The Mayoralty

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 271, 17 April 1914, Page 8

The Mayoralty

ADDRESS UV" .Mr. ,;. K WILSON. MAYOR'S ACTIONS STi;O\'ULY CRITICISED. "A BETTER MAN TJiAN MR. JUiOWXIi." Considering the inclemency of the weather, there was'a very jf 00( l ;t ttcndanee at the East End pavilion hist nignt, when Mr. ,f. E. Wilson made his initial address to electors as a candidale for mayoral honors. Mr. J as. Clarke, deputy-mayor, took the chair, and in oriefly introducing the speaker, remarked that Mr. Wilson, by delivering addresses in the various centres of a town, wai departing somewhat from the orthodox in mayoral elections, but he thought this was a good idea, especially where a man was making his first appearance as a candidate for the myoralty. Mr. Wilson, although in this position, was no novice in municipal matters, having served for some time on the council, Mr. Wilson opened his speech with a brief summary of the assets of the Borough, and the work which their care entailed, lie explained that he had' not been a candidate at the last mayoral election, because he had discovered that there would be three candidates, and he thought that the successful camdidate should represent at least a majority of the electors voting, and therefore, he stood down. Moreover, he had not been sorry, for further experience on the borough council and with the eighteen months' experience on that body which he had since gained, he spoke with great or confidence.

AX ARDUOUS TASK. It was no light duty for the Mayor and Councillors to manage the affairs of a borough which extended over 4046

acres. Au extensive and growing water I scheme, a continually growing electric light and power department, a sewerage ! system, abbatoirs, public library, saltwater baths, and reserves (including the cemetery) were tueir usual cares. In addition they were about to spend £42,000 upon street and water improvements ' and extension, and £55,000 on the installation of a tramway system, and for that reason it behoved the electors to consider carefully the question of who was to be placed at the head of the Council. The total available revenue for the year would be about £21,00J, which would require economic administration if it were to suffice. He hoped that rates would not be increased except from, pure necessity. WORKS REQUIRED. In speaking of the works whi;h icquired to be done, Mr. Wilson stated tiiat the streets question would In; of paramount importance, and it was obvious to him that the main streets at least would have to be treated with a tar preparation to supersede the waterbound macadam. This should tend to keep down the cost of maintenance, which was unduly large under the present system of putting 1 material on the streets and then at frequent intervals carting it away. VARIOUS UTILITY SERVICES. Touching on the question of water supply, he said that the whole of the waterworks expenditure, with the £II,OOO for extensions, now in progress would be £52,000, which was all revenue producing. The electric light department was another valuable asset. To allow for extra power for tramways, a fresh intake was being made t the head-works. A new substation for lighting and tramway supply, and further plant would' be necessary, as well as a new tranmission line to carry a GOO volt current. These expenditures were more than could be provided for out of revenue, which, he considered, should be conserved for extension works, and he thought that when the council knew the required outlay tlie ratepayers would be asked to authorise a further loan, which they should certainly approve. In dealing with 'Other assets of the town, he emphathe need for making the baths more profitable and for extending the sewer to tin; suburbs. The most important matter before the town was the installation of trams, which he hoped to see completed: in about 18 months, and which should result in a substantial increase in the population. CONCERNING THE MAYOR, Mr. Wilson proceeded to speak about his candidature. "There is," he said "a very strong feeling among the electors that there should be a change. I think the feeling is justified and I am going to give my reasons for thinking so. To go to the root of the matter, what do you want in a mayor? Is the po-ition one of honor and dignity, or is it a sort of glorified overseer's job, with occasional social functions thrown j in? If it is the latter then please do not elect me. My views as to the duties of a mayor differ very widely from thoso apparently held by Mr. Browne. Before I go any further let me say with the utmost freedom and sincerity that for Mr. Browne personally I have a very great liking ami admiration. He is indefatigable and whole-hearted in his work, as he sees it, for the advancement of the borough. He has given, and is giving, to the borough the best that is in him But when you deal with public matters you cannot afford to let sentiment and personal friendships stand in the way of your duty. Your duty as electors is to give the town the best mun available as your mayor. I am far from the best man in the borough for the position, but frankly I say that f am a better man than Mr. Browne. PRESENT MAYOR'S MISCONCEPTIONS. "To my mind, Mr. Brown misconceives the duties and the position ot a mayor. A mayor should not be expected to be spending all day and every day running about the borough looking into this and that. We have officers •<>- spon-ible to the council, and wo sumiiil look 1o them to see to these matter*. Mr. Browne makes the mistake "f attempting to look after detail, «.o much so that t mn afraid that our employees wonder sometimes who is in charge of the borough works. There is no need for this. J will gn further and say it i- Tint right. It. is only belitiiin'g what should be a dignified position. The ! mayor i- your chief citizen, whose duty j

