MR WILSON'S MERTING.

Otago Witness, Issue 712, 21 July 1865, Page 7

MR WILSON'S MERTING.

On Wednesday Mr W. W. Wilson, one of the candidates for the Mayoralty, addressed the electors in the Oddfellow* 1 Hall, George 9treet. Mr Shebwin occupied the chair, and during the proceedings there were between 70 and 80 persons present. Mr Wimon said he had not come forward so much for the purpose of making a speech as for giving the electors an opportunity of asking him any questions which might fairly be said to have reference to the Mayoralty. He did not consider that the Mayor should have any s'rong feelings in politics ; but 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 respectable person, one who was 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, he would cive it so as to be in accordance with the wishes of the majority of the ratepayers, and for the benefit of the town at large. — (Applause.) Dunedin was now entering upon an entirely new era in its history — the establishment of Municipal Government — the most important era which has occurred since the foundation of the Province. This was the first Municipal Corporation established in New Zealand, and he hoped that the result of 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 all 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 i 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 result 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 this fell within his 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 to put their hands 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 for 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, Mr Macgregor, had promised all sorts 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 past — (Laughter) — and to do something or other to the squatting interest. He would make one promise, that if he were elected, and any salary was attached to the office, 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 his pocket. (Hear, hear) He did not wish a penny of the salary for himself. He was not going to bespatter Mr Mason with mud, but he could not see that that gentleman had such very great claims upon the inhabitants of Dunedin as had been stated. He had been in this , country nearly as long as Mr Mason, and he only heard of that gentle-

! man lately. Mr Mason had spent much: j of his time in connection with the General' Government in (he North, and he might be called upon again to spend considerable portions of his time in Wellington. He did not think it either desirable or necessary that an architect should be Mayor of Dunedin. — (Hear, hear.) After some observations as to the Exhibition Building and the Cargill Monument,, Mr Wilson said he would be accessible at all times to the poor as well as to the rich. He might state that he bad, since coming to Dunedin, taken part in many public movements, and had spent both time and money for the public good. He did not 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 Wilson said he would have the Cargill Monument fenced in, or covered up,, as the ratepayers wished — (laughter) — ands the other part of the Octagon made a proper thoroughfare. He would use his • influence to have the L 35.000 loan converted into a grant, which he tr ought was as little as the Government ( ould dj for the city. He was not yet in a position to say 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 as possible, compatible with efficiency. He would appoint certain days and hours in the week for receiving any ratepayers who wished to see him on any matter whatever. As to the making up of the Assessment Roll, he would see that honest and respectable men, in whom the community had confidence, were appointed as 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, he considered it a most objectionable tax, and would use his influence to get it abolished.

Mr Thomas Birch moved — " That Mr Wilson is a fit and proper person to fill the office of first Mayor of the City of Dunedin."

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

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