BIRKENHEAD MAYORALTY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 637, 13 April 1929, Page 12

BIRKENHEAD MAYORALTY

MR. E. C. WALTON’S ADDRESS COUNCIL CRITICISED Last evening Mr. E. C. Walton, a candidate for the Birkenhead Mayoralty. had an attentive meeting at the Public Hall, Birkdale. Mr. A Campbell was in the chair. Mr. Walton said he had been urged to stand by a large number of ratepayers throughout the borough, but his views did not coincide with those of the present administration. Mr. Walton caused some laughter when he quoted several passages from the present by-laws, which he said were antiquated. The present council had apparently considered the swimming baths and boat sheds of greater importance than drainage. Drainage had come last and reluctantly, and in such an unbusinesslike way that it was foredoomed to failure. He criticised the council’s attempt to buy a town hall site, which had been defeated by the action of the ratepayers. He advocated the amalgamation of the four North Shore boroughs and favoured a joint fireprotection scheme with Northeote. Ho said the present council had squandered money in building two bandstands when one would have been sufficient. The other stand had only been used once, and that on the opening day. Other matters urged were the extension and widening in places of the bitumen-surfaced streets and proper maintenance of surfaces already formed; improved street lighting, the settlement of the North Shore water

supply question: reorganisation of the council’s business methods; and co- | operation of the council with ratepayers’ organisations for the general I advancement of the borough. Mr. Walton, who is also standing ' for the Power Board, spoke also on electric light matters. A vote of i thanks for his .address and confidence was passed. A committee was set up | to further his interests.