EXTRA EDITION MUNICIPAL PROGRESS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 81, 5 April 1923, Page 8

EXTRA EDITION MUNICIPAL PROGRESS

COUNCIL'S WORK JUSTIFIED

PRINCIPAL WORKS REVIEWED.

The progress of the city during the term of office of the present council, and works in prospect during the next two years were referred to by the Mayor (Mr. B A. Wright, M.P.) this afternoon, speaking as the guest o! honour at the monthly luncheon of the Te Aro Advancement Association.

In introducing Mr. Wright as a candidate at the coming election, the president, Mr. A. A.' George, congratulated him upon having the courage of his convictions, and said that the Te Aro Advancement Association was one of the few public bodies that had declared itself a supporter of his. candidature. The Mayor, after .thanking tne association for the invitation to be present, commended the objects of the association, and said he appreciated the remarks made by the' chairman. The position of Mayor, he said, -was not an enviable one, for he was obliged to bear a lot of criticism and the responsibility for numberless complaints from citizens. The past two years nad been a very trying period for the city, as well as for all business concerns. Matters had been made worse by the legislation passed compelling municipal bodies to live within their income, but he was glad to say the council had managed to do so during the last twelve months. The estimates had had to be cut .down by about £60,000, and the council had been skating on thin ice under the handicap, yet it had come out satisfactorily. A new era' had now been entered in which a definite policy had to be laid down for the construction of permanent roads. He did not think anyone would complain about the bitumen roads that had already been constructed.

Voices: "They are good." Mr. Wright briefly referred to other raain_ thoroughfares that would have to be laid down permanently, and remarked that it was the only solution of the dust nuisance. The council had never possessed up-to-date plant, but it was now adopting- a policy that provided machinery for doing more and better work than formerly. The real benefit and saving power of this alteration in policy would be apparent later on.

Referring to the. Wallace street tramway line extension to John street, he anticipated no difficulties, and remarked that the nlans had been prepared and the extension would give much relief to the city traffic. (AprJause.) The Evan* Bay power house, which had! been subjected to .much criticism, would eventually prove the greatest asset the city ever had. It would be read} within twelve months, and when the Mangahao power was available, tneie would he any amount of power for tfrivifc* machinery and for lighting purposes. Thoro would be only one more winter of discontent in this respect—one more river to cross. As to. the change-over to the new system of voltage, he hoped to li» able to make a pronouncement before the present council.went out of office ac to how the cost was to be borne as between the council and the consumer's. Personally, he did not think there could be much reduction in the price of light for some time tq come, but it was his opinion that if the present rjric.es obtain, ed for a few years the profits would pay for the change-over to the new volage system.

Mr. Wright was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.