MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1923, Page 4

MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

ADDRESS BY CANDIDATES. LARGE TOWN HALL GATHERING. The Town Hall was crowded on Tuesday evening to hear the addresses of candidates for municipal honors at Thursday’s polling. The Mayor (Mr G. A. Perry) presided and briefly opened the gathering calling on the vatrious speakers in turn to address the assemblage. Mil T). J. EVANS. Air I). .1. Evans was the first speaker. Ho staled he was a candidate purely for the benefit of the people of Hokitika and it- surrounding'!. Dealing with finance he said the last valuation was made in l!'i)~ and the value assess-

vd w.*.s COO.'iOfb averaging C3O jor acre, a ridiculous figure. He favoured more push in the procedure of the Council, with more active committees who should meet regularly, lhc water supply was unreliable and frequently broke away. The Conned should devote time to an inquiry as to the best means of improving the supply. At Tucker Elat the position was very had. The water supply was not adequate for the exhibition. One course to ensure a safe supply was to have a sccnud line from the Eorks, where the Couik il was entitled to a head ot water from the Kanieri Electric Ltd. race. The condition of the Town Hall and I.iluary were in a disgraceful state. The roof of both halls required urgent attention. The late Council plumed themselves on a credit balance, but they have to debit the condition of the buildings. He congratulated the Council on its loan proposals. They should (all in expert advice and as much as possible should be dune by cuntiuvi L get, the best value. This expenditure should begin as soon as pus-ible. lhc Railways were to spend over £!(>.<)• >■ t around the railway station and would help to improve the town. Ihe Beautifying Association that had done stub good work was doing absolutely Council work and should he joined up with the Council. There was a necessity lor more residences and there was no reason why Wliiteomhe Square should not he utilised for building sites and also Bark Reserve on ivanieri road wliicli could be easily drained. The rubbish depot there was a disgrace and a monument of a nuisance. I lie Hospital Board levv was too high and every endeavour should be made lo reduce

it, South ilnkiukii was not getting tlu' ;tttonii .ll it de-ervcil and nojiiirod hot tor mad ami imi;mvod access. 'I ho ! (ioo:u! bench Wins ail eyesore and it was f time it was oloared up. In vn-tv ol tin." , dung'to juvondos while oyi ling was going on mi C'mss S<iuam lie suggested , tlic unused portion id’ Britain St. h.' formed into a oliildroii's playground. , Isev.il St. should have more attention and -'amid he tar M-aled, while much |. attention was needed to the other thorough!.;'vs. Ill's endeavour was to ! lil t the town all, ad and i! olvtoil would always 11 -,• hi lies', efforts in that direction. .Ml! A. I’ARK 111 !.1.. I .Mr A. I’ai'kldil was the nest speaker. : Dining Id-, term of nllicc lie hid <k tie I |i:e I or, n. lie Was i sit oil hi- «V. II and I hull nI a In rind. The tow u with j A is Mini- hail I’d miles of streets and | o 1 ii*’ r- to nniintain. 'tin only v.ay to do -i. wa b in have a loan lor piii.lio had i oiniit iolt. Tile t otitu il -Innild go in for new methods of road making. The ”i ed'o should he brought out I i a tolar and mere eqi.nl would result. Ho slip],oi tod the work ol the laeaulilyiiiU A -s'.ioiatioii. 110 knew lho lih | Ill's r\ i oof wa- in laid ,0 dor. tho only j solution was to tale "Il the slides and ! renew with iron and a ron~:d' r.d lo j sinn must ho spent. Tim ni- was wanted ior the Town Hall. Soiim think j it would lie holier if a mnuieipa] j tin alre wore erected. I!" had heard ii ! ft ported that nionieipnl theatres had : not ]oia I. lon im. u re-, yiv. n In' A! r j 1 h O'l'i I I \ all |-.ltd ha Ild sellicl \. I j II laid always keen a regular ultoudor j j at on inp- and had at all times done i hi In -1 for the tow ii. -Ml! W. J I ill-15 IKS. | Air \V. .lofl'rios -aid lie was not there j in i fit ioiso tho old ('oitnc il. It was for | 1 1,,* el’-ctor- li eon-id rif they had done their lust, lie had I icon on the I Conin il A or d years am,, and ii j had lie,oi iv.iio.-eutod to him l hat stnnothine; should l.v dme to improve ih" town and that was why lie had i "ill forward as a < undid. He. Dealill o with finance ho said there should lie a .jwlii ions expemiil tile of rates and loan moneys and a 010-e -upori i-icii of i’NJii'iiilit lire and receipts. Tin property values wore down to bedrock. They wanted a standardised value of properties. They should keep the rates (low'll, consistent with the due carrying: out of the requirements of l!:c town. Alauy town improvements were required The Council should arrang" us iI,-ii<and then look to the s', id' ior ndminis, rat ion. The si fee l - li.nl i ""ii starved and the lir a plank el hi- 11 - liev would he in inqiiav ill’ll. a id a start -hoiild he made in tar seal Jfovell Sr. The water-supply required attention. lie was opposed to any scheme ! i now municipal ohanihors and theatre. divine particulars of cost of various concerns in other parts. r l he foreshore required much attention. The Hospital rate was a large one. I>ui lu approved ol lire policy of the IJenrd. and t!i" dining of Kiimain Old j People' ; Homo would make a sub-inn j lia] saving. Ho favoured a uinrervd Saturday halt-dioliday I hey had many reserves—some 01. and it was a .-.caudal that. including -oe Koiterangi on,l,.wine,its tliey only returned £iMO a year. They should obtain power to sell iho reserves and utilise the money for town improvements. With the cuming evliihitioli the town required a lot ol attenion and ho was prepared to assit. All should enter into the spirit of the Exhibition to make it a success. If returned lie would do his utmost to advance the hest interests ot the town. 1 lon H. I . .Micliel asked, if relumed would he take immediate stops to have the Town llall renovated and also to sec the road grader wa- put into operation again. Air Jell lies replied in the aim motive to I, it 1 1 queries. .Mr .). Look asked if Air Jeffries would consider the revising oi iho alia rues at the abattoirs and the lioee--itv of giving increased as-i-iame to the hutcher employed. Air .Jehrirs replied in the aliirmative. To another enquirer a- to what wages •ate should he paid All Jeffries rotort,,i; P',,r VOU As a day and a trip to Paha '.oa. a reply that’ enttsed n great hith list of laughter. AHi H. ai. con.sox. i Mr ii. AI. Coulson said it was gratiying to see the interest the ratepayers vcre -bowing in the munieipnl affairs. )caling with finance lie said the Cotini! always tried to live within its iiians. Last year they had a credit of MOO and this year a credit of £7<P. ~r ~f that C'J ii was car-niarked for opair- to the Library. The (“ineteiy (.•count showed a debit ot 1 lospim! Board should he responsible

