MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10754, 28 April 1913, Page 1

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

NEW BRIGHTON. Mr J. A. Flesh er, who is a candidate for the Mayoralty of Now Brighton for a second term, addressed a meeting ot elcctois in the Pier Hall 011 Saturday evening .it eight o'clock. Mr C. H. Opio occupied the chair and there was a good attendance. Councillors Buxton, Loaver, Agor, Goodwin, Sincook and Mr A. Chidgey, who are candidates for the Borough Council, were present. MR J. A. FLESHER. Mr Flesher said that 110 one had any right to saddle him with the responsibilities of the Council prior to his wu term. He was of opinion that two years wa> too short a. period for a council to bo in office, and Mayor and Council should bo elected for at least three years. Then, anyone seeking to represent the ratepayers should have a reasonable stake in the district. T3ie last six yell's had been years of great progress. The population had increased from 1132 to over 1700. Notwithstanding this, New Brighton was the most poverty-stricken borough in the district. Sumner had an income of £4OOO, Woolston £SOOO, and New Brighton in 1912 had £l4Ol and in 1913 £lßl2 for general purposes. During the period referred to 422 buildings had been erected at a. cost, of nearly £IOO,OOO. Th© borough had borrowed £7OOO in 1902. In 1906 £BOOO had been borrowed at 4| per cent without providing a sinking fund. Last year £4350 had been borrowed for work in North Brighton at 4$ per cent with a sinking fund. Owing to the extra heavy traific consequent on buildings going up in every direction, the wear and tear on the roads had necessitated greatly-increased expenditure for wages and metal in repairs and maintenance. If the roads were to be what they should be they must spend even more in upkeep. In this connection the expenditure of the borough for 1909 was: —Wages £236, metal £lO6. In 1910, after the new works covered by the loan had been carried out, the total was; Wages £438, metal £296. In 1911 tho amounts were: Wages £435, metal £l5O. It was important to notice that in 1911 the Council increased th© general rate, but spent only £l5O in metal, with the result that in 1912, owing to the roads being starved in 1911, they had to spend £689 in wages and £3BB in metal, while last year the sum spent was £596 in wages and £313 in metal. The many subdivisions which had taken place at North Brighton had resulted in the roads being broken up, owing to the greatly increased traffic and the cost of repairs was serious. During the last two years the Council had given attention * to the absolute necessities of the roads, a water-cart having been bought, which cost ,<255 10s. The library had also been built, for which they had to fi 11 c! the sum of £l6O, and various other works were carried out. The chief items of expenditure, however, was for wages and metal. The gross income from the general rate for 1913 had been- £I4OO, and the expenditure £IBSO. The cost of Page's Road had to be met. This was no doing of the Council. The matter was settled by a commission, and their share was £420. They also had the sports ground legacy. Three years ago there existed a self-consti-tuted sports ground committee. It had obtained £6O by an exhibition and £IOO from the Government. This committee waited on the Council, and submitted a recommendation for the acceptance of a tender for making the grounds at a cost of £303. The recommendation was agreed to, but 110 arrangement or suggestion was made by the committee for meeting the difference. A certain amount of work had been done when, owing to the action ot the Heathcoto Council, the New_ Brighton Council was unable to obtain clay from the pit, which was in that district, unless an equal quantity of sand was returned. Such an arrangement necessitated further expenditure, which the Council considered it was not justified in undertaking, and determined to spend no more. It approached the contractor with a view to settlement. The Council, however, would not accept the amount offered. A lawsuit ensued, and the contractor obtained exactly tho sum it had offered. The whole amount had to be met out of ordinary revenue. The statement of Mr Winny that the work of the sports grcmnd had been "beset with difficulty through the Council's interference " was incorrect. _ With regard to Page's Road, he considered it_ much better to make provision for its payment at once, as the Council's share 1 of the maintenance would he quite heavy enough from year to year, without payins interest 011 a loan for the work itself. One gentleman who was a candidate, had stated at New Brighton that the presentCouncil had started with a credit balance of £l2O. He also stated tliat at March 31 they had a debit balance of £B9. The extent of this candidate's knowledge would he understood when fie pointed out- that tho .balance-sheet showed they commenced with a debit balance of £461, and on March 31 last this had increased to £530 4s, including outstanding liabilities of £154 16s 2d? They had estimated at the beginning of the year to come out with a debit balance of £551 10s. Th e genera', rates indicated the progress of the borough. In 1910 the amount levied was £7lB, in 1911 £IO7B, in 1912 £920, and in 1913 over £I4OO. The amount cf interest paid 011 overdraft bad been subject of much criticism by Mr Winny and his friends. Last year the overdraft had reached its highest poiut. £650, and the total amount paid in interest was only £2l 10s. The total amount spent in interest, on overdraft in three years was £75 2s. During last Tear, in addition to the opcniim- up of Page's. Road, the rearrangements and alterations of the pior had been settled, and the control of tho foreshore had been definitely fixed. Arrangements had been made for the purchase of metal in the dry season, when tho roads were good, and for its storage at different points of tho borough to reduce cost of delivery when required. Some £15,000 had hern spirit in streets in the borough, and still there were people with no access to their property. Something should lie done to permanently improve the bench and esplanade. This was the first and finest asset of the borough. What was required was a comprehensive scheme to be carried out- with a consistent adherence to it year by year, Rei'oiv anything could be done in regard to proper sanitary conveniences, a high-pressure water supply was necessary. Ho could claim the credit of being tho first to move in this fhatier. The Fire Brigade plant was inadequate. Whatever the Council had should he of a complete character. He was informed that if New Brighten had a proper water supply and fire prevention provision the insurances would fall 20 to 25 per cent, this saying would go a !o::g way towards meeting tho cost of such a scheme as he suggested. He won Id not be a party to increasing th" rates. Sufficient- money should be raised for their absolute requirements. They were charged with " wasteful expenditure," and he challenged proof. Care wa.s necessary, and care had been exercised. Mr Flesber deprecated Mr Winny's introduction of tramway mat- [ ters into the election. Tie would )ike to know whether they would have had

