easily dealt with without interferiing with the beach. The present work should be set back, the stones should be pathered off the sar.d. nnd the beach ahonld b© again made fit for the children to play on. If elected, he wonld'endeavour to undo the harm that had been done. He was in favour of lighting the foreshores, and considered that the City Council would have to be provided with more capital to enable it to moro efficiently carry out the lighting of the city. The candidate was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.