HUTT MAYORALTY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 85, 10 April 1912, Page 3

HUTT MAYORALTY.

* MR, BALDWIN'S OPENING ~ ADDRESS. FINANCE, DRAINAGE, AND WATER SUPPLY. Mr. H. Baldwin, -who is opposing the present Mayor (Mr. E. P. Bunny) in thfc contest for the Lower Hutfc Mayoralty, opened the campaign, at & . James's. Hsll last evening. Thero wars about fifty persons present. Mr. A. Maca&kill occu pied the chair. Ho stated that Mr. ; Baldwin had bera for many yoare eon nected with local politic? in the district, and lio had raidc-red honourablo service. Ho had been a councillor for , maiiy years, and at tho -present time ho held several positions on local bodies r»s a, representative) of Low Hutt. Mr. Baldwin, in hie opening remarks, stated that ho had como forward this year in corusequence of many requests mads to him by friends and ratepayers, slid also in fulfilment of n. promise ma.de last year. "Many people," he continued, "considered me- bold to tacklo such a. strong man as Mr. Bonny, but in the heaviest poll recorded in the Hutt 1 was only 170 behind. 1 coirie before you this v*ar tnoro confident 'than ev<r." Mr. Biilawhi then entered into a financial criticism o£ v tho affairs of tho borough. Three 'y^ars ago, he &Ad t when Mr. Bunny was • asking for tho votes of the electors ho (Mr. Bunny) said that he' was' seeking the" office in order t^ stop .the extravagant expenditure. Mr. Bunny went further and said that they had been going a break-neck paor, a-nd -would .end up in tlw* Bankruptcy Cota-b or something woiec. Mr. Bunny the position ho had <jl.rn e» for : but -the breakneck policy was continual and the overdraft not reduced. When ha took office- the bank overdraft it'>od at £6891 14s 9d, and after two ysai's it had increased, as the balance-sheet showed, by J81357 odd to £8273 2s 6d. This years balanc^-ehee'., would that tli* overdraft had been tlishtly reduced, but there was very yoocl reason why thifi should bo <so. During each year monoj' Iwi been raised by way of rates for "certain works, which had not bacn taken in liand. .As an instance. ■ Mr. Baldwin mcjitioncd oil* wo* k whero the- sum of £70 was raieed ouo yea.v. The work wa« not carried out I hat year, anjd % like sum Hvas put upon next year's estimates. Tho wore was then done at mush below the estimated cost. Thai, he submitted, was poor economy and poorer finance. All works placed upon the estimates should be completed a* soon as possible. If money was laised one year a-nd the work not done thr the -money should be used "~"xi> year &mf not raked again. It wa* • i-fair to the ratepayei-s, and did not +ei.J.fco keep the rates down as should bo the caeo. Regarding the sewago drainage scheme now m hatod, Mr. 'Baldwin complained that the- work was creeping along far too slowly,, and should be hastened. He was in favour of the work being carried out by day labour under the supervision oi,lhe council'ft own officers. As to tho wAter supply, he £.ad come to tie concfcfiion, "with others-, that it was not sufficient, or at ajty rate would not be if th« population increased to any great extent. The shortage was already 'being felt, and because ot it householders on t,he eastern side of Hie river were not being compelled to connect with 'th* drainage. The water supply had been a failure; that wae plain. Steps should now bo taken to utilise the Belmont Stream for driving tho pumps (which how consumed a great deal of water) at the septic tanks. ( If elected this would be the first work which would ireceive hia attention. The wag«s now p^id to the cxti'a man required at the pumping station would pay tho interest on tho ' small loan required. Under tho eiuggested scheme the water Bupply would be safer, better, and cheaper, as well is provide for a much larger population than at present. The candidate also favoured a general improvement scheme for the roads and footpaths. ; ' At present the Main-road was a disgrace- to the place, and should be-- ploughed up, remotalled, and-, rolled. All the footpaths needed treatment — not such ais was now beinsj given them, but they should be asphalted. Speaking generally, he said that a- steady^ policy Would b© essential, and a more judicial expenditure of funds. "But," he added, " you must not expect a. reduction in your rates. No matter whom you elect, I j tell >you straight that it will be itn-. possible to curtail tho rates in anynvay whatever." Mr. Baldwin was accorded a unanimous vote, of thanks for his address, and confidence in him as a prospective Mayor.