THE MAYORALTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22563, 6 May 1935, Page 16

THE MAYORALTY

MR MARLOW'S CANDIDATURE Despite the bitterly (told weather, there was a fairly large attendance of ratepayers in the Coronation Hall; Maori Hill, on Saturday evening, when an address was given by Mr J. J. Marlow, who. is one of the candidates for the city's mayoral chair. Mr O. Balk occupied the chair. Mr Marlow first dealt with Waipori, and said that it was the largest profitearning department controlled by t tho city, contributing £16 f 384 to the relief of rates. He had taken a leading part in opposition to. the sale of the works, to the Government, believing that tffe citizens would be foolish to part with their heritage; and, when the wisdom of linking up with Waitaki as an additional safeguard was recognised, he had been associated with negotiations which brought about a reduction of £61,750 over the first five years of the contract with the Government. The department was now in a position to offer concessions that were not practicable till the linking up with Waitaki was in sight. Speaking of the proposed housing scheme, he said that the council had under consideration a proposition for buying up a congested area, pulling down the old buildings, resubdividing, with provision for wider streets and a central playground, and rebuilding some 50 or 60 better class houses. Estimates were now in the course of preparation for dealing with the Water of Eeith and Lindsay's Creek, and it was his intention to ask authority to borrow £60.000 for theae works, which would provide work for 150 men for two years. The Dunedin Tramways Department, said Mr Marlow, had the only system in New Zealand retaining the Id fare and yet showing a profit. Christchurch, with a Labour board of management, had been compelled to levy a tramways rate to offset the loss on that system. At least four new cars, with the same equipment as the Takapuna cars possessed, should be put in hand at once. That would mean additional comfort to the passengers, and give employment to many men. Mr Marlow was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence at the conclusion of his address.

ADDRESS BY"MR BLACK Mr R. S. Black, a candidate for the city mayoralty, addressed a large audience in the Albany street Foresters' Hall on Saturday night. Mr Black criticised the action of the City Council in devoting £38,000 from the profits of the trading departments to the promotion of new works. That money, he said, could have been used to much better advantage if it had been devoted to the purpose of restoring the cut in the employees' wages and in relieving the burden of rates. Referring tt. the Deep Greek water scheme, Mr Black said the work could have been carried out much more cheaply if a subsidy had been stmght from the Unemployment Board. He also criticised the manner in which the contracts had been let. A Dunedin contractor, He said, had submitted a" tender which the City Council considered too low, but, instead of offering him a higher price and keeping the money in Dunedin, the council let the contract to a man from Winton, who brought a number of men from Winton to help him in the work. " The action of the council was bad economics and bad business," he said. "Our money should be spent here at all times." Mr Black was not able to finish his address on account of a rowdy element in the hall, and closed the meeting abruptly.