THE MAYORAL CAMPAIGN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8257, 13 April 1907, Page 6

THE MAYORAL CAMPAIGN.

CR. ESSEX AT THE OPERA HOUSE. Cr Essex, tho third candidate for the Mayoralty, appeared before the electors at the Opera House last e\'ening. There was a very good attendance both upstairs downstairs. Mr W. T. Wood, M.H.R., occupied the chair, and briefly introduced the speaker. . „ Cr. Essex, Avho was received Avitn applause, prefaced his address Avith an explanation of his candidature, stating that when he decided upon standing he Avas not aAvare of either the Mayor's or Mr Hurley's intention to contest the seat. He eulogised the treatment he had received from both the Mayor and Mr Hurley, and added that had he known either Avas going to stand he would not have opposed them. Still he hoped that the work he had endeavoured to do while in the Council would impress those Avhose votes he now solicited, and he promised that if he was elected, the dignity of the chair would not lose anything in his handsi Cr. Essex defended the practice he had followed during his term of office in personally inspecting all Avork and matters of interest in the borough, and justified it, though at the same time he denied that he had ever been animated by motives of mere curiosity. Cr. Essex also explained an incident that had occurred betAvcen him and Cr. Stubbs, in which the latter complain- | ed that in a letter to the "Standard"' he (Cr. Essex) had imputed to Cr. Stubbs conduct that Avas hardly straightforward. Cr. Essex said that the imputation was not intended, and he asked Cr Stubbs' pardon for the unfortunate inference. He also eulogised Cr. Stubbs' Avork as a councillor. Referring to the Opera House, Cr. Essex said that during the past year the loss had been £300, due greatly to the conditions and regulations the use of the building Avas surrounded with. He j had a scheme, and if elected Avould bring it into force, Avhereby the Onc-ra House could be converted into a'pavable institution. lie advocated" the extension of the library, Avhich he said Avas everything but a credit to the toAYii at tho present time. Ho dwelt upon the importanc of the building and advocated an expenditure of £1500 in enlarging the reading room and building a second storey. If money Avere received from 'Carnegie the lower portion of the building could be used for offices, Avhich Avould more than recoup the Council for their outlay. They Avould readily let as they Avere in close proximity to the Supreme Court. Cr. Essex condemned th" appeal to Mr Carnegie for assistant:-■ towards the library, describing the money thus given as "money wrum, from* tho Avorkeis Ly starvation. Avages." He advocated the further extension of the borough lamps, particularly in the sparsely populated streets, and, if elected, the question Avould receive his early and earnest attention. (Applause.) On the question of town reserves, he said they Avere amongst the most valuable in the colony, but unfortunately the revenue therefrom Avas very low. He deprecated the provisions of the Act preventing the leasing of reserves for building purposes, and if elected Avould take steps to have an Act passed providing for leasing frontages of reseiwes for building purposes. He expressed disapproval of the action of the Council in taking monies from the reseiwes account for the purpose of protecting the river banks. He thought the sports ground should be enlarged so as to be suitable for cricket and football, which the ground Avas greatly suitable for. Rc> advocated further ornamentation of the Esplanade, and referred to his past services in connection Avith the Esplanade. On the HokoAvhitn question Cr. Essex acknoAvledgcd tho difficulty of dealing effectively with the river, and referred to the decision of the Council to spend money in protecting the banks still left. Details Avere given of the protectiA'e Avork carried out

by Messrs Stace and S. It. Lancaster on the' opposite river bank, and he stated they had been very successful. He thought the work done by the Council at the river had been wrong from the first, and he condemned the action of the Council in bringing Mr Laing-Meason here to report upon protective steps to be taken, stating he would prefer the advice and experience of men acquainted with the river to that of any engineer. <. He ■eulogised in this connection the project of Mr C. J. Monro, as detailed at a meeting held some years ago on this same question, and which, he thought, would have been fully successful. Details were given of the mode of construction of the protective works at Hokowhitu, and he said, to his mind, the whole thing was a senseless proceeding. He quite failed to get the Council to agree with his proposals _ on the matter. He quite faile dto get the Council to see his way on the matter. He thought the ratepayers and residents affected should come forward and help the Council in its endeavour to protect private property. He was entirely in sympathy with rating the whole town to provide necessary money for the work, though, at the same time, it was the duty of the borough to protect the bank if possible. He thought this help .should be in the shape of dedication of necessary land to enable repairs being carried out when necessary, without always having to ask permission to go on the land. On the question of the Kawau, he said he did not pose as an expprt, but lie had common sense, and used it, and also his discretion. Work on this contract had been much delayed, for which he blamed the Council. It was only commenced when winter was ccming on, and it consequently meant extra cost as well as preventing the quick completion of tbo work. He expressed his disapproval of the plans and specifications drawn up, and explained his reasons for so doing,, they being technical in character throughout. An error had also been made in leaving the curves that existed just below Wood Street in the creek, and on his representations the Council had decided to do the necessary work, of course at extra cost, and he was now afraid that the loan would not hold out. He stated he had been _unsuccessful in getting the loan divided into three equal sums for the work, and he was now apprehensive that the greater sum would be spent upon the lower and Rangitikoi Street portion of the work, leaving very little for the upper portion of the Kawau. On the question of drainage he expressed the opinion that the borough did not get full value for the money spent, and he detailed incidents in connection with the prosecution of the work that h,'thought had led to increased expense. He had also endeavoured, be said, to get the Council to carry f from the main sewers to the build g line, and he quoted details shewing

how much cheaper it was to put in connections at the time -the sowers were laid than subsequently J A sum of £48 had been saved and the street finished at once by putting the connection from the sewers to tho building line in Campbell Street, and he was certain further sums would bo saved bv carrying out later work on the same line. Generally he was not in favour of day labour, but in this connection he was, though ho thought the Borough should pay.the same rate of wages as tho contractors. This was not done, and consequently the Borough was unable to get the best men, who preferred to work for tho contractors. On the question of sower connection and its cost to persons who were not financially able to bear it, he expressed the opinion that the Council should help the ratepayer, but unfortunately there was no money, owing to the Council having used the £3800 previously set aside for this work. He mentioned that the loan in which he had advocated the borrowing of £5000 for this purpose was lost, and on the next occasion the loan went before the ratepayers the Council refused to make provision in this direction. Ho said that the Mayor had refused at first to provide any money at all for this purpose, but eventually, as the result of discussion, £2000 was set aside for the purpose, though it could not co very far when it cost £20 for cacirconneetion. He thought further provision should be made for assistance in this connection, and referred to the number, of applications for help received by the Council m this matter. Mr Wood had suggested that direct help should be applied tor from Government, and Cr.Essex jaid ho would favour from £0000 to £/vaJU bein<>- got from Government it possible? thoso using the money, of course, waving interest, In \\ eliington he had ascertained similar assistance was granted from loans. He thought there would not be any difficulty in getting the money as under the* conditions unoei which it would be lent the whole of the money would be repaid in five vears. Loans from the general account would be too great, a tnx upon that account, and something else would naye to suluec, whereas provision could be made, m case of a Government loan, to return the money as it came in, thus saving interest. 'Referring to the abattoirs, Cr. Essex alluded to his previous efforts in this and he deprecated the action of the Conned in giving to a private company what should have been retained by the Council for the benefit of the town. The Mayor had taken a certain amount of credit for getting i rid of a nuisance because they could not make a profit. If they could 1 not make a profit, which was quite ' rue, they could reduce the cost of i production, and he referred to the i satiifaci-O' '. -'ng of the Feilding \ n'iautoirs. ' xie thought undo rexistin«- conditions the butchers were belter off than under the old conditions, and he thought that generally the Council should not have parted with the right to establish works. He supported the inspection of milk, also cows, ar.d said this was one of the reasons v, hy he considered the town should possess abattoirs, : because the inspector could attend to the above work after his duties at the abattoir were completed. He condemned the boiling down works at the abattoirs and the use of the works for the destruction of condemned beasts at the works, and alluded to the danger of beasts affected with tuberculosis being killed with the same instruments and on the same board as beasts for human ! consumption. He painted out that the Health Officers had previously condemned the proximity of the boiling down works to the alatttoir, and also mentioned the bad results of the drainage from abattoir upon the septic tank. He referee! to the satisfactory working of the tank prior to the erection of the works and the unsatisfactory results that had followed tho introduction of drainage from the v,\>:l:s. Ke was at the tank yesterday, and described the objectionable stale of affairs which he said existed. Tho caretaker was interviewed, and said the tank had boon disorganised in its working by poisonous matter from the abattoirs, and he did n-.y'c 'know that the position could be improved because connection of the abattoirs with the sewer was cornpulsozy. On the question of tho waterworks, he said he thought the lean of £26.000 could have been better spent than it was, and he referred to the alleged loss from cracked and broken pipes. He detailed steps taken at that time to deal with tho situation, and said he disagreed with the steps taken by the Council. He thought the contractors should have been charged with the cost of re-jointing pipes. He advocated duplication of the town reservoir, because he thought the town should not depend upon the supply from the intake. He pointed out the danger that arose from an interrupted supply of water in case oi fire, ' and for that reason thought a duplicate reservoir should have been made. Provision should also be made for the supply for* clean water during flood time, and for a caretaker's cottage at the reservoir, I which should have been included in the original scheme, and it was a detail that would have to be attended to in the near future. lie thought too much money was spent on four-inch mains, plugs, etc., in the outlying streets of the town, where two-inch mains would have : sufficed for years to come, and the Avork done Avas consequently wasted ■ money, especially in view' of the sparsely populated state of some of the streets. He advocated protective steps for the pipe line to Tiritea, which had also been supported by the Mayor. He thought the pipes on the reservoir hill should be J better protected than at present. They were fully exposed when they should be buried about 18 inches and there Avas danger fiom slips. He thought the surplus of £1000 in the waterworks account would not maintain the service for three months after full pressure Avas put on, Avhich it was expected Avould reach 1201b to the square inch, as against 701b now, and thus find out many Aveak points in the pipes laid. Yv'aterj mains should be laid in the ucav and Avoli-populated streets, and the Council' had shown criminal neglect in not laying pipes that were available, and on which the borough Avas paying interest People should mit be denied the necessities of life, and he thought having funds in hand necessary pipes should liaA'e been ordered at once. If these streets had been completed, the Avater rate could have been reduced. He condemned thepresent system of street maintenance, and thought contract work Avas cheaper than day labour. He said there had been a complete stoppage of public AA-orks as regards street ami path maintenance. As to gravel, the town Avas spending about £1000 on a tramway from the rh-er for metal carriage purposes, and there Avas no metal there. At present the Council paid £60 a \tar for tho rio-ht cf

