PUBLIC MEETING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 887, 11 September 1879, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

The public meeting of ratepayers, convened by Messrs. Smith and Townley, was well attended, and shows that a lively interest is taken by the burgesses m the present Municipal election. His Worship the Mayor (Captain Porter) occupied the chair, and m opening the meeting, said it had been called rather suddenly, and was for the purpose of giving the various candidates an opportunity of expressing their views relative to Borough matters. As fur as he was concerned, he would like to see all of them returned, but as that could not be, perhaps some would be returned for the extraordinary vacancy. It was neceinary to have good men m the Council to watch the expenditure on | public works. They had not at present, large sums to expend, but the finances were m good order, and they had the rates as yet uncoilected, which the Council did not care to press for. Then there was the loan of £10,000 which they had been a long tjime negotiating, but which he thought would be successfully raised by the Agent-General, to whom the coupons and debentures had been sent. A great deal of work was required to be done and submitted, but for want of funds they could not be undertaken. He was glad to see many cautious men m the Council who looked into and discussed matters before taking action and were averse to thesquandering of public money. He then called on Mr. Towuley to address them. Mr. J. Townley said that several ratepayers mentioned to him the fact that if no Buch meeting as the present was called, there would not be any opportunity of hearing the views of the different candidates, and he thought it . advisable to convene one. They c~uld judge himself and Mr. Carlav Smith by their actions while > epresenting them, and could state whether they had confidence m what both' of them had done. He would suggest that the new aspirants address the meeting first, as they might have something to any which would call for reply. Quiet en -lookers had a better opportunity of judging whab had been done by the Council and criticising their work. Mr. Rosie said it was parliamentary practice for the retiring members to speak first. ' The Chairman said he would put it to the ratepayers whether the retiring Councillors or the new candidates would be heard first, and it was decided by

them that the latter should expound their views, each of them m alphabetical order. Mr. E. K. Brown was the first to ascend the platform, amidst cheering. He Baid that as Mr. Townley objected to address them first, and preferred to speak after he would have to submit. He was m rather an anomolaus position, beina neither a new or old member. When the Borough was first formed^ he was elected as Councillor, and had retired m his order. Whether a new or an old member he would leave it to them to decide. [A voice : Goon.] He did not know what to go on with. When m the Council the funds were expended m printers' ink— printing and advertising had absorbed all the funds. Then the Council Chambers were burnt down when they were getting into proper working order. Very little oppotunity was given him of forwarding necessary works. A new era had ar-' rived, and there was no doubt this town and district would be brought into prominence and have some status. He would do his beat "to forward the interests of the whole Borough. There had been certain mistakes m road making, but they had benefitted from the expenditure. In answer to a query by Mr. Somerville about the water supply, he said when m the Council they did everything m order to obtain a supply. £150 went towards sinking the well. Each Councillor subscribed 6ve, and the Mayor ten guineas additional, but the trial was unsuccessful, and no water procured. Mr. M. Jennings asked whether they could not raise salt water for the purpose of extinguishing fires. Mr. Brown replied that it would require a professional Engineer to answer the question. ■ He was not sufhciently versed m hydraulics. I Replying to Mr. McFarlane, he said that another attempt at sinking should be made. ■ Mr. F. J. Piesse next addressed the meeting. He said that as it was convened by two retiring candidates, he came to hear their views, and give an account of their stewardship. His object m coming forward was to obtain a fairer representation to the. burgesses. The lower part of the town had a preponderance over the upper portion. The incerests of the present Councillors from -the Mayor down, lay m the lower part. He was a long resident here, and had taken an interest m the place, and desired to assist m guiding its destiny. He thought the step of dividing the Borough into wards a very proper one, and whether elected or not he would further the movement. As to the water supply, they had great difficulties to contend with. He would be m favor of sinking the old artesian well still further or a fresh one m some other locality. He had not studied the different subjects affecting ratepayers, but if elected he would do so to the best of his ability. He had no former services to refer to like the previous speaker. He would do what he could for all parts of the Borough. The Chairman said that the division of the Borough, which he was m favor of, could only be done by a petition to the Governor of one-fourth of the rate payers and recommendation of the Council. Mr. Ross said he was not aware until he read it m the Evening Herald that a meeting was to be held, and he had come to hear what the retiring candidates had to say. It appeared the new ones came to be made scapegoats of by the retiring members. There was one thing, if he went m, there would not be much money. He advocated the division of the Borough into wards, and would like to see contracts carried out faithfully, with which at present there was a great deal of laxity, and waste j of ratepayers' money. Material and timber should be contracted for, and not obtained from persons without tendering. He should like to see totara m general use for drains instead of kauri ; it lasts five times as long, and is a superior timber for the same money. He was not a speaker, but if elected they would find him to be a practical working man. They were too early for an extensive system of waterworks, and they would have to force the line through private property, for which ratepayers would have to pay. He did not know what to say about the artesian wells. They might sink m another place, and get a supply. There was also the lighting of the town, and other matters which, if elected, he would attend to. They would find him always come-at-able. In answer to queries, he said stone watertables were preferable to the present wooden culverts. They did not want an Engineer at all times. The only occasion they required one was m connection with the waterworks, and they had to send to Auckland for one. Every work should be let by public tender. He was m favor of placing the Kaiti metal on the upper Gladdstone Road, and the worst places done first. He would not be m favor of giving a Corporation Ball. Mr G. H. Wilson said he had listened to the Borough candidates, and he would go direct to his subject without loss of time and nonsensical parade. The site of the town was on an ocean swamp. They would have to go beyond the hills and tajp the Waimata to obtain a supply, and it was idle to spend money m artesian wells. Some geologist should first be consulted. There was an objection to getting the water from the river for extinguishing fires, as it would become stagnant. The first thing wanting to be done ' was to reduce expenditure by every possible means. In this the Mayor set an example, though entitledto it he did not seek a salary. An Ent gineer was a thing they did not want and it was a luxury they could no afford. When they talked about getting a Bitpply of water they had to get an engineer from Auckland. There was nothing m the Council exchequer and not likely to be for some time. He would like to see the town well lit, especially now. He need not refer to the punt as he did not think he could mend it but possibly make it worse. They might get a revenue from the wharf. (Mr Townley : No, it is not ours. ) A good supply of metal could be obtained across the river and the punt utilized. Then there was the question of small farms, a subject he was identified with. No interest had been taken by the Councillors m obtaining the reserves. He then entered into the subject at length, and was repeatedly interrupted. Replying to questions, he said he would see the dog tax enforced, exclud-

ing ladies' lap-dogs. They could do withou*, an engineer by giving an intelligent laborer £10 a-year extra to supervise the works. All the engineering they wanted was to.- drain cabbage gardens. As there was no money m the exchequer, what was the us_e >of emptying it any morel As to fixing town levels, Adair's and Graham's buildings would be the key-note, and all the rest could be struck from it. As they would, not listen to what he had to say about small farmers, he would if returned, give the Council no peace until some action was taken. Messrs. Smith and Townlkt then addressed the meeting, reviewing all the actions they had taken on matters brought before the Council during their term of office, pledging themselves to obtain a water supply and act honestly, and to the best of their ability as they had done m the past, to serve the interests of the Borough. . A vote of thanks to the candidates and Chairman terminated the meeting. . .