THE PETONE COUNCIL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 96, 27 April 1929, Page 11

THE PETONE COUNCIL

CITIZENS'TICKET CLAIMS

ELECTORS ADDRESSED

■ TJjo 'candidates orf the Poton'e Citizens' i-ssociatio!i «"tick'et" for «Jeetion to tho Pcono Borough Council addressed electors in; the Orango Hall, Petone-,- last night. In tho absence- of Mr. W. Q. Lodder, Mr. G. Cook occupied -the chair. ■

Captain Post first said a few words in furtherance of his election to the Wellington. Harbour Board. .< In this ho was assisted by Mr. J. \V. M'Ewari.

' Councillor-Jaeobson appealed to the people to support the whole ''ticket." The council had been governed by a small .outside body, which controlled the councillors. That body took upon itself the- task of saying what was good for the town. To this Councillor Longman and himself objected.. Councillor Jaeobson said it was. usual for i the .Mayor to have the appointment of committees in his hands, The Labour councillors had como forward with committees of their own and practically ' made- the. Mayor select them; —a most discourteous act. The Udy street scheme,'he said, would be an improvement, but such a small one that it would nofbe Worth the money spent on it. The 15-mile speed limit was most urireasonable, and had brought tho town into-disrepute. The' speaker said that the water scheme, which' the Labour Party claimed, , belonged to the Citizens'; Association and himself. Tho association had called the council's attention to it in 1926, and he had moved the. motion .which resulted in , the scheme being adopted. Councillor'Jae-. obson ■ said that the " ticket - 'would push on with town planning, the Bouvorie'street extension, better beach accommodation, and less beach pollution, and !more footpaths in the eastern end. They would.watch, subdivision matters more carefully, and would attend to the water scheme .and the proposed ramp. \ "''.'.'

Councillor Longman said that, he- objected to the .present council because it was bound by a party pledge. Tho Citizens '■' Association had been twitted for 'not having. a -platform. He did not. think . a platform was 1 necessary,, but only that men who had the interests, of ..the. "borough at heart should shape their policy on the facts that came before them at the time. He'referred to amalgamation-, the .finances of.,the borough, and ; the necessity if or carrying out the. water scheme. lib gave first'credit for the relief of unemployment not to the Labour Party, but. to v|he Citizens' Committee that had Veen.' set-up and to.the Beautifying :iety-and the Ladies' Miniature Rifle Jlub, who had given substantial uionetary assistance.:- •.■.■*■»'"'' '■. : Mr. Brockelbahk'said'hc did* not see how the : Labour Party could claim credit' for the:.initiation of the superannuation scheme for the borough employees- and for -the Jackson.' street widening, scheme. . Ho himself",had introduced; the two schemes years ago. The present"■'council was the- first to reduce the size of the, Eocreation Ground area. ■ He :'was opposed :to this and was disappointed with the council's attitude towards the proposed Hutt road ramp.

Regarding his qualifications for office, Mil Burns said that he was not a business man, 1 but he thought .that there should'be a diversity of interests on the council to give it balance. ■ His academic training, he claimed, would stand him. in good stead. He would support the agitation for a local day teehnical.schjOo)..,.."^ , ....... .... .. **Mr. r'Hog"g stresse'd;"the r fact that all the,speaker^,jvere .expressing their individual opinions. ■ They had no pledged platform, but' retained 'freedom of action.. The decisions they would' conic fo, if 'elected/ would.be the result of discussion in open"cduneil and not of the secret conferences of. a body that did not come out into the open.

. Mr. Orsborii emphasised the need for ■widening-Jackson street in view of the. increasing traffic, and 'the ;rieed for the water- scheme because.of the fire danger. He thought that the council should assist;in a permanent way-with'ine-findr ing: bi employment and should make efforts' to get the urgently-needed Hutt road-ramp' and a better telephone serviced:; ".' ■'"': / :,' ,■■';' ' -

■■Mr. Byderj' referring to the. interests of sport,'."'said that the grandstand in the'-'Recreation., Ground should be replaced. It could be paid for by making a small charge at the gates. ; Mr.Tqomath dcalfc with tho reserves, of which ho, said the. present council £ad been neglectful. 1 He favoured the improvement of'the Eecreation Ground and the beach. . TJie credit for the prevention of beach pollution did not. Test with, the,Petone Labour Council, tint with- the' Potono .Beautifying Society. ■' ' _ „'..'',

Mr. Noble favoured the water scheme as aTwhole, but thought that if done in parts ,it would be useless. He favoured the putting in order of bathing shelters and footpaths on the foresnore and spoke of the lack of care for the streets in the eastern, end of the town. Koro $£oro he regarded as the Cinderella of the borough, and he thought it should have.more attention.