FOR THE1 MAYORALTY.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18320, 5 May 1931, Page 3

FOR THE 1 MAYORALTY.

BR. F. D. PINFOLD SPEAKS. | PRUDENCE, PROGRESS, PROSPERITY ADMINISTRATION CRITICISED. A large audience gave Dr. F. D. Pinfold a candidate for the Mayoralty, an excellent hearing at the Civic Theatre, Hamilton, last night. Mr J. Gilbert, a former councillor, presided. In introducing the speaker, Mr Gilbert said he consi'ered it meet that Dr. Pinfold should deliver an address. Mr Fow had given a 'statement in different, parts of the borough of the work that had been done during his term of office. Dr. Pinfold had not the same material to work upon as His Worship, and his speech would deal rather in prospect than retrospect. The speaker mentioned the fact that the candidate had lived in Hamilton for 30 years and therefore I required little introduction. The municipal business was the largest undertaking in the town and to run it they required a council composed of men of rectitude, sound thought and progressive action. (Applause).

Dr. Pinfold who was cheered on rising to speak asked the indulgence of his audience for any shortcomings he might exhibit in his address. The ratepayers of Hamilton were, he said, standing at the crossroads and he was showing them two tracks — one, a pleasant one that would lead them to ruin; the other strewn with difficulties that would lead them to ultimate prosperity. Which would they choose? The total revenue during ten years had risen from £32,000 to £68,000. Certainly we had had something for it, but so we should. He contended, however, that we had spent more than we should. We undoubtedly had to fashion our expenditure to fit our income. Local bodies should be compelled to do the same. The total national public debt amounted to £179 12s 9d per head while the local body debt was £47 2s 4d per head, which, he held, was far too large.

National and Local Body Expenditure,

I Referring to his qualifications for ! the office of Mayor, the speaker said ! he had had the scholastic education, i an education in the school of life, a i knowledge of human nature, an under-. ■ standing of the difficulties of the poor, | a sympathy with ‘the wage, earner 1 and some experience in financial mati ters. He was no jeremiah to spread a ! pessimistic outlook, but lie must stress the position in regard to the national and local body expenditure. A fool’s paradise might he a good place to live in for a fool, but the roof was leaking badly. Local body expenditure was increasing out of all bounds and there was a growing need for economy. He pointed out that the administrative costs of the borough were 3.19 per cent. If returned he was going to do his best to ferret into these administrative expenses. He mentioned that the total debt of tlje town was £213,000 in 1916. In 1930 it had grown to £802,611. Over half a million bad been borrowed in 15 years and £44,000 out of the £64,000 revenue had to be paid out in in- ; lerest and sinking fund, leaving only i £20,000 to carry on the works of the | borough. Mr Fow had had the | temerity to say “see what I have done." “I think," added the speaker that I could do something with approximately half a million of borrowed money and half a million of revenue. (Applause). The question was, had the ratepayers had value for all Ill's money? Did the ratepayers, he asked, get value, for instance, for the £llO,000 which they paid for their sewerage scheme? And why did the council pay the engineer, on top of his salary, an additional 1 per cent on this job, thus making him a present of £1,100? Then there was a streets loan of £157,000. Did they get value for that? He contended they had not. He criticised the cost of bituqjinising in the borough and said bitumen was still being wasted through excessive bleeding. Anglesea Street Cutting. Dealing with the Anglesea Street cutting the candidate asked why this work was undertaken without the sanction- of the ratepayers/ To what sort of pass were the affairs of the country coming when local bodies could undertake such works without consulting the ratepayers? They were told that Victoria Street was congested but he did not think the Anglesea Street cutting would relieve the situation. It would certainly induce a big body' of trafllc to pass tlrat highly dangerous intersection known as “Brighton” corner. There had been .’,1,000 yards of spoil removed from this cutting, 28,000 yards of which went, to make, the embankmcnls for the Maeroa bridge and 13,000 for Abbotsford Street, Seven sections had been tilled in and a beauty spot had been spoiled. The seven seel ions were valued at about £IOOO and had a letting value of £9 each, while it had taken £2.100 worth of clay to nil them. The Maeroa bridge had taken 1 28,000 yards of clay worth £4,550. ! They were told that the Government | had paid half the cost. Whose money did tlio Government pay with? (Applause). The speaker contended that the cutting vcl required a good deal of finishing to make it safe, j The Mayor when speaking at FrankUon, had boasted of how the rates had

been lowered. Who got the benefit of this? The wealthy few'. The candidate quoted figures to show that one firm In Victoria Street saved as a result £132, another £llO and so on down to £3O, but said the ordinary citizen would find very little difference in the rates on his dwelling. What was the result of the council cutting down the estimates in the way it did? It meant a curtailment of essential work and ten men being put off the borough staff and forced on to relief. There were 80 miles of formed footpaths in the borough and 50 miles that were unformed. He maintained that the expenditure of £SOOO per year for eight years wmuld give every householder a good footpath, and if returned this was one of the proposals he would put forward.

Preference to British Goods.

The speaker enunciated a policy of. progress with prudence leading to prosperity. He promised, if returned, to see so far as was in his power, that there would be no increase in rabe» during the next two years, although, with the present burden of debt the town had to bear, be could promise no reduction. He would undertake a general overhaul of Borough Departments and w'ouxd see that the strictest economy was practised in every branch. He was a strong Imperialist and considered that preference all the time should be given to the purchase of British goods, thus giving British and New Zealand workmen jobs .(Applause). He favoured expanding the borough to include the 3,000 people who had gone to live just over the boundary in order to escape its rates and taxes. “What are they doing using our footpaths,” he asked amidst laughter.

The candidate made mention of the need for an additional bridge and declare that he was not going to vote for one half way to Auckland. (Laughter). If a bridge was required,, they must, have it in the town. (Hear! hear). He was anxious that the trees of the borough, especially in the various streets should be preserved and considered some of the unemployed could be put To useful work in planting streets that did not already contain trees.

Policy of Economy.

He criticised the late council’s ac* tion in transferring profits from trading departments to the general fund ancl said they had no right to steal £2OOO from .the waterworks reserve and £3,000 from the gas and electricity profits to reduce the rates. He promised, if elected, to administer the by-laws without fear or favour. He called to mind the Hetherington’s lease transaction as an Instance of where the council (including himself when a member) had been hoodwinked into sacrificing £2250 by allowing Hetherington’s to escape their obligations. The doctor said he had been asked his opinion of women on local bodies. He referred to the work of many notable women in public life, and said he had no objection to women occupying seats on local bodies provided they had the time and ability, and did not neglect their homes. In conclusion the speaker remarked that with every man’s income returning to the 1914 standard, there was the greatest need for caution in spending and a watchful eye was needed to prevent waste. It was only by a policy of eco’homy that we could emerge from our depression triumphantly and be able again to forge ahead more quickly as times became more prosperous. With the slogan, “ Pinfold, Progress, Prudence and Prosperity," he left himself In the hands of the ratepayers. The speaker received a further round of applause on resuming his seat, and afterwards answered a number of questions. On the conclusion of his address, Mr W. Allen complimented the candidate on his speech, which, he said, marked him as a man of ability and foresight, capable of managing the business of the borough and fulfilling with credit the office of chief magistrate. He moved a motion to this effect, and of thanks to the speaker for his address. This .was carried amidst applause.