MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10883, 25 April 1921, Page 5

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

MAYORALTY AND COUNCIL CAMPAIGN CONTINUED BY YAR- * IOUS CANDIDATES. MR YP RIGHT AT NORTHLAND. Mr R. A. Wright held a meeting on Saturday night at Northland the Methodist schoolroom. The building was well filled, and Mr S. E. Lambert was voted to the chair. Mr Wright said that Northland mid numerous complaints against the Council, but in this respeef .s was by no means alone. In each the sul>ur*bs it was thought by the residents that thev were morb neglected in municipal matters than the rest of the community. tip admitted that urgent works were necessary all over the city, but the council had been powerless owing to obvious difficulties. He pointed out, however, that Northland had not been entirely overlooked- During the year just ended the council had expended the sum of £2329 in the Northland district- This money had made possible the formation of ilton road, forming, kerbing and channelling Northland road, and repairs gen-, erally to the main Karori road. Ho only quoted these figures to show that something had been done. He had been -asked to promise that the outlying districts should he served with a single line of tramway before any more sections of the line were duplicated. He could not so promise because the council had promised that certain portions of the line were to be duplicated as soon as possible. As a matter of fact promises of this nature had been made by -the council years ago. and so far had not been redeemed. The question of burials on the Northland side of the cemetery had caused considerable consternation. As it was clear that a former council had promised to preserve this section of land from burfals. the cemetery committee last week decided to respect the promise originally made, and had given instructions accordingly. He recognised that the residents hud done a great- deal to Tmprove the reserve which the council nad purchased, and he had no doubt tne reserves c-cnimittee would complete the work as soon as funds were available. Mr Wright made a strung appeal to his friends to take an active interest in the election. An idea prevailed that he would win easily. xie warned them of the danger of over-con-fidence ; the Official Labour candidate would record a heavier poll than woe generally supposed. On the motion of Captain Mocindoe, seconded by Mr H. J. Sttott, a vote of confidence in Mr Wright was carried amidst applause. Councillors Forsyth, W. H. Bennett ana Mr Underwood also addressed the meeting. Mr R. A. Wright will deliver a short acHTrees at the Concert Chamber tomorrow evening. Several other dates will also speak. THE LABOUR CANDIDATE. AIR P. H. HICKEY’S CAMPAIGN. On Friday and Saturday evenings Air P. H. Hickey addressed large meetings in support of his candidature tor The Mayoral tv. In referring to the statement that Air Wright had made to the effect that the Labour members of tne council would rule by caucus, the candidate said £hat Air Wright's party in the House of Representatives frequently met in caucus, but so far as was known Air Wright had never protested, but had, on the contrary, participated in them. Air Hickey quoted Viscount Bryce as having said that where a number of representatives were elected to a public body and were all in agreement with a common policy frequent conferences or caucuses were not only unavoidable but necessary. Every elector would readily realise that the position as stated by Lord Bryce was inevitable, even Air Wright himself accepted the principle regarding national affairs. Air Hickey appealed to the audience not to allow any extroveous elements to enter into the campaign. He urged that the campaign should be confined to the issues submitted to the electors by Labour. i.iio tone of certain advertisements, and the "appeal made in them, indicated, so the candidate declared, that, there were sinister forces at work feverishly attempting to stampede a section of the electors by raising questions quite outside the campaign. Air Hickey requested that it should be remembered that this was a political issue and should be fought as such. The candidate emphasised the point that -uose who stood for thing» as they are were quite logical in opposing Labour, but those who desired a change jad no other choice than to support ±l3 colleagues and himself. Air Hickey concluded by urging all electors, irreective of what ticket they intended so support, to go to the poll so that a thoroughly representative vote would oe cast. MR F. MEADOWCROFT. Air Frank Mea do weroft announces that he is a candidate for the City Council. As New Zealand manager for Messrs Cadbury and Company, he has p rover his ability to run a big business successfully. He is at present chairman of the Society for tne Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, president of the Wellington Bowling Centre, president of the Kelbura Ratepayers’ Association, and a member < f the Licensing Bench. Electors aoe invited to vote for Aleadowcroft, a tried and proved business man of 30 years’ stamfing ir the city. MR A. W. PARTON. A GOOD ROADS POLICY. On Saturday, at the Karori Council Chambers, before a well-attended meeting, over which Air J. Burns presided, Air Parton continued h* campaign for municipal honours. Dealing with the aspect of so many candidates going to the poll and the claim of a certain section that none but their own nominees can represent them, he maintained that every other candidate could and would fitly represent the whole body of electors, and that it was the duty of everyone to vote, and vote intelligently, so that a council would reach office who could be relied on to conduct the affairs of the city on right lines. Air Parton stressed the need for a comprehensive good roads policy, for only by securing good roads could a city progress a* wat* its due. Considered either for the man getting to his work, the child to school, the woman to her shopping or social activities (which should be encouraged), or for the carrier, motor, or wagon, a good road was of vital importance. The opening up of sew suburban allotment©, for our growing population, and in many other ways, was a good roads policy, one of Hie greatest assets, to a community, and to attain this the candidate considered that the city engineers department should be remodelled and the ability of every officer would receive

