KARORI MAYORALTY

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5558, 8 April 1905, Page 9

KARORI MAYORALTY

Mil W. G. TUSTIN’S CANDIDATURE Mr W. G. Tustin, who is a candidate for the Karori Mayoralty, addressed a largo number of people in the Parochial Half, Karori, last evening. Mr C. Cathie presided. Air Tustin said that when ho was approached to become a candidate ho had no idea he hand so many friends. For a long time it had been his desire to reside in a suburb; and he could say now that there were thousands of business people in Wellington who would reside in Karori if they had the means of communication which would enable them to get to their places of business at 8 a.m. He had no. motive beyond a desire to participate in municipal politics in offering himself as a candidate on this occasion. The office ho sought was an honourable one. He had a lengthy business experience, had served on the Chamber of Commerce, was a. Justice of the Peace, and managing director of a financial society in Wellington. If the ratepayers were to got some sort of tram service to connect Karori with the city, they: required a man at the head of affairs who had some business knowledge. He did not say for one moment that the other candidates for the office were not equally capable—that was for the burgesses to say., He quoted instances to show that when ho discovered wrong ho went to no cud of trouble to have it righted. ■ Some months ago there was an opinion that the Borough Council was not using its best endeavours to bring about better means of communication. Personally he maintained that the Council had been lackaraisieal. and he had publicly accused it of sleepiness. It appeared to him that something was wrong when the second largest and the oldest borough of New Zealand was In the xmsition.it was regarding communication. He drew a picture of tho city and its surroundings forty years ago, pointed out how Brooklyn, Island Bay, Kilbirnio, and Miramar were progressing, and asked where was Karori? In point .of advancement it was behind all those ho had enumerated ! If they could get a business man at tho head of the Council—that man need not necessarily bo Mr Pearce or himself, or any other candidate—a, more progressive state of affairs would bo brought about. The fact that they had now a scheme for communication 'before the ratepayers was’ largely due to a ratepayer-—-Mr Stubbs—who called a meeting- Many ratepayers did not think they knew enough ' about the Lombard-Germ system of traction yet to decide on its adoption. -So far as he could ascertain, the feeling was pretty general. It was his. opinion, granting that the proposal would he shelved, that £ISOOO should be borrowed, and that the new Council should concentrate its attention on tho work of improving the grades, and widening the, roads. ■ This work would probably take six or p'ght months, and tho interval could be "used to make full inquiries about the Lorn-hard-Gerin system. If that was done, the roads would bo fit for motor-’buses, electric cars, ■or any other system decided on. He would bo prepared to act in the direction indicated if. ho was elected. Looking at the conformation of Karori, he doubted if any scheme that would please a majority would .ever ho carried. If’the roads were attended to he was convinced a company would he prepared to . come in and build ■. a tramway for what profit it cotdd make. He was averse to too free a use of private companies in. connection with municipal affairs, but where the ratepayers refused to do a thing themselves.'then, he said, they, were jusH •Ped in negotiating with a company. There should he no dog-in-the-manger, and-.he was not going to ■ rest—whether elected or not—until he had 'convinced tlie‘ ratepayers that they should allow some company’ to do what they would riot, do themselves, or until he had convinced. them -that. they were’ losing in progress, happiness, arid comfort; The facilities for the removal of household refuse 'were unsatisfactory. So far as water was concerned, lie. did not thiyjs tho Council was at present financaUy capable of adopting a comprehensive scheme. The’blatter would have to be Shelved for tho immediate present, but would soon crop up again. ■ The • proposal to acquire land for a recreation ground was a stop in the right direction. Hte disapproved the refusal of the Counci/ t-o allow ratepayers to plant (and care for) trees in front •of ’ their where the roads were wide enough. (Applause). . ; ' Replying to questions, he said lie was in favour:of improving tho postal service between Karori 1 and the city in fact, the time had now arrived yhen a postmaster should be appointed to the district. :

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to .the chair. ,