MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 978, 28 November 1890, Page 16

MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

MR A. W. BROWN’S ADDRESS.

„ Mr A L W> P/ own » a candidate f or IK. Mayoralty addiessed a meeting 0 f ' 1 payers at Smart's Central Fridlv There was a large attendance anH r< V ’ ciUor Smith was voted to the’ chafr C °Th B * Chairman briefly remarked that iutrodnnf; .f Mr Brow. ... h.rdly Brown, he added, was one who bis M Mayor and Councillor done good serves the city in the past, as he was preS do in the future. * * £* rea to Mr Brown began by expressing an opinion that any person who sought the tuff rsges of the citizens should address them fan! S face ; that was why he was there that to tell them his views and answer auyqu£ tions they might wish to put to him * a. J plainspoken man, he should tell them I,J (tp a piZ..)“ “* ”" a - -a!.)!

DRAINAGE AND THE MAYOR’S SCHEME He pointed to the vital importance of good drainage in any community, and mia that in the past few years the Corporally had spent something like £70,C00 in drainage. Probably a good deal of that had not been wisely spent, but it would be impossible for sush an amount to be expended without some considerable benefit resulting. Thev bad, for instance, the arterial drains of the city, which represented the £70,000 Re ferrlng to the Mayor’s manifesto, Mr Brown quoted the remarks of his Worship on the danger and bad results of draining into the sea, though he dapreoated the ‘•pUguestricken city” cry. Though ha (Mr Brown) was not an alarmist he must say he thought there was a great deal in this and that it was necessary to adopt remedial measures. Reviewing the history of Cor. poration drainage in this city, he pointed out that m 18S5 a drainage loan was not asked for b cause “ that obnoxious impost ” the rate under the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act had ju3t been levied. He rnigt t say here that he strongly disapproved of that charitable aid rate, holding that it eugbt to be levied on the whole community instead of on ratepayers only. (Applause.) On that occasion he did not see hi* way to putting a burden on the city for a drainage loan. Subsequently the citizens appeared to be willing to adopt a comprehensive scheme, and at the request of the Sanitary Reform Association he decided not to offer any opposition to the proposal for a loan which would be put to the ratepayers shortly. He admitted that he had changed his mind on the question of drainage. He had seen people struck down by what the doctors said were preventible illnesses due to bad drainage; aud he believed he could show that the city could get a good drainage scheme at a very much less cost than was generally believed. He referred approvingly to the work done by Mr Ferguson and Mr Guthbert in drawing up a report on drainage. That re. port provided a scheme for 75,000 people, which was a population the city would certainly have in time; and it provided for drainage of the whole portion of the city. Its third feature was that tbe outfall was beyond Lyell’a Bay, taking the sewage far away from the. populated portions of the district. The estimated total cost of the system, including interest, &0.,* was £7500 a year, and he might say in this connection that he knew from Harbour Board experience that Mr Ferguson’s estimates were miraculously correct, so that every confidence might be placed in this one. How then was this £7500 to be found ? The city for many years had spent £3OOO or £4OOO a year out of ordinary revenue for drainage, and if the new scheme were adopted that sum would be available. Then they had a revenue of £I2OO a year from water closets, which would be doubled under the proposed scheme. Sajr £2OOO was fixed as the sum, that would give £SOOO altogether. As for the other £2500 it would mean a rate of 2d in the £if it had to be found. Now, he did not claim to have any. heaven-born scheme of drainage without any fresh rates, but he believed it could he done. The charitable aid rate of 3d in the £ might, he thought, be reduced to Id, and he advised the people to insist on candidates at the Parliamentary elections promising to move in that direotion. Then there was a rate of 6d in the £ for interest on the city improvements loan, which was too much, for the interest account was already in credit £6BOO. Something might be saved out of that. Tha £165,000, when borrowed, would be lent to the bank at 5 per cent, which would mean a profit of 1 per cent on the unused portion of the money. For three years that 1 per cent would pay interest on such of the money as would be used in that period. There was a pleasant outlook about this drainage, whioh was that the yield of a penny rate would be very much larger six years hence than it was now. Six years ago the valuation was £229,000, now it was £311,000. Assuming the same increase for tho next six years at the end of that period the valuation would be £422,000, so that a penny rate whioh now yielded £I3OO would give £1750. In other words a l|d rate would, if it Were necessary, find the whole cost of working expenses, interest, eto. Having pointed out that Wellington would be more attractive with good drainage, Mr Brown added that this subject had got beyond City Council discussion now—it wa* before th* ratepayers and would be submitted to them in a poll about January next. Some people objected to power being given to rate up to 6d, because they thought the maximum would be reaobed. (Hear, hear.) Well> was it known that the Council to-day w** rating up to 2s 9d, when they had poW6r to go up to 4s 8d ? He assured the ratepayers that the Council would not unnecessarily increase rates; councillor* had to p»7 rgtes tbemselve*, and would

