Municipal Affairs,

Horowhenua Chronicle, 1 May 1919, Page 1

Municipal Affairs,

e ADDRESSES BY CANDIDATES. There was an attendance of about 100 electors at the Century Hall 011 Tuesday evening when Mr iD. W. Matheson. who has been elected unopposed for the Mayoralty, and a number of candidates for the Council, gave addresses on municipal affairs. The retiring Mayor (Mr Blcnkhorn) presided. Great interest was taken in tho proceedings and the views of the aspirants to the Borough Council were closely followed and often applauded. Mr Matheson also made a very favourable impression at his -first appearance as the Mayor-elect. THE RETIRING MAYOR. 111 opening the meeting Mr Bletikhorn expressed his appreciation of the consideration shown him by the public during his term of office. If they were as satisfied with him as he was with them, then there was nothing more to be said. IXO exception could, he thought, be taken to his retiring after ten years service 011 the Council, during which he believed he had been moderately successful (Applause). As for Mr Matheson, he was an energetic, able man and the affairs of the town would be very safe in his hands. Personally Mr Blenkhorn felt no, anxiety on that score. It was an honour to serve on the Borough Council of Levin. It was a growing town and its affairs needed the best attention they could get. But he felt sure they would receive that attention from Cr. Matheson (Applause). THE MAYOR-ELECT. Or Matheson thanked the Mayor for his confidence, but said the affairs of the town would not rest entirely in his hands if lie could) help it. The Council was as much responsible as the Mayor and if by some means he could get each individual citizen to realise that the affairs of the Borough rested in his or her hands, 110 would be satisfied. In regard to the Mayor very great praise was due to him for his public labours. He had been chairman of the Horowhenua County Patriotic Society, the Levin, Patriotic Suciety. the Domain Hoard and latterly of the Repatriation Hoard, in addition to his Mayoral duti 'S, and while he had done well, that was too much to exepct from any man ; it was not the speaker's intention to try and hold down all those jobs. The sooner the ratepayers recognised that it was impossible for one man to do justice to so many positions the better. "It is the duty of the Mayor," said the speaker, "to organise not only the Council but all the people in the town and my aim will be to organise the citizens to do the utmost we can for our town." Or Matheson said 110 did, not mind critisicm but what Crs. did mind and object to was criticism from people who did not .liiiow what they wore talking about. All had ample opportunity of finding out the facts of Borough affairs and administration from the Town Clerk or the Crs. and citics should so inform themselves before they criticised the Council.

Provided all the people were loyal to their town and Borough Council, Cr Ma'theson had no doubt about future progress. He was not going to absolutely commit himself to a fixed policy at present because it needed more than a few days' til-ought but he would give them an outline of his views. We had here a town possessing such advantages as a very fine climate, a central situation, goo'd back country, one of the finest water supplies in the Dominion ; and .splendid gas works. All that was wanted was the exploitation of those advantages. Meatitifving would be 0110 of his main planks and he would endeavour to resurrect the Beautifying Society. It would take a lot of money for t-iie Council to do the whole of the work hut by working together on a fixed policy and doing something every year, he was sure tho local organisations could do a great deal. Full use could be made of Arbour Day to plant the streets and beaut ify our surroundings. The opinion of such an export as Mr (51ack. of I'almerston North, could be sought and he was satisfied a great deal could be done (Applause). Good roads and footpaths would appeal to everyone. In order of importance he would endeavour to carry out a policy of improvement in this direction. Our roads and footpaths were good for the size of the town, but he was certain there, could be an extension of the tarring process.

Levin had very satisfactory sanitary arrangements considering the excellent natural drainage, but stricter inspection was wanted (Applause). "Our present arrangements to a certain extent are good but there is no system of preventing the accumulation of rubbish round the houses. The sooner we get busy 011 a better system of getting rid of the rubbish, the better" said the speaker.

ruder the heading of good and attractive pleasure grounds, Cr .Matheson eulogised the Waiopehu and Lake reserves. He advised, citizens who had not done so to take a trip to ithe Former locality and be was sure tliev would be united in their approval of his proposal that more money should Ite spent 011 it.

Cr Matheson made a strong appeal to the meeting to help spouts bodies. The war had shown the value of physical fitness and young people, if led, would make the most of their opportunity and he believed in doing as much as possible for the encouragement of sport. As for the Lake before it could be made attractive more money must bo spoilt- Ait present there was about £1(5 in hand, a totally inadequate sum and money would have to be obtained from .somewhere for it.

Most of these tilings were directed towards drawing new residents to the town and he was satisfied, that in ithis way it could be made an attractive and prosperous residential centre.

First impressions were lasting, continued Cr Matheson and he drew attention to the number of broken fences and old shed., t■> lie seen about the Horough. 'He did not suggest that new fences should be put up lint it would not cost much of anybody's time and money to straighten un those fences. As for the old 'tumble-down sheds, how it would delight the younger generation if they could get them for a monster peace bonfire. l-'r Matheson recalled the effort he and Cr Aitlcen made some years ago to have a "Clean-up Week." which failed through unforeseen circumstances. But now many towns were going in for n clean-up campaign and, Or Maitheson was satisfied that given a lead (the people of Levin would not be far behind their neighhours.

Or Matheson supported the educational activity of the Workers' Educational Association and appealed for its support. The .Borough and County Councils had given subsidies ito the Association. which proposed to organise a series of lectures of public interest apart from its tutorial activity.

Otnki was perhaps better known than Levin, but lie did noit liink that even such an enthusiast as Mr Byron Brown would claim that Otnki had more natural advantages than Levin had. And if wo had those advantages w-e should let the outside public know it. Tliait couJd only be done by a judicious advertising campaign which he strongly favoured.