taking metal from the river, and a charge of one. shilling was made for carters taking metal from that locality, but the permits issued were not sufficient to pay the wages of tho boy employed to keep a check upon tho metal carted away. He thought cycle tracks should bo placed on tho sides of streets (applause), and would endeavour to put Broad and' Fitzherberfc strict done during the present year if elected, and that without a tax upon cyclists. He approved of the purchase of smother horse and cart for the removal of rubbish, which lie .said had got beyond the two employed, so much so that it was questionable if tho three carts would do the. work effectively. Referring to mnnice, Cr. Essex said credit was due to Mr Hurley for the arrangements made in connection with the £6000 required for the erection of the Opera House, money at that time being remarkably difficult to obtain. Statistics were quoted showing rates payable during Mr Hurley's regime, and he was given credit by the speaker for the work done with the money available. He condemned the raising of tho rates by the Council last year, and thought the money available through the mistake made in valuations should not have been collected. It was, however,! 1 the money spent upon machinery which he thought would prove a white elephant, If elected, he would come before the ratepayers i with in two months and place a full statement of the financial position of the borough, together with public works proposal, before the ratepayers prior to the rates being struck for the year. Alluding to the staff, Cr. Essex referred to the refusal of the offer made by the Council some time ago to Mr Keeling, Town Clerk. Cr. Essex expressed his surprise at the refusal of the offers, and said it was absolutely necessary now that some change should be made. _ He condemned " unnecessary committee work, which had increased more during the past two years than ever before, and he also condemned the practice of holding committee meetings ifi the afternoons, when it was difficult for business men to attend. ; Cr. Essex said lie had been twitted with his support of the proposal in j connection with the use of tho Opera House by aspirants for municipal honours. He said the position was that the building was erected for municipal functions and reacreative purposes, it belonged to the people, and he was there in the interests of the people. (Applause.) He contended that in voting in the manner lie did at the Council 1m did nothing derogatory as a councillor. (Ap.plause.) Replying to questions, Cr Essex said that if ? elected he would not be in favour of remitting rates upon the show grounds. The matter had been strenuously opposed by him in the Council, and he thought it was wrong that the town should make good the £2GO the A. and P. Association should pay: he did not approve of persons voting upon a question in which they were financially interested; he would not vote even with the most remote interest, and the man doing so was unfit for a public position; he did not think discharged borough employees should be kept waiting for their wages, and the borough should treat workmen as contractors _ would ; lie was in favour of purchasing the abattoirs for the Borough at a price, that is, the price it would cost the Borough to erect necessary similar buildings: he was not in favour of laying 4-inch mains along sparsely populated streets; he was in favour of giving preference to married men upon Borough works; single men were not doing their duty to the Borough. —(Applause); he would endeavour to make the Opera House pay by amending the present cast-iron rules and regulations; if not elected, he would give information he thought would make the Opera House pay to the person elected; he had not objected to the rate of wages paid workmen

at tiie waterworks as tod high; he was in favour of raising it to 9s per day, and he Avas not in favour of boycotting a man upon borough work for asking for his money a day after completing previous Avork; he did not think he' could vote upon a question of removing the morgue because he Avas financially- interested in the neighbourhood; he Avas in favour of tho Council AvithdraAving the summonses against drivers for driving stock through prohibited streets oaving to' the representations made upon the subject, and also because the bylaws had been sprung upon the drovers; he saAv no reason why the P.N. Band should not play on Sunday as aa ell as the Army band; replying to a question as to the number of pipes laid in the seAvers being more than the Council had purchased, Cr Essex read the Engineer's report upon the subject (previously published) and in which it Avas aekuoAvledged that more pipes had been laid than purchased; he Avould.be in favour of reducing the license fee charged friendly societies' halls in town, the people using them being ratop: l ,vers Avhom the Council should meet in every Avay; a license fee of £5 Avas excessive; he believed that tho garage and Holben and Kirk's business premises in Rangitikei Street Avere connected Avith the seAVers by one line of pipes; he had voted in favour of Shailer's site for aba,ttoirs,_ but Avas not financially interested in the land; if the proportion of 25 per cent. of takings charged sports clubs Avas too high, then representation should be made to the Council, Avhich, hoAvever, had to make some charge; he thought loose metal should be blinded as soon as set doAvn; he thought municipal baths should be provided. The house numbers imported some time ago had been in the possession' of the Council for the past 12 or 15 months, hut it had been recently decided to use numbers in different streets. A number of Avorks placed on the estimates last year had not been carried out. and the overdraft consequently had not been sAvellcd by the expenditure of the amounts allotted for tho Avork. Details Avere quoted of several Avorks that had not been carried out totalling £2068, Avhich should be added to the overdraft at present, making it £12,008. He was not aware he had lent money to any contractor in Palmerston; he saAv no reason Avhy money due for A\ork done should not be passed every tAvo Aveciis; he was not in fa\"our of "loaning" the engineer to neighbouring local bodies; if he was paid £500 per year the Borough had a right' to his services; he was not in favour oi constructing a side walk on die pastern side of Main Street from too Square to tho Station; the steam roller was not a myth, but was recuperating; the placing of council-

lors' names upon the iron casting at the Tiritea Avorks did not cost anything, and consequently was not a waste of public money. On the motion of Mr Brett, Cr Essex was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, and in the opinion of those present he was declared a proper person to represent them as Mayor. The motion was carried with feAV dissentients.

A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting.