ONERAHI TOWN BOARD ELECTION.

Northern Advocate, 15 September 1914, Page 5

ONERAHI TOWN BOARD ELECTION.

A.D DRESSES BY CANDIDATES.

A meeting of householders and elecrors was held in the Onerahi Public Hall en Saturday evening. The meeting was convened by Mr E. X. Ormiston for tne purpose of affording intending candidates for election at the forthcoming poll for the Onerahi Town Board an opportunity ito place their views before the public.

Mr Holmes was voted to the chair. After expressing regret that only one member of the outgoing Board should be present, the chair, man called upon the candidates present to address the meeting- in order of rotation. Mr Ormiston was first on the list. The speaker explained his reason for convening the meeting. He disclaimed any trace of party feeling in the matter and stressed the need for united action on the part of all members of .the community. Unfortunately there had been a certain amount of bickering in. the past, but, at this crucial period of Onerahi 'history it Iβhoved everyone to sink all minor and ■personal disputes and to work earnestly for the public good. The electors had declared in favour of the loan of £1200 for roading purposes and with that and the £600 to be obtained for the , .erection of a new Town Hall, Onerahi would have, in the" near future, a considerable sum to be spent on public works. Much.' depended on the way the money was allocated- It behoved all t6 ensure its being spent to the best advantage. The speaker declared himself a staunch supporter of rating on unimproved values; and with the aid of figure's and instances set out on the 1 blackboard, gave an interesting and lucid explanation of the working of the new proposed system. The all-important question of. roads next claimed attention. By. the aid of a map, the speaker traced" the main arterial roads' 1 of the township, whiqh, in his opinion, should be at once cleared and formed,... He referred next to the subject of a water supply. At Limestone' Island, the services of n. diviner had been called in, and a plentiful stream of subterranean water lo- j cated."He thought that Onerahi'shoaid follow suit, and felt confident, from the geographical configuration of the ground, that it would "be possible to locate a source of supply that would obviate the distressing water shortage from which the town had suffered m the past during dry seasons. W'/h a reference to the necessity of enlarging the Onerahi jetty in the near future ;md the advisabjeness of securing, boUmes; the allocation of suitable scenic reserves, the speaker brought his address to a close. He represented no party. He had'no interests to sei-e in coming forward, but, from his long connection.-with Onerahi, his belief in its future, together with a determination to sink all minor differences, he thought he could serve the peop'e and the place. Therefore, he had come forward. It was for the people io say him yea or nay. - He placed himself unreservedly in their hands. (Applause). . Mr H. Going followed. He quite agreed with the policy as laid out by by Mr Ormiston, especially as regarding the crying necessity of roading. There were people in occupation of sections on which they' had bailr homes who had to struggle, by dev.'ous tracks 'through thick tea-tree, to reach their front doors. ' It'was quits time in the history of Onerahi that a forward movement was made towxids altering this state of things and putting the township in a forward state lo attract new settlers. He endorsed the 'previous speaker's remarks re tip necessity for sinking party feelings.and all pulling together for the comuion good. He hoped for the electors' franchises at thp coming poll. (ApplausM

Mr N. Munro, who followed, said little.had been left.for him.to say, thy; had not been better said by previous speakers. There was one point, however, Mr Ormiston had failed to sufficiently stress—the importance of ont road. He would point it out on the map. It was this one, marked in yellow. It led to his front door, and when they got the loan money, he could assure them he was going to battle.hard to have that road put in hand -first. (Laughter). For the Yes,! he heartily endorsed the policy as set forth by the candidates who had already addressed them. He hoped for a fair share of their votes on Wedues • day.

Mr J. Solom said he was more of a worker than a speaker, but if the electors did him the honour to ratuvn him at. the poll they might rely on his best endeavours to push Onerabl ahead and watch over their interests'.

A vote of thanks to the ret.ring board for the efficient manner Sir which they had filled the gap and conducted municipal affairs during the interregnum was moved and seconded by Mr Cochran and Mr Ormiston respectively , and was carried unanimously.

Mr Savage replied suitably on behalf of the retiring Board, and with a hearty vote of thank's to the c-hiarman the meeting closed,