THE ELECTION OF MAYOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1117, 20 July 1865, Page 5

THE ELECTION OF MAYOR.

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Lnst night, Mr \V. W. Wilson, one of the candidates for the Mayoralty, addressed the electors in the Oddfellows' Hall, George street. Mr Shkkwin occupied the chair, and during the proceedings there were between 70 and SO persons present.

Mr WirsoN said be hnd not come forward so n;uch for the purpose of making a speech as for giving the electors an opportunity of asking him any questions which mi»ht fairly be said to have reference to the Mayoralty. lie did not consider that the Mayor should have any strong feelings in politics; hut the Councillors were the persons to whom they ought to look in this matter. As for the Mayor, they ought first to see that they got a thoroughly good and

rcspble peivon, one who \v,n capable of governing the Councillors, and, if the necessity arose, of giving his casting vote properly. If he were elected, and was ever called upon to give his casting vote, lie would tiivc it so as to be iv accordance with the wishes of the majority of the ratepayers, and for the btnetit of the town at large.—(Applause.) Duncdin was now entering upon an entirely new era in im history—the establishment of Municipal Government —the most important era which has occurred since the foundation of ihe Province. This was the iirt-t Municipal Corporation" established in New Zealand, and he hoped that the result oi the present election would be such as to reflect credit not only on this Province, but also on the whole Colony, and would be a guide and a pattern to nil future Councils. He trusted that the men who would be elected to the offices of Mayor and Councillors would be men of high character, who would fairly and honestly do their best for the interests of this great town, and then the ratepayers would receive something like fair play, and some real benefit would remit from the New Council. If he were addressing them as a candidate for the office of Councillor, he would speak •on the subject of loans, _and although

he did not consider that thia fell within bis province, he wished to state that he entirely differed from the opinion which had been expressed by Mr Mason on this subject at the hustings. He believed it was absolutely requisite to carry out the necessary public works in this city to have a loan; otherwise, the ratepayers would have lo put their bands into their pockets,, and pay very dearly for works for which posterity would reap the greatest amount of benefit. The first work for which a loan would be required was drainage ; and how could this be done without a loan, unless the citizens were very heavily rated for a few years ? If they had the loan, all they would be rated fir would be to pay off the interest He was not going to make a whole lot of promises, as some candidates had done. His respected friend, MrMacgregor, had promised all sort* of things, such as lots of dinners and dances for their wives and daughters, to open the ports, which had been open for some months pant —(Laughter)—and to do something or other to the squatting interest. He would make one promise, that if lie were elected, and any salary was attached to the oilice, he would spend the whole of it in charity.—(Applause.) A Mayor was always first called upon for subscriptions to charitable objects, and his hand should always be in bis pocket. (Hear, hear.) He did not wish a pefiny of the salary for himself. He was not going' to bc-pitter Mr Ma?on with mud, but he could not see that that gentleman had such very crreit claims upon the inhabitants of Dnnedin as had'been stated. He hal been jii this country nearly as long as Mr .\fn>on, and he only heard of that gentleman tartly. Mr Ma-on had spent much o! his tim<; ii» connection with ttie General (iovernment in the North, and he might be c:l!.-d upon again to spend considerable !>•-.! tions of Jsis time in Wellington, ,11c did not think, it cither desirable or necessary tiirit an architect should be Mayor of Dunedit).—(Hear, hear.) After some ohs'-rvations as to the Exhibition Building and the Cargill Monument, Mr Wilson said he would be -:cc:-nible at all times to the poor as well as to the rich. He might state that he had, since coming to Dunedin, taken part in many public movements, and had spent both time and money for the public go"d. lie did ii'tt begrudge anything he had done, for he felt it was the duty of every person who came to a new town to do all in his power for its prosperity. If elected to the office of Mayor he would work with all his energy for the benefit of the town. In answer to questions, Mr Wil;ou said he would have the Cargill Monument fenced in, or covered up, as the ratepayers wished—(laughter)—and the other part of the Octagon made a proper thoroughfare. He would use his intlucncc to have the L:J5,000 loan converted into v grant, which he thought was as lit;Io ai the Government could do for the city. He wna not yet in a position to pay that the Town Clerk's salary was too high ; but he would endeavor to carry on the works of the city with as little expense a a possible, compatible with efficiency. He would, appoint certain days and hours ii (lie week for receiving auy ratepayers who wished to see him on any matter whatever. As to the making up of the Assessment Kcll, he would see that honest and respectable men, in whom the community had confidence, were appointed an assessors, and he would have no objection if the assessors could be selected by the ratepayers.—(Applause.") He would endeavour to put down sly-grog selling; he would raise the loan for public works in the cheapest possible way; he was in favor of leasing the Town Belt, so as to make it a source of revenue; and he would use his influence to get an annual grant for the support of the Volunteer Fire Brigade. —(Applause.) Although the Education Tax was not a Municipal rate, and a matter with which he would have nothing to do

as Mayor, lie considered it a most objectionable tax, and would use his influence to get it abolif-hed.

Mr Thomas Bincii moved—"That Mr Wilson is a fit. and proper person to filr the ollice of first-Mayor of the City of Dnnedin."

Mr DtiTirii: seconded the motion, which was put to the meeting, and carried unanimously.

Alter a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting separated.