the north lino and boach line completed to-day but for Lis elf oris. He was charged with being a. party to the increUKO in the New Brighton fares, but he challenged anyone to prove this. .Ho had always considered Now Brighton suffered injustice, and there was no reason why Redelifi'S, for ii:M n::;v. should have a cheap/". - race p/r mi In? than New Brighton. Any adjustment made in the fares should be according to distance. COUNCILLOR Councillor B. J. v.aid that every facility should '• ijvon Now Brighton for visitor*. ]!•:< e.r.:lor. r :ed Mr Flesner's idea for an extended and continuous sr:l>ei)io for the improvement of the foreshore, and lie was of opinion that a water scheme was necessary. This, like all other large questions, was one cf money. Ho thought the Fire Brigade question should be looked into. He had made inquiries respecting the effect such a. scheme as suggested by the Mayor would have on the insurance premiums, and had learnt that a considerable reduction would follow its adoption. COUNCILLOR BUXTON. Councillor J. Buxton stated that he owed no apologv to anyone for the manner in which the business of the Works Committee had. been carried out. He referred to a statement made at North New Brighton that ihev had purchased a grader which, after being used two or three times, was now scrapped." The statement was not true. They had bought the grader three years ago, and it had been us?d in Bligh and Rodney Streets and part of Beresford and Kepple Streets, Richmond Terrace, the Esplanade and Saltaire Road. It had never cost a penny in repairs, and was now in use. The charge that metal had cost 22s 6d was equally untrue. Owing to the impossibility of obtaining metal from the quarries they had on one occasion to take metal from Sefton's pit to the north, where the road was exceptionally heavy and bad, and the cost had run into 14s 6d only. _ They now had, however, convenient depots in different parts of the borough. He w?s in favour of a better plant for the Fire Brigade.

COUNCILLOR GOODWIN. Councillor G. E. Goodwin referred to Mr Winny's speech at North Brighton. Lack of continuity in Council work was the result of the system of elections. There was not sufficient time between elections to allow this. He was of opinion that if there was no overdraft the ratepayers would soon demand a reduction of rates. It was a misstatement that the affairs had been muddled. They had sought and carried out the advice of the Government Forester, and there was neither muddling nor loss. He referred to Mr Lsraelson's statement that the roads were worse now than they were eight years ago. Eight years ago they had three miles of roads ; to-day they had twenty-five, which cost about £SOO to maintain. Mr Goodwin replied in detail to the charges made by the progressives generally, and in a lengthy speech justified the work of the Council and the soundness of the past administration. COUNCILLOR LEAVER. Councillor E. A. M. Leaver, who was received with applause, said that one of the chief objects should be the maintenance of roads. The statement that the present Council had neglected both the north and south was scarcely correct. The Council had given every facility to the north end for the raising of the recent loan. Better lighting should be provided for the outlying parts, and experiments were being carried out in this direction. He was in favour of the Mayor's ideas in respect to fire prevention, and he thought an association should be formed to look after the improvement of the beach, on similar lines to that of the Caroline Bay Association at Timaru. He supported the Mayor's remarks respecting the revaluation and consequent increase of income. COUNCILLOR SINCOCK. Councillor F. Sineock said the only scheme which would be of any real value was a high pressure water supply, but ho could not see the possibility of this for some years to come. He suggested the attachment of a motor engine and a. second cylinder to the present fire extinguishing plant. He advocated lighting the outskirts with acetylene gas. MR CHIDGEY. Mr A. Chid gey stated that maintenance was the chief problem, on account of the special difficulties of the place. He was optimistic of Brighton's future as regards the foreshore. It was the natural, sanatorium of Christclmrch, and muxjh of the good health of the city was due to the breezes coming across the ocean. He advocated a scheme that would stand criticism and warrant the people ■ approaching the Government for assistance. Mr W. H. Bellamy moved—"That this meeting pledge itself to the support of the speakers of the evening, and have confidence i'n their administration of the affairs of the borough." Mr F. Kibblewhit-e seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the candidates was also carried. Mr C. H. Opie moved a vote of thanks, which was carried unanimously, to Councillors Bellamy and Pcoble for their services to the borough over a great number of years.