c ' interest in keeping If'* il mn aa other people. (Seer, hear.) » to the Mayor’e scheme, he said it K r^d g c»refal consideration. It was -l end ia some respects, startling. As *V h i -nropossl for a State guarantee, the » papers said the city vould not get n Perhaps no* 5 bat t!iere wero reaßoDa they should get it. In the country • y.friote they had, in the Loans to Looal n'jii. *-I and other measures, assistance -®°r* the Government, so that there was a ' t of differential treatment of town and That was a precedent, and another C °nld be found in what was done for the Sdbeurne and Sydney waterworks by the l '*“ ec tiye Governments in the way of 'absliie*- The argument that the Corpora>i2>b should not be a money lending concern Sid' hot quite apply, because the money would be handled by the Trust Comaimionera. In any oase it was a question of degree, since tbe corporation already had money' held in the same way, except that they paid for itthe same interest as they got for it. He regretted that the Mayor did „ 0 t briog down these proposals while be ffM ; n office; but ho warmly commended the scheme to the careful consideration of lie burgesses. (Hear, hear.) PRIVATE STREETS. \Vith respect to private streets, he thought people who had land abutting on inoh streets suffered considerable hardship. Ho maintained now, as he had always done, that the Counoil should take the control of and responsibility for every street in the city, and ss they had now a Council which was disposed to take a liberal view of the matter, be urged all ratepayers concerned to take the necessary formal steps to have the streets taken over. If elected he should see ; that hip views on this subject was earnestly Impressed on the Council. (Hear, hear.) THE CONTRACT SYSTEM. . The idea of the late Councillor Seed (who would have been a most nseful man to the city if he had lived) was to have all work done on the contract system if possible. He (Mr Brown) was not sure that the system was a success, though he thought it ought to be given a further trial. Street watering, for instance, cost £560 formerly, as againat £620 under a contract. [A voice: And it isn’t as well done.] Scavenging cost £1260 under coutract, as against £9SO. [A voioe: There are four men employed now, and the Counoil only had two.] Mr Brown said be simply mentioned these things to show that the contract system was not a saving one, and might be abandoned. LIGHTING. Wellington was now the best-lighted city in the Austra’asias. The electric light system, though it did not involve increased expenditure, was a terrible drain on the water, for the Company were using more vater (a third more, it was estimated) than they oiiginally stipulated for. That was the trouble between the city and the contracting Company, and on account of it the lighting of the city was interfered with. Lights that were wauted in various localities could not be given for that reason. Nothing binding seemed to have been agreed upon, and the'whole thing was in a glorious muddle. However, the subject was being brought to an issue now, for the Council had slopped the money, and the Chairman of the Gtticher Company was coming oat to try and settle this and other, matters. CEMETERIES. He maintained that owing to the peculiar conformation of tho city they would have to have two cemeteries—one at each end of the nity. A project to that effect was frustrated reoently, and that was why he had sup. ported one new cemetery in a central position. Replying to an interjection from . someone in the audience, Mr Brown said he believed in oremation. which wonld come before they were muoh older. (Applause.) THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. Touching this question, he pointed out that before a loan could be raised for the Library, they would be hampered by the provisions of the law, which regulated the polls to be taken on the advisableness of raising loans. He need not say anything of the advantages of a public library, exoept that Wellington was suffering for want of such an institution. (Hear, hear.) He hoped that when it was established some of the monied people wonld follow Sir George Grey’s example and assist it. He admitted the importance of a town hall, but thought • that such a thing as drainage should come before it. While he regretted we had not a town hall he Bhonld not advocate it until we had good drainage. But he did think a public library was almost aB necessary as drainage. (Applause.) the HARBOUR BOARD AND THE STRIKE. The Btrike, in his opinion, and in the opinion of others, had been a mistake, and no one could regret it more than he did, knowing of instances where men had had to mortgage their property and lose their positions, and women had had to go and beg for bread, all because of this strike. There was never a more foolish strike than this. But he thought the Harbour Board should show every conciliation to men with families, though be would not have the slightest

injustice done to the free labourers. (Hear hear.) - He made these remarks because the Mayor had to sit on the Harbour Board and deal with such questions as the one he was referring to.

ECONOMICAL ADMINISTRATION. He believed the Corporation staff was efficient and not overpaid, and that there were no drones in the hive.

A voice: Don’t you think they are well paid? ■ s-

Mr Brown did not think they were over, paid, and one man, he knew, was not paid enough. It very frequently happened that the ratepayers themselves prevented economical administration, because they were continually agitating for works in their own streets. Wards prejudice was also a bad element; and he would strongly urge the ratepayers to take s. broad and general view of these questions, and to recognise that if rates were to be kept down some works must be refused.

BRIEF MENTION, Mr Brown referred briefly to the satis, factory work being done by the Destrnotor, and admitted that he was mistaken in opposing it at the outset and generally the city debt was not larger than it was ten years ago. which was duo to the difficulty in getting loans by the legislation affecting such proposals. The city was progressing very satisfactorily. He objected to the Mayor’s proposal to sell now the buildings on the reclamation ; and he did not consider it necessary to do anything yet with respect to the disposal of corporation leases. Mr Brown concluded by pointing to the great prospect in front of Wellington, and urging the citizens to do all they could to its advancement. (Applause.)

QUESTIONS. In reply to a question by Mi C. W. Smith, Mr Brown said that the upkeep of the present drainage was very little ; what he had meant in dealing with this question was that £3OOO or £4OOO a year was spent annually on drainage, new works, &c. Mr Brown said, in answer to other questions, that the Council had power to change objectionable names of streets. He was not in favonr of bringing the Contagious Diseases Aot into force here. He did not anticipate any difficulty in the future about getting an ample water supply. Mr Walter Hill asked, on behalf of the Knights of Labour, whether Mr Brown would be in favour of altering the incidence of municipal taxation so as to put a tax on giound values.

Mr Brown said that meant a frontage rate. He had already supported Councillor Petherick’s propoial to that effect, and would support him in endeavouring to get a Bill passed through Parliament for the same object. (Applause.) Answering farther questions Mr Brown said he did not think there was any ohanoa of a reduction in the price of water. He was in favour of railway extension to Newtown, and to Island Bay if possible. He believed that householders ought to be given a vote in municipal matters. He favoured early closing, but declined to give an opinion off-hand as to whether he would be in favour of bringing the Factories and Shops Bill into force in Wellington. Mr James Brown moved, and Mr William Price seconded a vote of confidence in Mr Brown as a fit and proper person to occupy the Mayoral ohair.

This was carried by acclamation, and tho meeting was concluded with the usual com* pliment to the ohair.

RESULTS OF THE POLLS.

' WELLINGTON. Though there was very little excitement on Wednesday over the election as to who should be Chief Magistrate for the city of Welling, ton for the coming year, 1566 votes were recorded, and the number of ratepayers who voted exceeded that of any previous Mayoral election. Both the candidates—Messrs A. W. Brown and C. F. Worth—were busy during the greater part of the day looking after their respective interests, and everybody anticipated that when the “numbers were up” there would be very little difference between them. The poll closed at 6 o'clock, and exactly an hour afterwards Mr James Ames, the Returning Officer, declared the resnlt of the poll as follows : A. W. Brown ... 927 C. F. Woith 639 Majority for A. W. Brown 288. When the poll was made known there were under a dozen ratepayers present. ONSLOW. There was considerable interest taken in the Mayoral election for the newly-formed borough of Onslow. Shortly after 6 o’clock Mr McLean, the returning officer, deolared the result of the poll as follows: W. Littlejohn 80 A. Cameron 55 Majority for Mr Littlejohn 25. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.) Masterton, November 26. Mr C. A. Pownall was elected Mayor of

Masterton to-day, polling 113 votes, against Mr John Hessey 96, and Mr G. S. W. Dalrymplo 6. Muoh interest was taken in the election. Palmerston North, November 26. The following is the result of the Mayoral election Snelson, 209 ; Abrahams, 60.

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Blenheim, November 26. Mr G. Houidsworth was to-day re-elected Mayor of the borough. Greymouth, November 26. The following is the result of the mayoral election :-- A. Matheson, 192 ; W. B Kettle, 139. Christchurch, November 26. Councillor 0., M. Gray was elected Mayor of Christohuroh to-day by 665 votes against 492 polled by Mr S. Manning, the retiring mayor.

Wanganui, November 26. Councillor H. Nathan was to-day elected Mayor of Wanganui, polling 208 against Councillor Hatrick’s 189. Invercargill, November 26. The Mayoral eleotion. at Invercargill re. suited in a decided victory for Mr W. ,H. Hall, who polled 90 votes more than his opponents’ combined. Th 6 numbers were Hall, 252 ; James Mackintosh, 140; W. H. Mathieson, 230.

Dunedin, November 26. The Mayoral election to-day resulted in the return of Mr John Carroll, who polled 1051 votes to the 561 polled by his opponent, Mr M. Sinolair.

Nelson, November 26. At the Mayoral election to day the contest was very keen, Mr Francis Trask, an old Councillor, defeating Mr A. Pitt by nine votes.

Hokitika, November 26. Mr Joseph Mandl has been elected Mayor of Hokitika.