MAYORAL CONTESTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7111, 25 April 1910, Page 8

MAYORAL CONTESTS

MR CRAWFORD'S CANDIDATURE FOR THE CITY. Mi- C. J. Crawford continued his mayoral campaign on Saturday night, addressing a meeting of ratepayers in tho Aro street Hall. Despite the unfavourable weather there was a fair Mr J. G. Richards pre-

Mr Crawford devoted a considerable portion oi his speech to the question of rates. Ho pointed out that there had been a gradual reduction during- the past nine years, but at the same time there had been a great rise in the valuations of the city, and in consequence tnero was more monev available from rates now than there was nine years ago. Ho expressed himself absolutely against any rise in rates, and if elected ho would do all in his power to reduce them. The public was now naying as much as it could afford. The council should at all times back up the city engineer when that officer expressed the opinion that certain things | siioultl be done. He was in favour of wood-blocking the city streets where tlie tralhc was very heavy. This policy Had been seriously criticised on the sporo of extravagance, but the City Council had endorsed it on numerous occasions. Although there was no wood-blocking carried out during the year Jus t ended, in othor years a certain amount had been done out of rates It was too much to take £.5000 l out of one year's rates for such work. Ho suggested borrowing £IO,OOO for the carrying out oi the scheme, tho money to be paid back within the lifetime of the blocks—a period of about fifteen years: There would thon be more monoy available for improvement of footpaths, lighting and other necessary undertakings wliioh the outlying districts'needed so badly. He had been very much misrepresented on this matter. The money "would be borrowed at 4 per cent and.there would be a sinking fund of 5 per cent., making in all 9 per cent, on tho borrowed capital. This would be paid back at the rate of £9OO a year and that would be far better than taking £SOOO out of rates in any one year and applying it to tho work at the sacrifice of other necessary improvements. It had been said that he was advocating a policy of increasing the rates and that meant increasing rents. Nothing was further from his - thoughts. Who was it, he asked, that went to Parliament two years ago and got a Bill passed giving authority to borrow one million of money for the Wellington Harbour Board? Tho power to borrow was given and what happened to the money. Mr Wilford was in charge of the Bill and in his speech introducing the measure he said he wished it was for another £660,000 to complete the policy of tho board—nearly two millions of money. A large amount of the money had been squandered. The dock had been started and the interest charge to tho port Was £16,000 a year. After Mr Wilford retired from tho chairmanship of the board the dues had to be increased to the extent of £17,000 a year, making in all £33,000 annually to be met out of the dues of the port. The shipping companies would not pay this huge sum out of their. dividends. The residents of Wellington and the surrounding districts would have to find the money. The shipping companies would increase their freights and this would be passed on to-the citizens in higher prices for food and commodities. He had not advocated any policy meaning an increase in rates, but there was direct evidence that his opponent had already taken those actions in public 'life which actually meant an increase' in the people's living expenses. He : criticised the City Council's Milk Control Bill and advocated a policy of inspection at the source of policy. Clearing houses were needed in the city where the milk could be kept cool until the carts came to, take it away. Mr Crawford touched on many other points on similar lines to recent speeches. In regard to "the MiramaT tail and the Barbour Board dog" he would refer to the matter fully in his next address, "and then I will show," he added, "that I am absolutely in the right and my opponent absolutely in the wrong." A vote of thanks and confidence was passed. THE EASTBOUTUSTE CONTEST. Mr H. W. Shorfct addressed the electors at McGuire's Hall, Roma Bay, on Saturday evening. Mr Kelly occupied the chair, and there were about sixty persons present. Mr Shortt said ho had first come to the district twenty-seven years ago and for the last sixteen years had lived ill the district. He had been a member of the council for three years. Ho did not agree wath the present Mayor that all the work had bean done in) Rona Bay. Russo street should be attended to and footpaths constructed in Orua' road, which was the most used street in the district. However, the ■first work that would have to be undertaken was the constnuottion of a'fpjotpath at the southern end of the district. The council was at present considering the advisability of acquiring the Rona creek to supply tho district with water. He did not think this was the best scheme, as there was not sufficient water there to supply more than half the present population, apart from tho fact that it was going to cost the borough something like £2OOO to buy out the water rights and purchase some eight acres of land from Mr Russo. ' The school commissioners would then have to he debit with, and as uhepy were not prepared to sell but would only lease for a term, with a right of a furthev term at a revaluation, the/ borough would not have a supply that it ooiild really «Ja!U its own. It would be a w>asto of money to put in a supply sufficient only for present needs, and then find later on that another loan was wanted to provide another scheme to meet the requirements of the district. " He'favourrjed tapping the Gollan's Valley stretum, which is om tho borough's own property and has a flow of some 200,000 to 300,000 gallons per day. This would necessitate a tunnel being driven through; thie hill, but it would give a supply sufficient for all time, and at a much less cost than the Rona Bay scheme.

I He had hoped that tho council would have been successful in locating (artesian water and lie had prepared a scheme whereby the miaobmetry necessary for pumping the wa.tcir could have been used for supplying the borough with electricity. The council had under consideration a scheme for el«rbric lighting: which alone would cost £2600, but nnrfer his scheme the machinery would have been used for both purposes and the total cost would have be'en £2770. Roferririjr to drainage, there was no doubt this would have to he on the septtic.tank system, out nothlns: could he done until a water supiplv had been obtained. A borough chamber f and . hall build-, int; was iw>w a necessity'. A hall 40ft by 80ft (of which tbe> candidftte submitted a plan), with stasro and council chambers, could ho ; built, furnished and lighted with i

acetylene gas for an estimated cost of £9OO. Such a building would be a source of revenue. The foreshore should be aoqutired. Prudent finance was absolutely necessary, and economy must bo studied in every financial undertaking, without subordinating the interests of tho district by following a penny wise and pound foolish policy. Something should bo done out of revenue each year in forming footpaths and doimg other necessary works, but rates must bo kept down as low as possible.

The candidate then referred to tho ferry servine. It was absolutely necessary for the welfare of the district that the ferry service should bo improved, and that could only be done by putting on extra boats and particularly a boat at might. If this were done tho permanent population of Eastbourne would be doubled in a very short time 1 . MEETINGS TO-NIGHT. Mr Wilford, Kclburne Ch-archroom, 8. Mr Crawford, St. Thomas's Hall, 8. Mr Townsend, Worser Bay, 8.