Nobody to Fight Says Mr. H. E. Vaile

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 650, 30 April 1929, Page 8

Nobody to Fight Says Mr. H. E. Vaile

CRITICS REPLIED TO A FINAL MESSAGE “I was asked to make a fighting speech this evening, but so far ; I have seen no cause for a fighting speech. There is nobody to : fight.” i rpHESE are the words of Mr. H. E. I "*■ Vaile, candidate for the MayorI alty of Auckland, who spoke to a j crowded audience in the Remuera Library last evening, and gave his I final message to the people of that district about Wednesday’s poll. “What is there to fight about?” he asked again. “I am the only starter in the Municipal Stakes that has been able to bring out a policy, and none of my critics has been able to find any fault with it. In this case it is difficult to make a fighting speech.” If he did not make a fighting speech, Mr. Vaile gave a clear indication of what would happen under his regime as Mayor if he should top the poll on Wednesday, and explained his attitude toward several big questions that are agitating the public mind in Auckland at the present time. He also scored heavily off his critics, the chief of whom he singled out for goodhumored destruction in a logical reply. Mr. Bioodworth has been abusing the City Council, Mr. Vaile said; Mr. Murray had been abusing everybody; while the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, had conveniently appropriated some of the planks from his (Mr. Vaile’s) platform, and had suddenly shown a keen interest in the waterfront road and other beautifying projects. Those who had criticised Mr. Vaile’s comparisons between Auckland and other cities were severely handled. This city was not to be governed by people who never had travelled further than Takapuna, the candidate said, for Auckland, in order to record progi-ess, must embody the beneficial features of up-to-date cities. NO PROMISES MADE He declined to make any extravagant promise in respect to a reduction in rates, nor would he foreshadow any other drastic reform under his regime. “1 can promise that there will be no increase in rates,” Mr. Vaile assured his audience amid applause, “but until I get into the job and see how things are, I cannot promise that there will be any reduction.” In so far as the municipal band was concerned, the candidate said the whole question of municipal music would be investigated, but particularly would he look into the broadcasting of band music. “If the public cannot hear its own band by broadcast,” he said, “the sooner we do away with the expensive band the better will it be for tile city.” Mr. Vaile reiterated liis advocacy of the general municipal reforms of traffic outlets, parking areas, the completion of the waterfront road through to St. Heliers and around the western waterfront, closer co-operation with ratepayers’ associations instead of the present “cold shoulder” policy, aud the co-oridination of the health services of the city and the Government. THE CITY BEAUTIFUL There was no reason why this city should not possess one of the most beautiful marine drives in the world, he added. If the waterfront highway were continued throughout the contour of the western foreshore this object would be accomplished. Sports grounds found keen support with the candidate, who recalled his efforts to secure for the city an area of 20,000 acres of land at the West Coast for use as a general playground and scenic reserve for the city. Compared with Sydney’s overrated reserves this West Coast area would have been found to be ideal. The city had lost a golded opportunity, however. When a new city engineer was being appointed, the council and Mayor should see that a business organiser as well as an engineer should be chosen. A man possessing both these attributes was necessary for a city of Auckland’s proportions. One of the first jobs of the new engineer, should Mr. Vaile become Mayor, would be to prepare a comprehensive report upon all works at present being undertaken by the council, and a report also upon the water supply of the city, for which adequate provision would have to be made in the future. • The ratio of population increase in Auckland was the highest in Australia and New Zealand with the single exception of Brisbane. Surely a place with such phenomenal growth required farsighted provision for its water supply. In his concluding remarks Mr. Vaile assured his audience that he had enjoyed the campaign throughout. “We have had a lot of fun,” he said, “and whatever the result of the poll is on Wednesday, I am sure that the four of us will be just as good friends as we were before tbe campaign started.” In reply to a question Mr. Vaile expressed the belief that the contract system was in the best interests of the city when council business was being contracted. He favoured the ward system of voting—the city to be divided into 10 wards, nine with two members each, and one with three members, the wards to be based on population. Mr. A. J. Hutchinson presided at the meeting, which passed a vote of confidence in the candidate. Mr. Hutchinson declared that votes of confidence would not win the election. One day’s enthusiastic work by everyone however, and the correct vote attbe poll on Wednesday, would make Mr. Vaile Mayor.