MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
The nomination of a Mayor, four Councillors, and two Auditors for Invercargill for the year ending 31st July, 1875, took place at noon on Friday in the Council Hall. There were fully a hundred citizens present, and His "Worship the Mayor, who presided, explained the object of the meeting in the usual statutory terms. The Clerk then opened and read the following written nominations : — For the office of Mayor, Mr William Garth waite was proposed by Mr G. Saunders, and seconded by Mr "W". Barham ; and Mr Thomas Pratt was proposed by Mr D. L. Matheson, and seconded by Mr H. Jaggers. For the vacant Councillorships, Mr Geo. Lumsden, proposed by Mr A. Aldridge, and I seconded by Mr H. S. Eeed ; Mr Kenneth Eose, proposed by Mr J. W. Mitchell, and seconded by Mr P. M'Ewan ; Mr Eobert Cleave, proposed by Mr W. J. Moffett, and seconded by Mr W. H. Hall ; Mr William Barham, proposed by Mr W. Lewis, and seconded by Mr E D. Yule ; Mr Henry Elias Osborne, proposed by Mr W. H. Hall, and seconded by Mr J. D. Hayes ; Mr Thomas Mnssen, proposed by Mr D. L. Matheson, and seconded by Mr J. Hare ; and Mr William Blackwood, proposed by Mr E. Tapper, and seconded by Mr J. D. Hayes, were nominated as fit and proper persons for the office of the same. His Worship then announced that the polling for the office of Mayor would take place in the Council Hall in the forenoon of the 21st day of July, and the polling for the election of Councillors at the same place on the Ist day of August. Meßsrs D. Macrorie and D. Flemington being the only nominations for the office of Auditors, and there being two required, these gentlemen were declared duly elected. His Worship having finished hia duties as official chairman of the meeting, was unanimously re-elected to preside, whereupon he called on Mr Garthwaite to address the burgesses present. Mr Garthwaite said that at the request of a good many ratepayers he stood there as a candidate for the office of Mayor. He thought it his duty to come forward on the present occasion, as he had taken an active part in the intro duction and prosecution of town improvements. If the citizens thought him a fit and proper person for the office of Mayor, he should do his duty. He had always voted conscientiously in the Town Council, and in the interests of Invercargill ; and not only as a Councillor, but also as a member of the Public Works Committee ; and if returned to the office of Mayor, he should try to fulfil his duty faithfully. He had had some experience in Mayoral duties, as during the three years he had been in the Council he had always acted, in the Mayor's absence, as Chairman of the Council, and if he had not had some aptitude for the duties his fellowcouncillors would not have continued to vote him to the chair during all that time. He had always, as a Councillor, acted impartially, and had endeavored to do justice to all parts of the town. The drainage works now going on and yet to be undertaken would require to be closely and intelligently attended to, and so also would the gas works j and both, in the event of bis being elected Mayor, would receive his closest attention. No questions were asked the candidate. Mr Thomas Pratt, who next addressed the audience, began by observing that a municipal election was not like a political one, inasmuch as it gave less opportunity of having what was technically called a " wire in j" and very properly so, for politics should not be allowed to mingle with municipal matters. They had not been allowed to interfere with the composition of the Town Council of Inver cargill. It was not his intention to have sought readmittance to the Council, but having assisted to build up the municipal institutions of Invercargill, and having been requested to stand for the Mayoralty, ha still wished to take a share in the work, and he felt it would be his duty to j enter the Council again. Not, however, as a Councillor, for the oflice of Councillor should be a rolling one, and having been a Councillor for three years, he wished to retire from that office, and give others a chance, as such changes served to keep alive that interest which was good for a commuuity. He (Mr Pratt) had taken a deeper interest in the municipality than was connected with mere street making, and the Municipal Council had done a great deal of good even in so far as it had been the means of training the citizeus to united action in matters re lating to their welfare. The public were aware of what had been done by the Council during the laßt two years, and from that knowledge they had probably concluded, aa he himself had done, that there was not much difference between the office of Mayor and Councillor It might perhaps interest citizens to know that the Council had power to borrow £10,000, and .that they had already borrowed £7000 ; and that taxing" town property— as was proposed — at 2s in the £, the revenue for the ensuing year derivable therefrom would amount to about £1700, and the revenue from licenses to about £1200. It was, however, difficult to form a perfectly accurate estimate, as the financial year ended on the 19th of April, and the municipal year on the 30th of June. He thought that even if the Council borrowed other £3000, and levied a rate of 2s in the £ on all property within the municipality, it would not have more than £2000 to expend on new works after meeting its present and prospective liabilities, and that was including the revenue derivable from licenses up till the end of June, 1875. Therefore he concluded that next year the Council would be less popular than it had hitherto been, as it would have less to spend than formerly. Concerning the Garden Fund, which amounted to £3000, about
one-sixth of it had been spent on the j Town Belt, and the balance, with the exception of £200, still in hand, had been expended on the gardens and re- ' serves In reference to the gasworks, Mr Pratt explained that the Council had applied for power to borrow £12,000, although it was not intended to raise more than £10,000, or to expend more than £8000 on the gasworks, -which would be, beyond denial, a great benefit to the town. He was glad to ace the works in question kept in the hands of the Corporation, as it was better that the people should establish their own public works, and not pass them into the hands of speculators. Some thought that the gasworks should have been given over to a public company ; but ha had always voted for keeping them in the hands of the Corporation. In conclusion, he looked forward with pleasure to his election to the office of Mayor — an office which conferred great houor on whoever held it; andr an office whose duties, if elected, he would endeavor to perform with credit to himself and profit to the citizens. In reply to a citizen Mr Pratt stated that the Gas Bill empowered the Council to levy a gas rate of Is in the £. That would be sufficient to pay the interest and sinking fund, and it was not likely that the rate would be levied after the first year, as by that time the gasworks would be getting into full operation, and the chances were that the rate would soon disappear. After the first year, he had no doubt that the gas would pay very well- In reply to Mr Osborne, Mr Pratt stated that in the event of the question of dividing the town into wards coming up in the Council, and the votes being even for and against, , he would give his easting vote for the. postponement of the question, as it had never come before the citizens as an election question. Public opinion should decide the matter, but he would not make a majority in favor of the change unless the citizens showed themselves in favor of it by voting most for candidates who desired the introduction of the ward system. Eeplying to a question by Mr Osborne concerning the drainage works executed during the last year, Mr Pratt said that they had been constructed on a principle submitted by the Engineer, and unanimously adopted by the Council, and if they were not a complete success, they only resembled in that respect many other things in this world. He feared the drainage of Invercargill would never be first-rate till they had plenty of water to flush the drains, lie only way, however, of getting an immediate water supply would be by the General Government assisting the "town as some of the goldfields had been assisted in the matter of constructing large water races. The Colonial Government could borrow the necessary thousands at lower rates of interest fchau the Corporation, and the only apparent plan was for the Government to borrow the money for the construction of water works, to charge the interest to the Corporation, and in the course of some years, when the population had increased, and the town was in a position to pay the principal, to hand over the works to the Corporation. Mr Jbiose said that he was not going to make a speech, as after what had been said by the two candidates for the Mayoralty, there was nothing new to be said on Municipal matters. If elected, he would do his best to serve the town, in whose advancement he took great interest. In reply to Mr Osborne, Mr Rose said that if the public wanted wards he would vote for them, but he did not think that the people wanted them yet. If after fully considering the matter, he thought it advisable to reduce the rates, he would vote for doing so, but not otherwise. Mr Cleave, after stating that he would give his support to the public works now in progress, or in prospective, said that with regard to the 2g rate, he did not think it enough. There was no use in talking in that way, and if a rate of 20s were required they should pay it and say nothing about it in the way of grumbling. A good deal had been said about wards. He thought the town should have them, and he would vote for them. Mr Barham said that he had no speech to make, as he was a " new chum" on the platform. If returned he should certainly do his best to serve the electors' interests, and his own too, as their interests were his, and if they happened to elect him he would serve them faithfully. He was in favor of the ward system being introduced, and also of a reduction of the rates, which for his own part he already felt to be rather " warm." Mr Barnaul thought that steps should be taken for securing a water supply for the I town, as in the summer time the drains would need flushing. He would sooner not be elected, as he was very fond of his own fireside, but if elected, he would do his best to advance the interests of the ? town. Mr Osborne said that he was a heavy ratepayer, and he was not satisfied with what the Council had done for the town during the year. He did not approve of the present system of street-making ; the gravel was put down as gravel one month and taken up as mud in the next. That was as clear as mud. The Corporation should have a stone-breaking machine. Any metal they used cost them 3s 6d per yard for breaking, whereas if broken by a machine it would not cost more than 9d or Is per yard. Mr Osborne condemned the wooden gratings or crossings now in use, and animadverted on the action of the Council in taking over the management of the jetty, which he said would have been much better left in the hands of the Provincial Government. The candidate characterised the system of drainage now in use as foolish, expensive, and unsatisfactory, as the citizens would ere long to their sorrow 'have to acknowledge. The drains should have been made wholly of bricks or let alone. He was strongly in favor of wards and a reduction of the rates ; and with regard to the gasworks, he did ,
