MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 16398, 14 April 1917, Page 6

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

CRS BLACK AND GREEN. THE ROSLYN TRAMS. Cr_ Black and Cr Green (the latter a candidate for tho City Mayoralty) addressed the electors at the Wakari Hall last evening. ' Or Black hold tho stage for over half an hour, addressing himself particularly to the need of acquiring the Roelyn trams. Ho said that tho people of Roslyn were promised before amalgamation took place that the Roslyn trams would bo purchased by tho City as a matter of course. The Roslyn Company’s lease would expire in September next, and tho City had the option of taking over the company’s lino. All they would have to buy was tho actual material—cars, rails, plant, etc. — nothing being in tho agreement for goodwill. The position "was that the new company had paid £16,C00 for the property as it stood.,, They had spent a lot of money, and he had it from ono of tho directors of tho company that the book valuation of the company’s property was £45,C00, while the revenue was £13,000 a year, and £1,200 or. £1,400 was annually written off for depreciation. Ho (Cr Black) said to this director “ 1 near the company are paying 41i par cent.,” and the director’s reply was “They are earning more, but I am not at liberty to say how much,” and he added ; “ We are satisfied with the proposition as it now stands, and quite agreeable to hold to it for all time.” Ho hoped Roslyn would wake up and insist on the trams being purchased. If they wore not purchased, the company would have tho option of carrying on for another 21 years. Roslyn was indebted to tho company for putting down tho line. Tho City should also take over the Kaikorai Company’s line which was a fine business proposition. The lease would fall due next year. The two trams should be taken over either permanently or fixed up tentatively, so that they could be taken permanently, say, in a year or later if there was any question of finance. Cr Green then addressed tho electors. They had had no tramway extensions, he said. When times became normal it would be the duty of the council to grapple with the question of extensions in a businesslike way. He believed that the two Roslyn linos should become the property of the City Corporation at a fair valuation. lie would do his best to give effect to that if returned.

A vote of thanks and confidence was unanimously accord-ad Cr Green.

Gr Black, who was thanked, said that as a result of_ numerous requests he had leconsidered his decision, and would a fr ain be a candidate for the Citv Council.

3ir J. J. Clark will address the electors at tile Wakari Drill Hall on Tuesday evening, at 8 o’clock. Ladies are specially invited to attend tin's meeting. . Imnn has been nominated for rc-clec-tion to tho Citv Council.

Messrs E. Aslin, E. E. Cavzer, A. ,W. Cooper,, and J._ ■• taado will bo candifor the St. Ki Borough Council. Mr E. L. Macassey has decided not to stand as a candidate for a scat on the Citv Council.

Mr J. Ritchie will be a candidate for a soar on the St. Kilda. Council.

Mr Joseph Powell announces in another column his candidature for the Port Chalmers mayoralty.

Cr A. M'Millan does not intend to seek re-election as a member of the Citv Council.

Mr E. Kellett, who is a member of No. 1 Military Board, has decided to offer himself as_ a candidate for the City Council, and will stand as an Independent, because, while a stalwart of the Labor party, lie has the good sense to put tho needs of Empire before party shibboleths. Cr Green will address electors at Northeaot Valley ’Town Hall to-night on municTtil matters of general interest. Tho forthcoming local elections at Port Chalmers will not be devoid of interest, ns contests are likely to take place for tho Borough Council and the Harbor Board. There arc. also several aspirants to the mayoral chair, the candidates so far announced being the present Mayor (who seeks re-election for the balance' of the war period), Cr J. Powell (who has been chairman of the Works Committee for a number of years), and ex-Cr J. Tait (who _ rendered yeoman services in the council several years ago). A Wellington P.A. message reports that tho Mayor (Mr Luke) has been re-elected unopposed, and that there are 29 candidates for tho 15 vacancies on the City Council.