THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Thames Star, Volume XX, Issue 6130, 28 November 1888, Page 2

THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Mr Brodie's Address to the

Electors.

Mr A. Brodie, one of the candidates for the Mayoral election which is taking place to-day, addressed a well-attended meeting of the burgesses in Mr Melhose's store last evening. Mr M. Morouey occupied the Chair, and briefly intro» duced the speaker.

Mr Brodie said that addressing them that evening was somewhat difficult and painful—difficult because he oould not lay before them the resulta of the present year's work that showed prosperity, and painful because he could only see so small a rift in the cloud of depression hanging over the district. In his previous addressee had given a brief retrospect of the work that had been accomplished in the Borough Council during the past year, and the present meeting had been convened more for the purpose of giving the burgesses an opportunity of interrogating him upon any matters they might desire to be enlightened upon. First of all, however, he would give a sketch of some of the works which he considered would be conducive to the weU fare of the district. He had previously told them that the question of the survey of .the Borough was unfinished, that the matter of openings in the railway embank* ment had not been satisfactorily settled, that the limits of the Fort of Thames were not yet determined, and seeing that these works had been inaugurated during his term of office, and tbe Minister for Public Works was expected here at an early date, he was naturally desirous of seeing them completed. It was well-known that when he put bis hand to the plough he worked with a will, and was never satisfied until be had attained his object, and if the burgesses again honored him with their confidence, they could rest assured that he would do his utmost to have the works referred to finished, and attend to all other matters affecting the prosperity of the Borough. Mr Brodie then referred to the method of valuation now in vogue, and pointed out that those who had previously occupied the Mayoral chair had never taken any steps to have this system altered, being content to allow things to remain as they were. He (the speaker), however, was firmly of opinion that the law should be altered in this respect. (Applause). The present system of valuing was unfair, being against the industrious man, and in favor of the idle and of the large landed proprietor, who did nothing to improve his property, while he benefited by the work done on the surrounding properties by his industrious neighbors. If at present anyone purchased a vacant allotment, for which the owner had been paying only Is or 2s a year in rates, and spent all his. savings in putting up a comfortable house for himself and family and bringing that wild, waste allotment into good cultivation, the man was immediately rated for his industry. The ground should in each street or each section of street be rated at per foot frontage, and then the idle man who did not improve his property, and the owner of vast numbers of vacant allotments would have to pay equally with the industrious man (applause). Instead of looking after small matters, the attention of th_e Coyaoi! should be greeted towards

obtaining an alteration of the law to | remove this injustice. Then, agaiD, the matter of drainage and sanitation should be attended to. Absolutely no provision had yet been made for this, and some scheme should be devised and carried out for improving the sanitary condition of the Borough. In the past everything had been done in a haphazard sort of way, and according to rale of ttmmb, bat it was now time that proper drainage levels should be laid down, and the work pro* perly carried out. The presence of fever more or less amongst the community for the past 12 months was an admonition that the Council should not neglect. It was too late to be sorry after death—the Council could not restore life—but they should certainly do all in the direction of improving the sanitary condition of the place that their means woald permit Public baths should also be provided, and also an increased water supply at even a cheaper rate than 6d in the £, to which i amount the rate had been reduced daring his term of office. The water for domestic purposes should be filtered very care ' fully and rendered as pure as possible, ! which was not the case at present, and if j the people were only aware of _what they (were drinking, they would rise up in arms against the Council. The speaker urged that the Puru stream could be brought in and the water supply thus increased, and also pointed out that vigilant supervision required to be exercised over all dairies snd buildings in which milk was placed that was brought ioto the Borough for sale. But there was also another snbject the importance of which he fully recognised, and which must claim the attention of the inhabitants at no distant date, viz: the fostering of indus'ries in our midst. The Council should by every power and influence it possessed endeavor to get manufacturers to start works here, and if it could be made known from one end of the colony to the other how cheap water for motive power could be obtained at the Thames, he had little or no doubt that manufacturers would be induced to make use of that power instead of coal and steam. Were something of this kind done, then parents would be able to find employment for their children, whereas at present it was a frequent complaint that they did not know what to do with them. There was really no reason why various industries should not be started here and made to prosper, and employment thus found for their sons and daughters, thereby enabl* ing them to earn their own living, and indicate a spirit of self reliance. (Applause). It was aiso necessary that efforts should be made to have the Port of Thames made a port of entry, and it was a stauding disgrace Jtbat a district with some 10,000 or 12,000 inhabitants should have no port at which shippers and storekeepers could land or bond goods brought from elsewhere. It was scarcely to be expected that the place could prosper while the storekeepers and others labored under such disadvantages, and he would promise them that if re-elected he would do all in his power to have this cause for grievance removed, and have the Thames once more declared a port of entry. The matter was one which deeply concerned the business people, and they would readily understand it. Reference wan then made to the miniDg industry, which, Mr Brodie claimed, was the life of the district, and Spon which its prosperity depended. The ouneil .should consider how it could aid in having more miners employed, as were twice the present number at work, then the place would be twice as prosperous. Assistance should be given by the Council to the prospector, whether at greater depths or in prospecting ground yet untried, while it should also grant aid to the School of Mines and all who could teach them how to make low grade ores pay, so that ores which could be made payable should not be thrown over the mullock tips, but turned to profit. With this end in view it would probably be advantageous to the district were the Council to do all it possibly could in making known to capitalists in England, France, and Ger« many the vast mineral resources of this Peninsula. He therefore trusted that a good collection of the various ores would be sent from the Thames to the Paris Exhibition. If the mining industry pro* greased, agricultural settlement would go on in the same ratio, and it therefore behoved the Council to use most persistent endeavors to get the land opened up for sale in every direction. There was not a single block of land, say within ten miles of the Borough, that had been opened up for sale by Government, and yet they had plenty of Crown lands which apparently they did not desire to see settled upon. The Council, however, should endeavor to have these lands thrown open for sale. These were a few of the matters which in his opinion required attention, and which had ' induced him to seek reelection. He had been a resident of the Thames ever since the opening of the goldfield, and had for many years been associated with public affairs, and done bis utmost to promote the welfare of the district. The Borough Council possessed great power for good if properly applied, and he trusted that in the near future something would be done in the direction of introducing industries in our midst, assisting mining as far as possible, and carefully attending to such other matters as would tend to the progress of the whole district. In conclusion, Mr Brodie said he spoke to them appealingly and-feelingly. He bad lived amongst them" foHinany years, had been called all sorts of names, and had all sorts of motives imputed to him. but notwithstanding that he now came before them and asked what they had to say against him. He believed, however, he bad done his duty, and was, therefore, quite prepared to answer any questions those present might desire to put to him. Mr Brodie then resumed his seat amidst applause.

The Chairman then intimated that Mr Brodis would be quite willing to answer any questions on public matters, but none being forthcoming, Mr Jas. Hawkea proposed, and Mr J. McDonald seconded: " That this meeting accords Mr Brodie a hearty rote of confidence as Mayor, and thanks him for his address, while it also pledges itself to do its utmost to secure his re-election."

The resolution was pat and carried unanimously. Mr Brodie returned thanks for the vote of thanks and confidence, and promised that if elected he would do all in his power to conserve their interests. He trusted that if returned be wou d be able at the end of another term to speak more hopefully of the prospeots of the district, and that a better state of things would then exist. ■'*..'

On the motion of Mr Brodie a rote of tlianks was accorded the Chairman for v&pdingi sad the a>eetiG| terminated,