MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10104, 16 March 1911, Page 1

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

MR C. LAFFERTY AT SYDENHAM. Mr 0. Lafferty, a candidate for a seat on the City Council for the Sydenham Ward, addressed a public meeting in St Saviour's Schoolroom, Sydenham, last evening. Mr G. E, Good presided.

Mr Lafferty, who prefaced his speech by exhibiting a requisition from 520 persons asking him to stand, said that the City Council had refused to give him items of expenditure and other returns, on the ground that they would take too long to prepare. He regarded the streets of Christchurch as a disgrace considering the amount of money spent on them, and 75 per cent' of the dust nuisance was caused by injudicious roadmaking. A practical man should bo employed to take charge of roadmaking alone, and the tarred metal system should be adopted. The overlapping system of control should be done away with by the establishment of a metropolitan board of works, which would greatly reduce expenditure. By the reduction of two engineers the Council would be able to pay interest on a town hall, although he did not approve of a town hall if it entailed a levy on the ratepayers. He would support the canal scheme if elected, provided they progressed little by little. It would be better to commence work on a canal than to spend £50,000 on work at Gollan's Bay.* Under present conditions a municipal milk supply could not be established, because there was no law compelling dairymen to supply the municipal depot. It would be the least profitable undertaking the municipality could embark on, as so much care in handling was required, and the milk might go bad. Mr Lafferty went on to say that it had been claimed that Sydenham had gained by its inclusion in Greater Christchurch, because the rates had been reduced from 3£d to 2Jd, but the valuations had increased immensely, and a fairer comparison was the total rates collected before and after amalgamation. For a period of seven years before amalgamation the rates had been £30,039, and seven years after £47,961. Under the old system of rating the rates would have been lower under local control than they were now. Ho did not propose secession, but the Sydenham ratepayers should demand the benefits that had been promised them. In the matter of road making there had been a change for the worse, and in the matter of fire prevention Sydenham was inadequately provided for. The plant throughout the city was not what it ought to be. _ The tramway routes should all be lighted with electric arclamps, but the Gas Company had a monopoly of the lighting until 1913, and the Council could not erect an arc lamp in the city. The Sydenham gas contract) had run out, and electric lamps should be installed. Sydenham eventually would become the controlling portion of Christchurch, and its growth and importance were vastly ahead of Linwood's. The streets of Sydenham were no better than they were in 1903, and Colombo Street still had wood kerbin£. The public had the right to use

Cathedral Square for meetings, and if anything was to be done, it should be the removal of the tramway shelter. The City Council should purchase Lancaster Park, as ib would not entail a charge on the rates, but some arrangement should be made to ensure its lease by sports bodies. In reply to questions. Mr Lafferty said that the City Council had failed in its duty in handing over the fire plant to the" Fire Board. He favoured an appeal board for Council employees. He denied that he was opposed to unionism, or that men had refused to work with him as foreman.

Votes of thanks were accorded to the speaker and chairman. ST ALBANS WARD. Messrs L. L. V. Brian and W. J. Dunlop, candidates for the St Albans Ward, addressed a large meeting of their supporters in the Knightstown Library, Dover Street, St Albans, last night, and outlined their platform. A branch committee was formed for the purpose of enrolling electors, and furthering the return of those candidates. Mr H. Witcher was elected chairman.

MAYORAL ELECTION. A meet-ins; of the friends and supporters of Dr Thacker was held in the Alexandra Hall last evening, amongst those present being Councillors Gapes, Forrester, Cooper and Smith. Councillor Gapes was voted to the chair, and in the course of his introductory remarks mentioned that, owing to his position on the City Council, he would not like to take a prominent part m the election, but he was quite satisfied that if Dr Thacker was returned he would represent the citizens of Christchurch in a fit and proper manner for the ensuing term. Dr Thacker thanked the chairman for his remarks, and explained that at an early date he would invite the people of Greater Christchurch to meet and hear him in an address at His Majesty's Theatre. He would then explain the various planks in his platform, and trusted that they would meet with the approval of the-citizens? It was resolved that those present should form themselves into a committee to secure Dr Thacker's' return as Mayor of the City. Mr J. D. Perry explained that the Richmond residents were desirous of forming a committee, and his suggestion that a public meeting should be held in that district was acceded to.