MIRAMAR AFFAIRS. THE MAYORAL CAMPAIGN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 92, 20 April 1911, Page 3

MIRAMAR AFFAIRS. THE MAYORAL CAMPAIGN.

MR. J. BRODIE"S CANDIDATURE. Mr. J. Brodie, who is seeking reelection as Maj;or of Miramar, addressed a. meeting of about forty people in Patterson's Hall last evening. ilr. Brodie said that when he first took the chair he had had six years' experience on the council. At that time two things stood out prominently :—(1): — (1) Reduction of rates, if possible, and (2) as much benefit as possible for the residents of the borough. That had been his policy throughout. When he took office nearly two-thirds of the houses in the borough were empty, and the borough was faced with the tramway problem. He personally advocated a, penny fare and a frequent service — a policy which his opponent had advocated the other evening. In doing so Mr. Meredith had paid the speaker a great compliment. The future for Miramar was very bright. His advocacy of the frequent service and the penny fare was due to a recognition of the fact that there were absentee ratepayers, and those who did reside in the district should not have to bear too much of the burden. Tho absentees should bear their fair proportion of the cost of the service, and the loss should be put over the whole borough. The benefit of the frequent service would be felt by all ratepayer*, and the permanent residents would get tho advantage of a cheap fare. The electore had been told that th<> finances of the borough were in a wretched condition. When he took office there was a credit balance of £880. He advocated a reduction of rates by a quarter of a penny in the £, and that had been done. The result was that this yeav a credit of .81250 had been carried forward, and the new council would be able to make a further reduction of a in the £. He outlined tho work tho old council had done in the way of " developing the beaches " in the borough, and went on to say that he had been charged with neglecting the roads on the Miramar flat. This he denied. Some of the roading that was required had not been carried out because- water ''pipee ha 3 yet to be laid down. It would have been simply foolish to have formed the streets and fixed the permanent levels 'before the pipes had been laid down. Again, on the other hand, it had been said that the roading policy of the council was an extravagant one. Miramar could claim to-day to bo one of the lowest rated boroughs in the Wellington district. The channelling and kerbing to be seen in the borough were held up as a piece of extravagance. It was nothing of the kind. • Connected with the channels were a series of eumpts and drains — improvements which were absolutely necessary owing to the configuration of tho flat. It had b&en said that money had been lavishly squandered in one portion of the district. This allegation he denied entoto. He showed how the loan of £21,000 raieed for the improvement of roads and streets had bean apportioned, and went on to decry the action of certain councillors in criticising the administration of the borough and making statements that the. tramways were being run at a Ices cf £6000 per year. An investigation showed that tho low. was about £2200 for the year having a regard for all charges. Criticism of the kind referred to was most unfair. Thia year they were losing £1925 after charging up half interest on the cost of tunnel, cost of roads, lighting, ticket printing, etc. The electors had been told that the procedure in regard to the projected diminishing of the width of Iving'6road was illegal. The legal question did not enter imo the subject^— that was a matter for tho borough solicitor. What they had to determine was the merit or dement of the proposal. The talk about illegality was only co much piffle. Tho valuation had to take place after the meeting confirming, the proposal to fell. The confirmation had not taken place because some of the councillors had run away. H© never ran away. (Applause.) He liked a fight — a good squarefight. Next year theie wa« a large amount of work ahead of the borough., Water and gas reticulation had to, bo attended to. It might be caid that they had given too much assistance to the Gas Company. Not so, -It would bo iseen that other industries would follow the gas works, and the borough would benefit in consequence. j Reverting to Kings-road he emphasised the point that it was not proposed to make the-thoroughfare less than the regulation width, 66tt. The reduction ot tho width o£ the road would mean a lessening of the cost of upkeep. Complaint had been made that the dra.ina.go had not been pushed ahead. Miramar, like other boroughs, had suffered from depression, and it would lia.v« been very hard on many people if they had been compelled to make connections. The work would be done this yoar and he suggested ,the possibility of the council making the connections, if necessary, on the deferred payment system. Amongst new works the borough would require would be a power station to do the borough lighting, pump sewer- I age, and provide water for the higher | levels. A report had been obtained j from tho borough engineer and this would be put before the ratepayers after it had been considered by the new council. The question of amalgamation with the city \vas in the hands of the ratepayers. As soon as they considered tho time was ripe they could get the necessary requisition signed. The time, however, was not yet. Water and drainago ehould be attended to before amalgamation was brought about. Recreation grounds. were also required. At the conclusion of his addrees, which was frequently applauded, Mr. Brodie answered several questions. Mr. 11. E. Richards, who is seeking re-election to the council, also briefly addressed the electors.