A BOROUGH UTOPIA.

Wairarapa Age, 29 July 1921, Page 3

A BOROUGH UTOPIA.

SPEECHES AT AIOCK ELECTION. On Wednesday night the Y.AI.C.A. was crowded with people anxious to hear the speeches of the large field of candidates contesting the seats at a mock Borough Council election. Three speakers (Messrs Inreadwcli. Evernden, and Lovell.) contested the Alayoralty, and all outlined a number of improvements which would be put into operation immediately upon their election. Mr Th readv. ell set up a wail on behalf of the young people that though they got dressed up. there was no place to go, except walking round the streets, uhere there were no lights at all. He suggested a municipal ferry service for moonlight liver trips. Air Evernden, on the other hand, contended that there were places to go to. What was the matter with the gardens? lie asked; and was it not the wisdom of the City Fathers which decreed that there should be no gas lamps in many of the streets —not to save the gas—perish the thought—but to provide young couples with a place to go to, and not far from home. Mr Lovell said that if lie were , elected as Mayor he would see that the Councillors did their job on council nights, and did not take five hours to do two hours’ work. He had received many complaints from councillors’ wives in regard to the .midnight return of their husbands. Nineteen candidates were nominated for councillors but only thirteen faced the judge. Alany ingenious method were suggested for making Mastertor a paradise on earth. The condition of the road between the bridges came in for a lot of condemnation, while the lighting of the borough received some scathing criticism. A candidate whose principal plank was beautifying suggested the building up and planting of the island between the two streams as a scenic reserve. The public were not slow in submitting their questions, and some of the candidates were subjected to keen cross-examination, but the majority of them stood their trial well and finally won the confidence of electors. A would-be councillor suggested that more trees skou’d be planted in the C tracts, after the maimer of Pine street, while another advocated the removal of the gasometer from Ban nistor street to the vicinity of the Chinese gardens. Still another town-planning expert wished to install a social hall at the Ku ripuni triangle, together with a soldiers’ memorial column about -260 feet high and surrounded by flower beds on the vacant section opposite the Alunicipal hall. A Progressive suggested the numerical plan adopted in the little township of New York, and many candidates raised a howl about the absence of name-plates at street corners. The bridge across the river nea l I the hospital z was promised by several to be put into commission immediately upon their election, and various pro tests were hurled at the present’ council for their shameful neglect of this work of public convenience. _The poll resulted as follows:— ATayor, Mr C. Love’ll. Councillors— Messrs 1). Ross. Ruston, Hanify. Smith, Clarke Hoar, Holdaway. Morris. Pemher. Dagg, Pannell, Allan, and Quill. The judge..(Air D.. Hehenton) stated that the speeches were al] of high calibre, and the 'candidates had stood’ ur» to the, iitterjectiops better than manv more experienced speakers wou’d have done.