THE MAYORALTY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8682, 16 March 1914, Page 2

THE MAYORALTY

AIR AIcLAREN’S CANDIDATURE

On Saturday evening Mr D. McLaren, as a candidate for the Mayoralty, addressed an audience of 400 or 500 people at Dixon street corner. Mr McLaren dealt with the questions of tramway administration and the need for the establishment of a public market. He outlined a manner of dealing with-the matter of housing conditions by a settled policy and from a special fund earmarked for the purpose, so that the problem might be grappled with in a serious, businesslike way. “Much of Te Aro flat is a big estate that is a blot upon the city, with its congested alleyways, and I am for bursting up this big estate and letting more light and fresh -air into the people’s homes,” said the candidate. He was in favour of city beautification, but not only in respect to parks and reserves. The houses in -which the people lived, where the women spent most of their time and where the children were reared, must be considered in any true scheme of city beautification. In connection with the tramways lie maintained that it was sound business to create a renewal fund as was done during his term of office. This fund now amounted to £IO,OOO and necessary renewals of the track could be undertaken without seeking a loan for that purpose. He submitted that any man who aspired to the high office of Mayor should have served some apprenticeshin in local government work. His record was that in 1899 he entered the city Council on a vote of 3210. Commencing at the bottom rung ofLthe ladder, ho had gone steadily up until at last election he polled nearly 9500 votes. At last election Mr Luke heat him in fifteen booths, and he had a majority in seventeen booths. It was the commercial class who beat him. Many of the commercial people, he thought, had been swayed by Air Luke’s show of dignity. It was said that second thoughts were best and he was giving the people an opportunity to revise their judgment of last year. Air AlcLaren received a good hearing and was cheered at the conclusion.