MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3313, 4 September 1911, Page 5

MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTIONS.

THE LABOR CANDIDATES. ADDRESSES AT SLEV WRIGHT MEMORIAL. . The Labor party opened their campaign in connection with the commg municipal by-election at the Sievwright Memorial on Saturday evening, when addresses were delivered by Messrs. D. W. Coleman and A. H. Anderson, the selected candidates. Mr. J. Bartlett presided, and there was a large attendance.

The chairman said that the Labor party considered they had a right to be represented at the election, and the candidates if elected would give an independent expression of opinion on all municipal matters. There were great difficulties before the Borough Council at the present time, and they required men of intelligence to deal with, and he thought that the Labor candidates would prove suitable for the positions. He was glad that the Council had decided to bring the proposals before them to a successful issue, and he considered that if elected the Labor candidates would assist the Council in attaining this object. Mr. Coleman said me Labor party made no apology for contesting this election. It was time the party had a representative on the Council, and realising this they had come forward to ask for public support in this direction. The affairs of the borough were in a very unsatisfactory condition, and one of their opponents said that he realised it would take business men to ujirayel the entanglement tilt, ourough affairs had got into. He (the speaker) would ask who got the borough affairs into this state? Was it a Council of Labor men ? No; it was a Council of business men. He thought that if Mr. W. D. Lysnar had got the support of the whole Council the borough affairs would not have been in such a condition as they were that day. There were then two factions on the Council, and whatever one advocated the other opposed, and between 'them the business of the borough had not progressed. The Labor candidates would vigorously support any measure that was for the benefit of the borough, and every measure brought forward would have their consideration, and would he supported accordingly'. He considered the Council should review the whole position in which they stood, and if necessaiy obtain expert advice regarding tlie works. There were several works on hand at present —the -sewerage, water supply, and roads—that needed to be pushed on as quickly as possible. He thought the water supply' was a disgrace, and it should be improved. Mr. Merchant's opinion and that of the Borough Engineer regarding the sewerage works did not coincide, and it was absolutely' necessary. some further advice should be obtained. Now that they had started these works they should finish them in a way that would he creditable to the town. They were strongly opposed to the contract system, and believed that the work could bo clone more satisfactorily by' day labor. There was always a tendency to slum tlie work under the contract system. The contractors’ idea was to take all the profits and do as little as they' could for the money'. Under tlie day* labor system nobody would be endeavoring to obtain large profits or slum the work. The Council would have to appoint men to supervise the work of contractors, and if the borough officials were capable of doing tliis they' were quite able ‘to see the work was carried out in a proper manner by day labor. The profits would go into the coffers of the municipality' instead of into the pockets of the contractor. He was in hivor of tlie Gentle Annie quarry, but was opposed to screenings from there being used in the construction of tlie Kaiti septic tank. The tramway to the quarry was, in his opinion, quite justified, but lie was not in favor of any more machinery' Deing placed at the quarry until it had been proved there was metal there to justify' further expense. Mr. Anderson said that they were again before the public in order that the workers might have fair representation on local bodies. It was not necessary to explain tlie platform drawn up by the party, but everyone who familiarised themselves with local politics knew it. It had been stated recently that it was absolutely necessary that in the present state of the borough affairs business men should be placed on the Council, but he thought that if Labor candidates Avere, elected it would do a great deal to assist in bringing local politics to the state of cleanliness in which they' should bo placed. In support of his argument he quoted Christchurch, which had five Labor representatives on the Council. Their affairs were in a state of absolute cleanliness —the state of the municipality was clean and it was on a proper footing. .This was not altogether owing to the Labor representatives on the Council, but Labor certainly was quite justified in taking a share of the credit. In Auckland and a great many other places Labor was represented un public bodies, and their nominees performed their duties to the satisfaction of those electors who put them there. The men they wanted on tlie Council were tlie men who could make Is do the work of Is 6d, and he thought they could be preferred to company* promoters and wizards of finance. He was of opinion that the Engineer should be given a free hand, and his recommendations should be treated with respect. He pointed out how the laborers had to struggle for every concession tney got from the Council, and instances the recent application for a conference regarding wages, etc. A conference had eventually been decided on, but they did not know when ir was to be held. He would ask them to remember the necessity for the workers to have representation on the Council. Their interests were identical with the interests of the public, and they were seekring positions on public bodies simply and solely that they might get redress. It might be said there were many people worse off than the laborers, but even so the fact remained that there was considerable room for improvement as far as laborers were concerned. The water supply and sewerage should he completed first of all, and the trams and theatres should not be undertaken till the essentials of life were completed. It would be his endeavor to see these two proposals carried out and placed on a proper footing. The meeting then terminated.

PRGSPEGTS OF THE CAMPAIGN. THE PROBABLE CONTESTANTS. There arc- no further candidates 1 announced' to- contest the two vacant seats or. the Borough Council, and as nomination dav is close at hand it seems likely that Messrs'- Sheridan, Bright, Anderson, and Coleman will be the only nominees. Strong endeavors.were made l during hst week to induce Mr. Geo. Wildish and Mr. Fred Lvsnar to- go to the poll, and both these gentlemen were inclined to consider the proposal favorably. hut on Saturday it was learned

from them t-ltat thev • would not enter t'hie contest. ,Mt. Lysnar stated that ho would Tike to seek the honor, but v/avSfindined to think if lie were successful it might tend to revive the mr+,y spirit, a thing that he 'abhorred. In ibii’me the bitterntes® existning in. the Council would die out, and then i.« would be glad to face an election'..