ONEHUNGA INTERESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20242, 30 April 1929, Page 13

ONEHUNGA INTERESTS.

MANY CANDIDATES SPEAK,

COUNCIL AND HARBOUR BOARD.

BOROUGH WORK REVIEWED

A public meeting in connection with the municipal elections was held in the Foresters' Theatre, Onchunga, last evoning. The retiring Mayor, Mr. W. C. C'oldicutt, presided. The Mayor said that during the term of llic expiring council very difficult times had been experienced, mainly owing to the largo amount of unemployment in the district. However, lie could claim that they had done a larger amount of permanent work than any council in recent years. The footpaths had received an Immense amount of attention. Tho roads were mostly in poor condition, and he regretted that the ratepayers had rejected tho road loan proposal. A feature of the. year's progress was the improvement in tho recreation reserve, mado possible by the grant of £IOOO from the Patriotic Association, subsidised by the Governineit.

It was necessary to complete the drainago, and a loan poll would soon be submitted to the ratepayers. The refuse destructor had been a great success, both financially and .in promoting tho health of tho borough, He would like to see the war memorial-—the entrance to Jellicoo Park—completed, and ho hoped the new council would bo ablo to remove the difficulties in the way. Ho also hoped tho new council would carry out the proposal made at the borough jubilee celebrations to build a women's rest room to commemorate that occasion. .Mr. 11. Campling, chairman ot ihe Streets Committee, stated that during the first year of his term eight miles of footpaths had been formed and miles had been formed during tho second year. About £15,000 had been spent during tho two years in maintenance and repairs. Mr. K. A. Stoupo, chairman of th.e Waterworks Committee, and a candidate for tho Mayoralty, said thero was no danger of Onelmnga ever being short of perfect water, for in tho driest part of tho summer <est pumping of 62,000 gallons an hour mado no impression on tho well.

Mr. M. H. Wynyard, deputy-chairman of tho Harbour Board, reviewed tho progress niado sinco he was first elected to tho board in 1915, At that time the Manukau was tlio Cinderella of the twin harbours, but now there was a splendid concrete wharf at Onehunga. and good wharves at various parts of tho harbour. At present tho Manukau committee, of which hp was chairman, was investigating the possibilities of the Waiuku Channel and the utilisation of the Basin Reserve as a combined aquatic and sports area. Mr. E. Morion, deputy-mayor, and a candidate for the Mayoralty, advocated a policy of laying down permanent work.

Mr. C. A. McKendrick, a candidate for tho Harbour Board and the council, criticised tho policy of the board in many matters.

Addresses were also given by the new candidates for the council, Messrs. T. H. Gerahty, If. W. Mountjoy, A. C. Tonkin, J. rilkingtou and S. Vella, as well as Mr. Walter C. Hill, who is seeking reelection.

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to tho retiring Mayor and Mayoress.

MOUNT EDEN FINANCES.

CREDIT BALANCE PROMISED. Referring yesterday to tho criticism of the borough's finances by members of tho "people's ticket." Mr. E. H. Potter, retiring Mayor of Mount Eden, stated that the arguments had been based upon a suppositious statement of accounts for 1929. So far from such a statement being correct, it had not even been issued. Tho financial year 1928-29 ended only on March 31 last, aild the statement of accounts and the balance-sheet for that year had not yet been prepared by the treasurer. When they were available they would show, not a debit on tho year's working, as was erroneously alleged by a speaker at Saturday's meeting, but actually a credit balance.