it is to represent you becomingly on 'oilitial occasion to preside over the meeting of the council which transacts j(.ur business, and to bring forward such matters as occur to him for the improvement and progress of the town. The detail of work is properly left "to the town clerk and the engineers; and their staffs. If you elect me I will not attempt to give anything like the time to the town that Mr. Browne docs. It is unnecessary for one thing, and another good reason is that I cannot afford the time. Jf 1 am mayor I propose to givo stated hours each day to keeping myself in touch with wfiat is going on in the borough, and the lest of my time will be my own in which to carry'on my own business. The honorarium which the mayor receives is not a salary, out is intended to reimburse the holder of the office in part at least the many calls made upon his purse. If a general manager of the borough is required then by all means appoint a competent man and pay him a fair salary. I A SYMPATHETIC VOTE. ''l. have heard of several people who vant to give Mr. Browne what I call <i Ksympathetic vote. They say that as Mr. Browne has borrowed all this money, he ought to have the -pending of it. I say again that in public matters you want the best man you can get, and sympathy and sentiment have no place in making a choice. Ido not think that' Mr. Browne should have the spending of public money, because in my opinion ho is likely to be a very expensive man." Mr. Wilson went on to refer to the proposed public convenience., the cost of which was estimated at £225. Every hotel in the town was bound by law to maintain efficient conveniences for tihe use of the public. If the proposed convenience were erected it must be placed in charge of a caretajter whose I wages would take up to £ 100 a year out of the borough funds. He had opposed ' J the work as unwarranted. He was for | progress but wanted progres on reasonable lines.

ABOUT A LAND PURCHASE. | Another matter in whioh Mr. Browne was prominent was the purchase of 36 acres of land, for the new intake for the water supply. They required six or seven acres. The owner asked £750 1 for the land. As grazing land it was worth*at the outside £ls an acre. He also required a right-of-way over parts of the land and a roadway to a portion and certain concessions of electric light and power. He waiver a request for a bridge over the dam at the Mangamahoe stream, which the engineer estimated, with approaches, to cost £l5O in one position and £2OO in another. The Council had to make an efficient bridge 'over the dam in order to get at our own property. £4O an acre was a stiff price to pay for 6'/> acres of land placed as this is, with the other things thrown in. The Council did not like that proposition, so Mr. Browne got another offer from the owner. This was to sell the whole of the land between the Waiwakaiho river and the Mangamahoo stream to the Council'at £l4 10s an acre, and lease it from the Council at 15s an acre. This was the offer recommended by Mr. Browne and carried by the Council, despite the protests of j himself and some other councillors. Ho wanted fcha Council to take the land required under the Public Works Act, and pay the owner its fair value and fair compensation for severance. Altogether, he considered the purchase of this land a scandalous waste of money, j CARRINCTON ROAD RAISING. j Another instance of the need for watching expenditure came up when they got the plans for the Carrington'road raising and widening. In the loan proposals a sum was provided for tilie purchase lof a small piece of land to widen the road, but when the plans came down they called for the purchase of several i (hundred pounds, worth of extra land. j When this was pointed out to Air. j Browne he had to admit that this expenditure Vvas not in the loan proposals, 'and the money would have to come out :of the genera! fund. They did not buy that extra land, and the scheme was '■ modified. CREDIT TO WHOM IT WAS DUE. "Mr. Browne," said the speaker, "gets the credit for the carrying out of the Greater New Plymouth scheme, and getting the tramways under way. It was the late Mr. Tisoh who officially inaugurated both theso movements. Mr. Browne has carried on the work and has 'carried it on well." The only other body on which the speaker had served was the High School Board. "Those of you," he proceeded, "who remember the school as it was three or four years ago, and know it now, can judge whether I have been useful to the town in that connection or not. You will know also that when I lind it my duty to speak plainly on public- matters I do so, however painful it may be to me to carry out that duty." i Another objection to himself was that he was a, lawyer. But so far from the fact that he was a lawyer being a detriment, he thought the reverse tho case. His business training and experience would be of very great help to him. He had had tho advantage of being adviser to two or three local bodies, and the knowledge ho luid gained would be useful. SUMMING UP. "To sum up shortly, my endeavor will be to see that the important works now being undertaken by the Council are carried through in as efficient and economical a manner as possible, that the Interests of the ratepayers are safeguarded, and that the dignity of tho honorable office of eihief citizen is maintained. I am for progress if it can be attained on sound and reasonable lines.." Questions were asked and answered after which Mr. Wilson was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks.