THE MAYORALTY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2467, 3 April 1909, Page 6

THE MAYORALTY.

RV MILLER’S CANDIDATURE.

USIASTIC PUBLIC MEETING

Ipublic- meeting in connection with diller’s eandidaturo'for the Mayoral r was held in his committee rooms, 3-street, yesterday afternoon. Mr i. DeLautour occupied the chair, ;the .room was crowded with ladies ; gentlemen. - Afternoon tea was ed by the Poverty Bay Tea Kooms bantfi prior to the commencement of mcet hrgv ie Chairman, introducing Mr Mileaid was rather a difficult g to kn'Sw > Vxactly what to say and t to leave unsaid at such a gather- . It .was absurd to introduce Mr br to such ( a meeting as he was so .and favorably 'known to them, •as a great matter for congratulathat the young men were coming lard to take up the work of the rich. He appealed to the young of Gisborne to rally round Mr ;er and work for the good of the rict. The little borough had got i straits, and there had been delay, jh there should not have been, in ing with sanitation, roads, etc., to avoid further delay they should rn as Mayor a man who, while ng views of his own, would. work t liis Council, and accept the ver- . of the majority. . What w wanted was .a year of k and no more talk, and thought that, Mr Miller was about [best young man offering for the tipii. They wanted enterprise, ty, and, above all tilings, unity, . .with these things fn view he Id introduce Mr Miller to them, ir Miller, on rising to speak, was >ted.with very hearty applause. He that he could hardly find words 3xpress his gratitude for the Welle that had been given him. He Jogised for the embarrassment oceaed him by the warm welcome that been tendered him; bashfulness *uly a temporary fault, he admitte if he had the opportunity of Iressing them again, he assured them fc that 1 would disappear. He asked je judged rather by his actions than words in his opening speech. (Apuse.) . ji the course of his address, Mr. Mil-' ■stated that when he was first apached by those gentlemen who were d enough to say that he had possessthe necessary qualifications for the :e of Mayor, he hesitated to accept filiation, for two reasons: the pri?v reason was that lie was not_ sat?d that a more fitting; candidate Id not be found; secondly, he had, ered into business negotiations, ch -might necessitate his visiting itralia. With regard to the first he 5 -assured by Ins friends that in tlieir nioh his chances of success were ater than any other aspirant’s, so he sented to nomination. Scarcely had consented than he was called to ilney to complete negotiations, mvolo 1 a great amount of other people s ii-talj which he felt in honor bound cruard in consequence of the trust iDsed in him. He then called his nmittee together, and put the facts duly before them, so that they could jet another candidate. It was unami'iisly resolved, however, that the cont should go on. Mr. Miller stated it he was now in the fight, and inxded to remain, and with the he.p or y friends to the inattcu* tlivougn, d was confident that they could put a good fight, Mr. Miller stated it those opposed to him were freely dilating a report that he was" going : I Sydney because, to use their on n ■rds, “ho was afraid to face the mus- ” That statement, said Mr. Miller, ■& just about as reliable as their figes. What had lie done to he frighted about? inquired Mr.. Miller. What d he ever done that he should fear face the people? He had been in sborne over 30 years, and most or cm • had known him from boyhood vs. And they knew all that was good “bad about him. Whatever his faults ■re, and no man was perfect, lie was t a coward, and he saw no reason tear the result of this contost. Jrlo pected to see a big fight, and lie was dermined it should be a fair fight, he was beaten it would ho no disace, and if necessary he could take a ating as a man should. W hatever e result, Mr. Lysnar and lie would not \ any the AVor.se friends, for were it boys together, when times m Gisrne- were not as good' as they were ( \y and it was a struggle for most of em to earn a living; any way it was r him. “No, disabuse your minds, ntinued Mr. Miller, “that I am raid to face the music.” If they id said; lie added, that he was afraid face the ladies, there might have sen something in their argument, for certainly require a good deal of cqnron the part of a bachelor to face i audience of ladies and ask for their ipport. He felt that afternoon that, is principal crime was the fact that he as a bachelor. But he trusted that r W ) that objection would er,e long otted but. They should remember, he mtinued, that it took two to make a if gain- of that sort. There was one uestion affecting the ladies which he islied to make quite clear, and that as that he fully recognised the heavj pspoiisibilities that were likely to tall n the Mayor in regard to entertaining, nd he had made such arrangements hat if elected he should bean a pqsiion to enteitain in a manner befitting he office. He did not propose tiring be ladies with a long address, as he -jus publishing a very full one m toicrrow’s papers.. He had to touch rieflv, however, on a few questions. Drainage,—He thought they must II agree that a complete system or rainage was an absolute necessity m fisbo'.ne, and that it was the most imiortant question before them at the iresellt time. He was m favor of a bmprehensive sclieme which would ventuallv embrace the wliolev of the 5.0 rough. He approved of Mr. Alsuhant being asked to report, and he a voted Dr. Mason’s advice that the opbrts lie submitted to a board of exerts to decide. When that was done e would recommend that a special •onimittee he appointed to prepare indited and reliable figures to place ueore the ratepayers prior to av.poU icirih taken. Roads.— During his seven years on ho Council he had advocated a loani loi roads, for tie always recognised that hoy could not do all that was nco?s•avy out of revenue. Me. still main nined that it was necessary to la.s , loan for that purpose. I Breakwater.— As they were all a - iru, the election carried a neat on the Harbor Board,- and he stated that he vas- in favor of an outer Hai boi - - dented he; would do, all" in his P - o’,-have a scheme hacked up by • reliabl igiu-es placed before the ratepayersof their approva 1. A t the same • tii me ie quite approved of the action <». the Hafbor Board in considering V the- quesjbiii of improving,the-river'. Theyunmt. e

charging in the quickets possible manner.

River Entrance.—As the owner of a launch for a number of yeans, which he used on the river three or four times a week, he claimed to know something about the clangers to the entrance to the river; there was no doubt in his' mind that the Board must do something to improve matters, and the sooner the better. He did not suggest the remedy, but would sooner leave that to experts. There was also n.n'oving the channel. There wins .--Isi med for hotter shed accom.. at ion <:n ihe jriiarf ancl he would like to sec a special committee appointed l<» go into the question of wharf ancl shed accommodation for the next ten years, and adopt a fixed , scheme that would bo carried out. The landing arrangements for passengers ancl luggago was not satisfactory and he blamed the system and hope he could suggest something better than the present arrangements. (Applause). He was strongly in favor of locking the Wa.i-mat-a . ancl Taruheru rivers. He had a good deal of experience in locks in England, and until ho went on his trip he ha no idea of the beauty of the rivers here. The natural beauty of the upper reaches of the Waimata river was equal s to any .of the European rivers he liad seen. They coucl make a. most beautiful river of the Waimata, as some of the views to be obtained, at high ticle were- as good as could be seen anywhere. He took it as a compliment to himself that the ladies had come in such numbers to his meeting. He did not think the fight was going to be won on the platform, but was more a question of the men. If they thought he was the better man, he would ,aslc them to vote ancl work lor him. If they did not think so be would ask them to vote for his opponent. He dod not claim to be a man of exceptional ability, but was always able to work w r ith any body of men. Whatsoever his abilities were, he placed them at the disposal of the people, and he again thanked them, land only wislie that he had more ability to serve them. (Loud applause.) Mrs Fox moved that the meeting expresses approval of Mr Miller’s candidature, and that all present do all they could to secure his return. Mrs Church seconded the motion, which, on being put, was- carried with applause. _ ' The Chairman said that the way the motion was carried should remove any doubt from Mr Miller of the prospects of his return. rM Miller then thanked those present for their splendid reception. He sui dthey were fighting a fighter, and he relied on their continued support right Up to the last day of the time. One thing he wanted to make clear was. that it might be said that these little trips to Australia would occur often, but he could assure them that, if e!ectde, lie would make such arrangements that the whole of his time and services would be at the disposal of the Borough. (Cheers.) At the conclusion of his remarks Mr Miflpr proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was carried with applause.