ior the collecting of its own rates. He affirmed that the administraion of the Borough Council was clean. The water supply he considered satisfactory indeed. 1 ho reservoir was full and there would he an adequate supply if the mains were kept in proper order, lie supported progressive measures. The town now was well lit with electric light for which they had to thank the present Council. The loan proposal had been carried, the only fault being that it had taken too long to get it. Now they should see the money was properly spent. He did not favour draining Whiicombe Square out of the loan. He favoured tar sealing Revel! St. and was in favour oi making a- building bye-law to give power to the council to (ontrol all buildings, lie favoured a women's rest being inaugurated and agreed the beach was an eyesore and not an asset. He was opposed to revaluation at the present time. Hates were limited to 2d in the pound, capital value, and ho was of opinion it we,nkl lie unfair and a burden to have a revaluation, as whatever amount was pul on. the valuation would mean that tin l Borough would have to pay more and the County less. He had served on the Council for ltj years, for l-l years

being Chairman of the Finance Committee and for 10 years Deputy Mayor, i } . again asked for their continued support. I In reply to Mr Michel. Mr Collision said he was prepared to put the Town I llail in thorough order, as the expclidij tine of r few hundred pounds would ! make ii de duty lor many years, and ! he was in favor of the roadgrader if it ! call he Used to advantage, j Mr Mi.-hol replied that the grader j had re; cully keen u. d on Cass Square and in tw'e hours had done more work than •_’(') in; u would have done in a Mr I rack asked why it was not mod in North Itevcll So. to ilrar away the sand. Another questioner asked n he favoured the putting up of the names ol the streets during the year. The candidate answered yes. Ml? 0. HEINZ. Mr (1. Heinz said ho wished to say a few words to explain why he was coming before them. Ho had nothing to sa\ against the late Council, but be fell they had a want of organisation and a want of system of work. The loan, with a system could make Cti.OOO gc as lar as £I2.UNI. If they had a good public works plan and a good linar.ee plan to work to the money would go twice as far. He was in favor nl progress a.ial efficiency. They should thoroughly oig.'.nise and work on sysi. math- linos. • If retained h. would give of hi.; 1.0-t. Ml? !!. i’KlillAM. Mr l’, !•’. I’orliam ('ingratuhiied all on their aUemlaiioe and interosl. He nppruvid of attending to the roads and drains, footpaths mid'general improvement.-. Me was not prepared to i. a ol a rev Town Hall. The present Tirol Hal! was too good an asset to lot v.rsie. It should he put in oilier. Ii - was piepared to leave the matter of who should be elected to the guild judgment, of the cic-tor- and to All? \V. 1). MACK AV. .Mr V-.\ !>. Aim ka\. who re viv'd the reception oi the cvi long, and '..hose u*I in. rks thi'iuiglloilL vs iv of an nmiisilijr nature ami heartily applauded. HmiikI id tin)-: present for their re. •I'-I'lion. I lie had i*.’me forward with his s.-rv ii : s I a ■ lie hail s-tU-.l de.vn in Hokitika and has! seme lei ora. while all hi- interests w -a in ias iscn. A (inode of aiu-e----dotas ware : aeorilad am! in answer to an empiiry a- in v. Is ;:ier he favoured vis.id i-ei ii ,t in the mud and slush. A n h reia-c ; > tire v,omen's re.-i and the j uee.-sst; v I n' a white-haired Councillor j lev, .Scut sin an el a tbii-iy nature earn-- j i d min h laughter and iM'oughf those | present io a harpy slate o! mind. \ vole n| 1 hanks to the Mayor for I pre-uliii:; was i ai i i •■! and tlm singing j of tin National Anthem concluded a | very ininr-ting meeting.