CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3303, 15 September 1871, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

Thia day is tho day appointed for the poll being token in respect to the eloctiou of a member of the City Council for eaoh of the municipal wards — Thorndon, Lambton, and Te Aro. The polling commences at eight o'clock, and closes at four, tho polling places | being — in Thorndon Ward, the office lately occupied by Colonel Gorton, Molesworth street; in Lambtou Ward, the Athenronm ; in Te Aro Ward, the shop lately occupied by Mr Evans, saddler, near tho Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, Willis street. - The nominations took place yesterday. Opportunities for speech-making are not on those occasions afforded to tho proposer and seconder, the nominations being written, but the candidates wore present, in each instance, at the reading of the nomination papers, and briefly addressed the assembled electors and non-electors; and in ono instance — at tho nomination in Te Aro Ward — there was an I apparent disposition on the part of ! every person present to address his fellow-citizens, so that, briefly though the candidates spoke, very little of what i they said was distinctly heard. On behalf of some of the candidates placards were issued, containing such advices as " Vote for Mills and Progress," " Yoto for Hay ward," and " Vote for Mantell, who will protect the ciby against tho reclaimed land swindle, and will not allow the ratepayers to bo saddled with £50,000 to pay the debts of a bankrupt Provincial Council." In Thorndon Ward the nomination took place at noon in the Church of England schoolroom. Mr D. Rainio, as Returning Officer, announced the nomination ot Mr R. H. Carpenter and Mr W. M. Bannatyne. Both candidates briefly addressed the few electors present. Mr Carpenter defended his views on the water scheme, and repeated his objections to the purchasing of tho reclaimed land. Mr Bannatyne declined to give pledges, but promised to do his beet to forward the interests of his fellow ratepayers. After a wordy discussion between candidates and electors, the Returning Officer concluded the proceedings by declaring the time and place of polling. In Lambton Ward the nominations were commenced at one o'clock, by Mr L. Moss, as j Returning Officer. The gentlemen nominated were Mr E. W. Mills and the Hon W. B. D. Mantell. Mr Mills appealed to the ratepayers on the ground of past services, and reminded them that, as he was one of the largest of the ratepayers, and paid his ratea himself, it waß very certain he would do them the utmost justice. He expressed himself strongly in favor of carrying out the proposal in reference to the reclaimed land. — The Hon Mr Mantell expressed himself as decidedly opposed to the City Council having anything to do with the reclaimed land, and objected to a clause in tho propoded act, whereby it was proposed that the general rates of the town should be mortgaged as security for any payments that the City Council might undertake. He w&b aisked a question by the Mayor as to the truth of a rumor prevalent that he had been tho means of keeping the Hospital Trust Fund out of £1000, in connection with the Maori reserves. He expressed himself glad to answer the question, and to give the lie direct to those circuiting it. The fact was that the Maoris were very dissatisfied at the j reserves guaranteed to them by Sir George Grey being handed over to the Hospital. They camo to him and asked his advice, and he advised them to go to the Supremo Court. They asked him to act as thoir counsel, and aleo as their interpreter, but he refused both, and he was wholly and entirely unconnected with the actions that they were at present carrying on. He had nothing whatever to do with the matter. The Mayor expressed himself satisfied, and the candidate repeated that he wan glad to have had an opportunity of making the contradiction. A vote of thanks to the Returning Officer terminated tho proceedings. In Te Aro Ward, the Mayor, Mr Dranßfield, was the Returning Officer, and he reud tho names of Messrs Quin, Hayward, and Krull, as tho three gentlemen nominated. The official announcement of the nomination was made outside of the market-place in Cuba street, but, in deference to the circumstance that there was a somewhat cold wind blowing, tho crowd retired to the interior of that, stonebreaking establishment, and there, from a rudely constructed platform, the three candidates addressed thoseassembled amid bantering interruptions. Mr Quin said he had not intended to come forward again but for the circumstance that Mr Krull, who was non-resi-dent in the wurd, had become a cundidate. He referred to some of his own exertions in obtaining street and drain works done, and quoted, as a complimentary reference to himself, a remark by tho Mayor, " If you want any dirty work done, go to Quin." [His Worship denied that the remark had been made by him.] He referred to Mr Cavpenter and himself as having stood out. against the Mayor, who, as compared with him, was "a sort of new chum." As to Mr Hayward, he lacked experience— " he would be six months in before he would be educated up." He repeated that, but for Me I Krull having come forward, he would not have stood, but now that he had stood, he was not afraid of beating both the other candidates. Mr Hay wardwas opposed toanythingbeingdone with the reclaimed land onjthe part of the rate- ' payers, whose money should rather be devoted to the making of roads. If the reclaimed land were a good speculation, let it be dealt with us a private speculation by the merchants. He was opposed also to the Council having anything to do with the weighbridge or kerosene store. He wanted improved streets at the lowest cost, and he bolioved road-metal could bo supplied at us low a price as sixpence per yard. Mr Krull considered the purchase of the reclaimed land one of the best things tho Town could undertake. He was convinced of its propriety and of its success us a speculation. If they did not reap all its advantages, thoir children would, and it was a fallacy to suppose that they would require to touch the rates. Let an open accovmt bo kept ; let the public bco whut were the results ; and ho was convinced that in ten years a favorable bulauco would bo shown. It was nonsense to cry out against borrowing ; ho would like to see the man who had a home hero who had not borrowed. As to the weighbridge, a benefit had been done to tho whole population by its erection. He feared Mr Hajward's promise to supply at 6d a yard what now cost 4a Gd a yard, was simply an election cry, but if Mr Hay ward possessed some valuable secret on tho subject, why not reveal it ? Although ho (Mr Krull) was not resident iv tho ward, ho had two properties (hero, but ho thought it was rather a rccommondation than otherwise that a man should be unbiassed by considerations of improving the neighborhood of his own property or residence. Numerous irrelevant questions were put to tho candidates, and tho somewhat irregular and not very entertaining or dignified proceedings were tormina-ted by a vote of thanks to tho Mayor being proposed and carried by acclamation. _______