Coming to Borough finance, the speaker said that at the present- time the Borough had about £2000 lying .idle in it'he Bank. 1 f the debit balance for the year bail been £GOO instead of £85 and that money had been spent on new works it would not have cost the Borough a. ten-pound note for interest because the money lying idile would have been untiiised. The £2000 comprised the credits from the water and gas accounts. Then there was £240 that was not ordinary revenue and was included in the general account and should be earmarked for some specific purpose. This sum included £200 insurance from a building destroyed 1 by fire and £40 sales from buildings. "1 ain going to have a hard try to have that money used for permanent work," said thespea.ker. Referring to the gas account Or Matheson said the Borough Council had in effect reduced 'the price of gas, that was, though there had been 30 per cent increase in the cost of coal, wages, and material, tllie consumers had not been asked to pay a penny piece more for their gas. Most other towns had inereasexl the price and the ratepayers had to pay a rate as well for their gas service. The Levin gasworks had never cost the ratepajyor.s a penny piece. The total receipts last year were £3902 and the 'expenses £4018. They commenced the year with a credit balance of £858, spent on new .mains £218, :in meters and cookers £226 and services £220. After spending nil that they still Showed a credit of £743. These works, were paying and paying handsomely. Or Matheson said there had, been critioism of the gaswwks lately, but he reminded the audience that Mr Burrell died suddenly. It was three months before they got a new manager and ho hadi to pull up a- largo amount of back work and got used to his job. The speaker appealed for a fair run for the new management. H© referred to tho possible competition of electric light and urged that tin order to meet it the gas should be made as popular and necessary to the people as possible.

There was a credit balance in the waiter account of £1086. But in June or July they had to pay a sum of £950 in interest and sinking fund. There would still be a large credit and he did. not see why that money, if they oould legally do so, should not be utilised in new and permanent works.

Ho was not. prepared to go into the question of drainage yet. It would cost on a rough estimate £35,000 or £40,000 to put in the sewerage and he believed) the town was too widespread. Unless> they could put the system into every house it would be futile. In eonolusion Or Matheson appealed tto every citizen to be loyal to the Mayor and Councillors and to work together for the good of the town.

Replying to Mr Cork, Ct Matheson said he favoured encouraging the sports clubs t.o use the recreation ground provided they were inclined to help themselves. Sheep might be kept off the oval at' least in order that it might be kept lit for play.

Replying ito Mr Vincent he said he favoured making a big effort to sell the nurplus water to Foxton, provided expert opinion said it could be spared.

Replying to Mr R. Smith, he said he was not prepared to commit himself to tar the footpath opposite the school. The Council must be guided by the Overseer a-ncl the Streets Committee and, the importance of the work in deciding the order it. would undertake suclu work. •XO RADICAL CHANGE NECESSARY." Or Parker was itlie first candidate for the Council. He said he wished to put right the impression regarding the finances. There were only two accounts at the Bank—the General Account and the Cemetery Account, and the credit of ith e water and, gas a counts was used to reduce the debit on the General Account. They had just finished two years in office, uneventful years mostly occupied in administrative work owing to war difficulties. "I have sought without fear or favour," said Cr Parker "to do my best in the general good." (Applausp). Fbur members of tiho Council (Crs Lancaster. Aitken, Bull audi Br.vson) were not seeking re-elec-tion and he paid a tribulte to their public service. He supposed they puit in as many as thirty nights in the year on Council business and as many as three nights a week "sometimes. The retiring Councillors had attended these meetings and done their best for the Borough (Applause). Some disappointment was felt that there bad not been more permanent work, but the Council had only so much revenue and had to do the best with it. It had been the wish ito devote the revenue from the reserves to new works, but if they put that £050 to permanent works, tliey would end up with a debit balance much larger than it was to-day. lit was tho ideal that that money should be looked upon as an endowment and. should he put to permanent worlk and in that term he included the first or original tarring of streets, but the present outlook showed 110 need for a radical change in policy. They could have better streets and footpaths but they would have also a bigger debit at the end of the year. One thing th'fey had to look forward to in the future was a sewerage scheme but it would mean heavy initial expense, at least £20 to each property owner, and lie was not prepared to agree that that was necessary at present. W.liat. was needed was careful and wise administration of tho revenue received. There was talk of a municipal hall hut to bo a credit to Levin it would cost a great deal; how often would it be occupied? Visiting companies might use it, but how much did they take ouit 1 of the town. Anyone studying the Borough finances must give credit to early administrators. All but one loan would be repaid in the term they were raised for. The gas works was the exception; it had 10 years ito run and at the end of that time a sum of £5000 would still be owing but against that would bo the works, mains and plant. A sum of £33,000 to £34,000 represented the total indebtedness of tho Borough and the total assets were £35,000, but these were written down very severely. The Tiro Tiro road and Bartholomew road reserves, for instances, were only valued at £750 and the gravel reserve was not included as an asset. The value of the assete was nearer .£45,000. He had been in Levin about 11 years and what interests ho had was in Levin and Levin's people... It was thrown up to him lately that his presence at patriotic affairs was not so frequent as it might be, but he wished to say that for two years he had been giving up one night a week to the Defence Department (applause) and he thought that sufficient reason for his absence from some other functions.-

A STROXG LABOUR MAN. Mr McAllister said while it had beeiv stated in ithe press tliat he was not a member of the* Labour Party now, lie was j as strong a X«abour man as ever before and was proud of it. He was also a business man and he could uo understand, the distinction 6ome people mado between tjio two. The Labour movement had for its aim rtlie good of humanity as a whole. He believed it was an honourable thing to work for the good of the people and onlv asked (Continued on page 4.)