due attention, ‘and, finally, it may be advisable tiy “et up a public works board to dec’ido many questions of tho city requirements and their respective urgency, Mr I’.ii ton v. ill address the electors at the l oucei't Chamber ou Tuesday night. MR R. W. BURBIDGE. THE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE. Mr R. A\t Rurbulge, the independent candidate for the council, speaking at the meeting hold by Mr Wright at Rosaneath, stated that tho first plank in his platform was good drainage, water supply, and reading for the outlying districts, referring particularly to the needs of Karori and W ados town in this respect. lie considered that the erection of more conveniences! for men and women and public rest-rooms for women and children, were imperative, and should receive immediate attention. As a business mun, he recognises the necessity for caution and economy as applied to the trading departments of tho city, but thought that economies eoukl be effected by better management. After touching on the question of the site for the new power-house, Mr Burbidge expressed it as his opinion that a manager should be appointed to control tho tramway department solely. Speaking with regard to tho Harbour Board, for which Mr Burbidgo is also a candidate, he advocated tho elimination of practically the whole of the casual labour at present employed and the appointment of a largo permanent staff, the ultimate effect of which would be a more efficient service at less cost to the community. and at least one body of labour well satisfied with their working conditions. At tho close of the meeting, Mr Burbidge’s name was included in a vote of confidence, and the hope expressed that tho electors of Wellington would support him at tho poll. PETONE MAYORAL ELECTION. HUTT-PETONE GAS DISPUTE. Mr Joseph Piper, who was chairman of Mr Me Ewan’s meeting at Petone, write® a® follow.-:—“Sir,—l notice in your local column a reference to the Hutt-Petone gas dispute, in which you credit Mr McEwnn, in his address to the electors of Petone, with having said: (1) That Petone could not produce gas for sale at less than per 1000 feet; (2) that as an act of charity (?) Petone had offered gas to the Hutt at 10s 8d per 1000 feet; and (31 that Petone was actually Imdng £BOO per annum on gas sales to tho Hutt County. Please allow me to •ay that Mr J. W. McEwan did not •ay any of these things. And in justice to the Mayor, who is seeking reelection, may I ask you to kindly publish what Mr McEwan did say. Dealing with the report as to the cost of erecting gasworks in the Hutt borough, Mr McEwan said: Taking into consideration interest at fr per cent, on estimated cost of erecting works (£64,000) distribution, and manufacturing charges, depreciation, and overhead costs, he could not see how the Hutt borough could make gas at less than 13s per 1000 feet; (2) that Petone had offered to sell gas to the Hutt at 6» 3d per 1000 feet; (3) that Petone was losing £BOO per annum on its gas sales to the Hutt borough (not county).” “ THE BLUE TICKET ” CANDIDATES SPEAK AT KARORI. COUNCILLORS. Councillor John Burns presided at a well-attended meeting held at the Karori Borough Council chambers on Sat- i urday evening, under the auspices of the Karori Progressive Association. | Councillor T. Forsyth, the first I speaker, dealt chiefly with the finances j of the city, stressing the soundness of j the position and denying that thor’e was j any such big deficit as Mr Hislop had I contended He. recommended all to vote for the “blue ticket,” the 15 candidates approved by the Greater Wellington Central Committee. Mr S. H .Underwood, who followed, outlined his'Teasons for offering himself as a candidate for civic honours, the[ principal reason being that he had j ample time to devote to committee! work, and could take a good share of ■ it without interfering with his private j affairs. He was also standing, he I stated, for the Hospital Board; and he J emphasised the necessity for having! men of basin4es experience on that [ body, owing to detail and office work they had to attend to. j CbnJncillar C. B. Norwood strongly urged the electors to support the whole I of the “blue ticket”; and stated that! he also was standing for the Hospital Board, to which it was most important that good men should be returned. He j admitted that Mr Morton had a great j deal of work to do; bolt pointed out i that the city engineer possessed a most valuable faculty for the position he held, in that he was a strong man and no wire-pulling could ever get at him. Councillor John Burns said that the Karoori Progress Association was only doing its duty in endeavouring to introduce the candidates on the ‘‘blue ticket” to the residents of Karori. He strongly urged them to vote, not only for the Karori men, hut for the whole ticket, which was supported by the majority of the existing City Council, and by the Sports Protection League, the Women’s National Association, the Women's Town-planning Association, and various other bodies representing the ratepayers of the different districts. More direct transit, he Urged, was needed in the best interest of the Karori district. The, council, he held, should acquire the 'Kelbum tram, and extend the line to tho Karori tunnel. In the meantime, however, ho favoured a motor-bus service to run between the tunnel and the Kelbum cut, which would reduce tho time now taken to reach the city by 10 minutes at least, and relieve the present congestion on the Karori cars, particularly a t tho peak hours. Mr Burns advocated sound finance, and the putting of essentials first in the matter of city development —the extension of the water supply, improved roads, and city lighting, town-planning, workers’ homes, cheaper fares to the outlying districts, and the extension of the workers’ tickets from 8 to 9 a.m., tho development of seaside resotts, a tramway board of management, more direct routes to both the eastern and western suburbs, and more playgrounds for the children. Mr A. W. Part on addressed the meeting and enlarged on the progressive policy he had outlined.