SPREYDON MAYORALTY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16842, 28 April 1915, Page 14

SPREYDON MAYORALTY.

ADDRESS BY MR G. R. WHITING.

BOROUGH'S FINANCIAL POSITION.

Mr G. It. Whiting, Mayor of Spreydon, addressed a well attended meeting at the Selwyn Street Methodist Sunday School last evening on the subject of the finances of the borough. Mr A. Muihire presided. Mr Whiting, who is not a candidate for re-election, stated by way of introduction that he was giving an authoritative statement regarding the borough's finances, as his administration of the borough's affairs had been unfairly criticised in circulars issued by the Spreydon Burgesses' Association. The association had issued two circulars, one to electors in the west of the borough and the other to electors of the ea?t. These two circulars contained statements that were mutually contradictory. One circular said the borough was £2OOO in debt, while the other made the indebtedness £3OOO. Mr T. Woods, a candidate for the Mayoralty, had issued a circular in which the indebtedness of the borough was set down as £2OOO.

The speaker had placed the finances of the borough clearly before the electors at a meeting on Saturday evening, ajid he then offered to go into the books with any ratepayer on Monday. Two gentlemen had examined tho books, one of them a certificated acoounttmt* at the speaker's request.

These gentlemen, Messrs Joyce and Shillito, had written him 'a letter, which he read, in which they stated that they had checked the speaker's statement of a.ssel« and liabilities, including his valuation of £7OO for materials on hand, and certified that the figures supplied by the speaker on Saturday evening were quite correct, and tallied correctly with the books. The shingle pit account in their opinion showed that the pit was a thoroughly sound business proposition. The pit could be sold at a profit as a going concern. Tho letter concluded:—"ln conclusion, we must express great surprise at statements made from the public, platform to the effect that tho financial position of tho borough was such that a private business so situated would only be able to pay 13s 4d in the £. Were such a statement made by an irresponsible person, it would bo bad enough, but when it is made, by a councillor, and one who is sec-king the office of Mayor of tho borough, it is hard to speak of it in parliamentary terms. The lK>oks of the council are extremely clearly and concisely kept, and when two persons unacquainted with them, as a result of an hour's examination, can find out tho actual facts as presented above, facts that are clear to anyone with an elementary knowledge of figures, let alone of accountancy, it is deplorable in tho extreme that any person with the opportunities and privileges of a borough councillor should make such rash, unwarrantable and incorrect statements."

The speaker had challenged Mr T. Woods to prove that the speaker was as much as £2OO out in his statements aa to the correct position of the borough's finances, and had promised that if Mr Woods could do that he would pay £SO to the Belgian Fund, provided Mr Woods would promise to do the same in case he failed to prove the speaker in the wrong. Mr Woods had announced in the evening newspapers that he had accepted the challenge, so the only thing for Mr Woods to do was to ge and pay his £SO to tho secretary of the fund. (Laughter and applause.) Mr Whiting then made a statement regarding the assets and liabilities of the borough, showing a credit balance of £928, explaining every item, on the lines of his previous speech The only items left out of his statement, he said, were those which should go on both sides of tho balance-sheet. One of these was an amount of £lOl to the council's credit in the bank. It was there to pay interest to debentureholders, and could therefore not be regarded as a solid asset. The borough had liabilities to the extent of about £230, but next year's rate would produce over £4OO more than last year's rate, and that would wipe off tho liability and leave a surplus. The speaker added that Mr Woods had declined an offer he made to him to let him join Messrs Joyce and Shillito in their examination of the council's books. Messrs Joyce and Shilato in their report stated that the speaker had been conservative in estimating the borough's assets. A motion, expressing hearty thanks to Mr AYhiting nnd confidence in tho administration of the present council, was carried amicl acclamation.

Councillor Winsor, a candidate for the Mayoralty, also addressed tho meeting. He said that he did not want to get credit through Mr Whiting's addresses. He wanted to be judged on his own performances. He might say that the policy of Mr Whiting in placing tho affairs of the borough unreservedly before the electors was tho policy of the present council, and would be the speaker's policy if elected as Mayor. He thoroughly endorsed what had been said by tho Mayor regarding the sound and favourable condition of the borough's finances. Addresses were also given by candidates for seats on the council, tho meeting concluding with votes of thanks to the speakers and the chairman.

In the Barrington Street Presbyterian Schoolroom last night, Mr T. Woods, a candidate for the Spreydon Mayoralty, addressed a large audience. Mr R. Nairn presided. At the conclusion of the address a motion of thanks was accorded the candidate, and the audience decided that it " had no confidence in the statements and figures of the financial position of the borough whioh the Mayor gave on Saturday night."

SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN

Messrs F. Burgoyiie, H. Hunter, J. M'OuUough and W. Millar, Social Decandidates for Sydenham Ward, addressed a meeting at theiiand Rotunda, Sydenham, last night. Mr T. H. Butterfield presided. The candidates dealt with the platform and policy of the party, and made an appeal for united support for the party's candidates for the Mayoralty, Harbour Board and Charitable Aid Board elections, in addition to the City Council. A vote of thanks to and confidence in the candidates was paased unanimously, on the motion of Messrs H. M'Oaw and W. Stuck. The Social Democrat candidates for the Linwood Ward addressed a large meeting at the corner of Wilson's K-oad and Charles Street last evening. Messrs H. F. Herbert, D. G.- Sullivan and J. M'Combs, M_P., the tTTreo candidates, dealt fully with the problems facing the municipality, anu at the conclusion of the addresses were accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, amid cheers

Mr W. Dobbs addressed a well attended meeting m the Waltham Hall last night, and had a good hearing. He was accorded a vote of thanks and an expression of goodwill for his return. Mr H. R. Rusbridgo was in the chair.

Mr E. Peek addressed meetings last night at Dickens Street and at Church Square, receiving unanimous votes of thanks and confidence at both meetings.

LYTTELTON MAYORALTY

ADDRESS BY MR, RADOLIFFE. Mr W. Radclift'e, a candidate for the Mayoralty of Lyttelton, addressed a large meeting of ratepayers and householders of the borough at the Excelsior Hall on Monday evening. Mr F. Coiomon presided Mr Radclift'e dealt with various matters touching the interests of tho borough, emphasising the- opportunities which had been neglected in tho past to the detriment of the ratepayers. The reading question and quarries were traversed at considerable length, the speaker advocating action by, the council in supplying the wants of tho borough by pushing on the erection of the orushing plant at the new quarry at Forester's. He urged that tho council should oomo forward at once and' undertake its share towards having tho deviation to the Zig-zag Road completed for traffic as soon as it was convenient for the Public Works Department to resume the work. On the question of increasing the gas plant and tho distribution of Lake Coleridge eleotrical power in tho port, the speaker urged that the council should give full consideration to the matter, and find which would be the most beneficial to the ratepayers. Personally, he was of opinion the council could manage both creditably. He touched briefly on water supply and the town's harbour settlement at Diamond Harbour. At the conclusion of his address Councillor Radcliffe answered a number of questions and was accorded a -vote of thanks. SPEECH BY COUNCILLOR COLLINS. A public meeting war. held in the Excelsior Hall, Lyttelton. last evening, for the purpose of giving the cundi-

I dates for Mayoral and liiuuicirv'l hon- ! ours an opportunity of expounding ! their views. The retiring Mayor, Mr I J. R. Webb, presided over an atitendj ance of about three hundred. | Councillor J. H. Collins, candidate for the Mayoralty, reviewed the recent developments for the improvement of tho water supply of the port. In regard to the deficiency iu the revenue account of the borough the speaker quoted figures to show that since tho outbreak of war the receipts derived from water supplied to shipping had decreased. The citizens, however, were deriving considerable benefit from the existing supply, a.s an adjunct to tha drainage system, for which they paid little. In regard to the municipality taking control of the supply of electricity, - be maintained that before increasing the existing gas plant full .consideration' should-be given to the Lake Coleridge scheme. It was his opinion that both would be necessary. The speaker dealt with the condition of the roads in tho port, and with the installation of a- stone crushing plant. At the conclusion he answered a number of questions. Councillor W. Radcliffe. the other candidate for the Mayoralty, also spoke briefly on the lines of his previous address. Councillors W. T. Foster, M. J. Miller, J. T. Norton, F. J Page, A. C. Schumacher, and the chairman, and Messrs T. Hempstalk, W. Toy, F. Coleman, C. Johnstone and G. E. Rich also delivered addresses. The speakers were accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

RANGIORA. The keen interest being taken in municipal affairs at.Rangiora was. evidenced by tho large audience at the Institute Hall last night, when the candidates for the council outlined their views. • The Mayor. Mr 0. I. Jennings, presided, and the meeting was opened with the. singing of the National Anthem. Of the sixteen candidates eleven—Messrs C. S. Avers, W. Blackett. H. Bovd, H. CobdenCox, F. B. Lane, W. M'Grner, W. J. Rouse, W. G. Rowe, W. Smith. H. C. Wilsou and W. G. Wright spoke briefly, there being no question of special importance before tho electors just now. High pressure water supply, a drainage scheme. Lake Coleridge electricity, a new town hall, cheaper gas and street improvement were the main points touched upon. Towards the end the meeting grew' somewhat lively. Reference was made to the fact of it being generally linderstood that certain of tbo candidates represented a Reform Party ticket and strong exception was taken by speakers and audience to the introduction of party feeling into municipal politics.