j not approve of the Council taking them in band at all, as they would have been better left in the hands of a private company, as had been done in Melbourne and other large cities. These were his views, and the electors could go to the poll and do just as they liked, for defeat would not kill him, and he did not care whether they elected him or not, but if they did so he would honestly serve them to the beat of his ability. Mr Muasen said that he was in favor of reducing the rates, and with regard to gas, he thought they could not have too much of it. If elected, he would do his best to advance the welfare of the town. If not elected he would feel very much disappointed, as his chief aim for the time being was to be returned as an Invercargill Town Councillor. In reply to a question by Mr Osborne, Mr Mussen stated that he was decidedly in favor of wards, and if elected he would do his j utmost to introduce the system. | Mr Blackwood said that he came before I the electors for re-election to the Council, lin which he had already held a seat for three years. He thought the electors might fairly be congratulated on the success of the Municipality. £7000 had been borrowed at an interest of 6 per cent., but the value of property had so much increased that the extra rates would just about pay the interest on that loan. At first he had not been in favor of borrowing, but having found it a success, he would be inclined to go to the full extent of their borrowing powers, and raise other £3000. With regard to the system of drainage adopted by the Council, he thought that in the circumstances it was a judicious one. It would no doubt be much better if all the drains were constructed of brick, but a chain of wooden drain cost £10, and of brick, £12 10s, and the difference in price was a great consideration with a young municipality. With regard to wards, he did not oppose the introduction of the system, but he thought it would be difficult to get the town equitably divided. He was glad to see the Corporation, keeping the gas-works in their own hands, as, when such works got into the hands of private companies, it generally ended in the municipal bodies of the towns in which they existed having eventually to take them over at vast and unreasonable expense. Mr Blackwood concluded by saying that he did not think it would be judicious to reduce the rates just yet, and by requesting the electors to vote for him, as, like Mr Mussen, he would feel disappointed if they did not return him. Mr Pratt having temporarily assumed the chair, Mr Lumsden said that, having been in the Council for the last three years, and having helped to initiate the public worka now in hand, and to be taken in hand, and feeling that it would not be fair to leave the labor of haviug these works carried into full effect to untried Councillors, he again, at the request of his friends, offered himself for re-election. Fault had been found with the drains constructed by the Council, but the question was, were they in a position to carry out an extended system of brick drainage ? It was said that brick drain 3 were more durable, but that was a matter of opinion. There was one thing certain, however, and that was the necessity of having a supply of water to flush the drains, in order to prevent them from becoming sources of disease, and of trouble to the town. A site for the desired waterworks had been secured, and if the Colonial Government could be induced to enable the Corporation to obtain the necessary loans, at low rates of interest, by acting so as to give the debentures a character of assurance, a water supply might become an established fact in no great length of time. He did not think that the Couucil had acted injudiciously in taking over the jetty, as a large extent of land had been reserved for a Harbor Trust, and he, aa a member of the Provincial Council, had got £300 placed on the Estimates for improvements in connection with the jetty and the New Eiver Harbor. He did not think it advisable to divide the town into wards juat yet, as the preseot system had worked very well hitherto, and he did not think that any portion of the town had been unduly favored at the expense of the whole. Wards might have a tendency to create in some instances a plurality of votes. In concluding his remarks, Mr Lumsden alluded to the much-vexed "crescent" question, and referred to a leading article in that day's Southland Times, in which article he said that his conduct in connection with the matter wa* characterised in strong terms, the reverse of complimentary. The writer of the article in question had called him obstinate, but the term waa more applicable to the accusing party in not allowing a matter on which the public had 'given a decisive and final opinion, to drop ; and he (Mr Lumsdeu) in actiug as he had done, had only acted iq accordance with the publicly-expressed opinion of his fellow-citizens. A vote of thanks to the chairman brought the proceedings to a close.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18740720.2.8
Bibliographic details
Southland Times, Issue 1950, 20 July 1874, Page 2
Word Count
3,038MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. Southland Times, Issue 1950, 20 July 1874, Page 2
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