THE MAYORALTY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 82, 26 March 1908, Page 3

THE MAYORALTY.

CANDIDATE COLLIS MEETS THE ELECTORS. There was a very sparse attendance lust night at- the meeting of burgesses convened by Mr. W. A. Collis, one of lh« tandid.ites for the Mayoralty. The Mayor presided, and in a brief

opening speech, referred to tile bad weather and the races as being the cause of the poor attendance. He said he had sat with Mr. Collis at. the Council table for many years, and he had found him a very good Councillor. Their views had been on very similar lines as a rule, though, of course, there had been differences at times. He considered that the position Mr. Collis was now seeking ■was one which he might reasonably look forward to. Mr. Collis said that he had noticed that Mr. Tisch, in his published address to the ratepayers, had stated his past services as qualifications for the position of Mayor, so that the present speaker might be pardoned for reviewing his public career. He had not lieen asleep, lie said, but recognising that the wellbeing of the town was his own well-be-ing, he had on every possible occasion for many years past, worked to enhance

the attractiveness of the town. As secretary of the Scenery Preservation Society he had played no unimportant part in the securing of the present Esplanade, when even the Borough Council had declined to act, lie had, many years ago, moved in the direction of the exchange which later on was effected, giving the people of the West end of the borough Western Park. At that time, however, he was in advance of public opinion, and he had not been able to j find a seconder in the Council. "A big battle" on his part had ended in the tiding in of the old rubbish depot at the seaward end of Dawson street, aud that now formed part of the Esplanade. In that he had been ably tacked up by Mr.

W- L. Newman, with his effective lever of 25 sovereigns. In addition, he bad taken a lively interest in the improvement and beautitication of Marsland Hill, and he hoped to see a good deal of work done there yet. As showing that lie had not been tied to the Western Park, he h.'d been One of the guarantors of funds for the improvement of the Recreation Grounds, and had sat as a member of the governing board. He nlso mentioned his connection with the municipal baths as chairman of the Baths Committee. He was confident that the town must always reap great

benefit from their establishment. He claimed to have been one of the prime movers in the reserving of the Egmont National Park of 72,000 acres. He was now the borough's representative on the National Park Board, and chairman of the local committee, and was doing all he could to popularise this resort. It might be asked, What had this to do with the borough? His answer was Itia't it was the duty of a mayor or a

borough councillor to do what he could to improve the environments of the town just us much as to keep metal on Us streets. Passing on to borough affairs, .Mr. Collis said he had taken a prominent unit a lew years ago in the re-organisation of the Council's stall, particularly in the engineering department. It was not a pleasant job, but the change had proved very lieneticial to the town, and had already saved the ratepayers fully £(100. As to the present position of borough works, his idea was that there should be no further borrowing for drainage, but that the whole or part of the drainage earnings should be oar-marked for drainage ex-

tension. That he had advocated and would continue to advocate. He Had not- at first advocated the electric light scheme, because he had not known much about it. But the ratepayers decideu to have it, and they got it, and he as part owner had done his best to make the department pay. Mr. Tisch, in in address, referred to the ''greater Xew Plymouth." Mr. Collis endorsed that view. But would it pay the borough to take them in: That was the burgess' aspect. Jlr. Collis laid claim to having first approached Hr. Andrew Carnegie, the outcome being a grant of £2500 lor a new library.

As to the financial position of the borough, the present Mayor had not been by any means a "plunger,'' and he (Mr Collis) had supported that policy. The total debt of th/borough was £132,000, but had there been a sinking fund for the original waterworks loan, the present liability would have been about £25,000 less. The electric light was going to be a very line asset for the borough, for it was already paying its way. The £123,000 loans included the abattoirs expenditure, which brought no burden on the ratepayers, for they fully paid their way. In conclusion, Mr Collis said that in the future, as in the past,, it would be his interest to study

the interests of ratepayers. All he possessed was in Xew Plymouth, and he was not going to be a party to anything that would hamper the ratepayers. On previous occasions when he had been asked to contest tho Mayoralty, he had not been able to see bis way clear to undertake the duties. Now ho could do so, and if elected he would not shirk his responsibilities, but would carry out the duties of the office without fear or favor, however unpleasant his course of duty might heQuestions were invited. Mr. Hughes made some remarks concerning the practice of issuing borough debentures locally, which lie thought locked up too much local capital. Mr. Collis said that the bulk of the debentures were hold outside, but, the Council had, of course,#ot declined local application.

Mr. F. E. Wilson moved a vote of thanks to the candidate for his remarks, and expressed the hope that the other

candidates would follow suit, giving enlightenment to the ratepayers. There was too little of this in New Plymouth. Mr. Harris Ford seconded, and the motion was unanimously carried. Mr. Collis, in returning thanks, said he had been asked to accept a requisition, hut he had declined, preferring to leave the people entirely free. He in-

tended later on to form a committee to further his candidature. He moved a Vorte to tlie chair, which was carried,

and the meeting closed.