COUNCIL BY-ELECTION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 117, 15 May 1912, Page 5

COUNCIL BY-ELECTION.

MR A. CURRY'S VIEWS.

Mr A. Curry, who/with Mr 33. J. Gooke --as an opponent, contests the electioi: for Councillor to-morrow, , was interviewed by an Express re- * 1 presentat-ive to-day for an expression iof opinion on municipal matters. GASWORKS. * ■- 1 The -first matter touched,-.upon by Mr l;urry was the perennially debated question of thy profitableness of the municipal gasworks. He considered that there was a fly ml the amber suroewhere in the system of management, as the institution was I-not run as successfully as it might bo. A .gasworks was one of the best assets a borough could have,' and there was no reason whatever why ; tno local one should not be commen- ' surably us profitable as any other such institiition in any municipality in the Dominion. "If the system o? lighting now in vogue," said Mr Curry, "i.s such a success, and such a saving to the borough, the money should not be hoarded up, but expended in the extension of lighting to some of the back streets; many of which at present are badly in need oi: some 'kindly light.' " This question of the extension of the lighting system was one of great moment, and one which should arrest the attention j of the Council .without any delay. STREETS. Regarding the streets, Mr Curry stated that he was strongly of opinion that, among many improvements ne^cs&ary, an annual sum should'ho expended in putting down permanent concrete water-tabies and kerbing, so as to giv»any excess of water during vet weather a clear channel,, instead of its being blocked' as often happens with Ihte. gutters, as at present, ;_ If. biio system he proposed wore carried rait the work of making all the streets, in the boroubh up-toTdate in this re-. bpect would be gradually completed,, and the expenditure would not be heavy for any one year. It was a >york which Avas* of urgent necessity, and one which the Council 'would havel.o effect in the near future. -/With regard to the-"streets themselves, thepresent method of attention was ex : pensive a nd: inadequate. The bock sireets;' had * :Leen, sadly neigleoted in th<v pa^t, arid more" attention should be paid to. theii1 necessities.. As to metalling, if "the" Council could not lit' or.cc carry out A proposed scheme of (pstablishing a quarry, lie thought .It 'would.-: be advisable to experiment with some metal from the E levatibn oh. one of the streets where'the major"ity of the traffic converges, .say. "from the Gasworks to, the Blenheim's wi<arf. It would; Me • oiily an experiuient, but he thought it would be a' saccessfut one, as it would .give an. idea of if-o lasting- qualities of the metal, ahc?" woiiid furinish a fOiide as to .the cost of metalling "the reniamder of the streets^ ■ : • RESERPES; ' -;■;•■ •:■.- At present the Borough'had. a iramber of very valuable receives lying idle in the. heart of. the .town, wh/oh w.ere eysoi^s and pjicumbrances to the town. As an example of this Mr Oiury instanced the vacant reserve ■jontiguous to the Institute. This state oi" aifairs sliowld':'.not' obtain in any borough.- The reserves'iti qaesfion were valuable-"' 'biiileling sites, and if lea sod would bring; m a large rental.; In his opinion, they should be pub en tho market .for laase, and with any income derived therefiom a recreation ground could be purchased. Tike present Domain was a very suitable property for such a ground, ana he, "had no doubt that it : could easily be 23i'°CMV 8d should the .Council move in the. matter. The Railway Jiescrve should be' Kept as one of tliS "lungs"' -if the town, especially in the iinterests of fche Borough School children, whose playground.fit. present was far too siijall. This was a ground which the,j; Education Board shoiild secure:. . ■ THJIiJXfe'AINAGE SCHEME. h Mr Gurry signified his approval of the .sug^Wstioii of the Mayor tbafc a corngetfent- otigiiieer ..should.-, be ap-. .pcifated to manage the water and driiina^scljeine. Such aneriginer's ad'Viicc on all1 .matters incidental to the /sclicn>e' ;? .\v<iwld h& invaluahle." ;From "preWnt^ indications,, l^e stated, . the 'I'aylor ■ carried: .suffioient water—which,; bej it Said, was of;,the very. |ve..cte—tp; i supply the wants; of "the :t^'-Vu; %f in this -matter -figaui. the Co line il^)-. as. dependent on expert adTicie. ' $'f '-"' ■ • ' ■■■' ••■••■'■■ \; ■ ' ■;'• ■iJ"':s'■■ POST. OFEIOE..; ..ij... .v.. 'The'last matter cteal^ with: by Mr ; OuVry was. tho questidn of tlfe Post Olfice site, and he considered that the present site was the most central and convenient,-' nnd-'ariy pi vopositioii:"{f6r roiiioval would not , nxeef. with his approbation, should he 'be elected. In conclusion Mr; Gurry stated that:, his main- platform was to urge ,the' need of n.ove attention to .the outijdng parts of the Borough, which he considered bad not --received- their due rrieed of attention in the past. He wonld advocate more businesslike methods in connection with therunning of the gasworks, and expedition of ikeI■.watei; and drainage system on the best and most economical lines.