Page 56 - Bulletin 7 2003

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now waging between the two “Tickets of Two”, the first bearing the names of
Messrs. Scowen and Ellis, the retiring Councillors, who have again been
nominated, and the second representing the Rev. Father Duignam and Mr.
Neumann Thomas, who have been chosen as the nominees of what is known as
the Kalk Bay element. It was decided to hold the first meeting of ratepayers at
Kalk Bay [in the Church Hall] on Wednesday evening, and it took place and was
extremely successful, although the attendance was marred by the heavy rains
which prevailed throughout the whole of the latter part of the day.

Mr. Councillor Wood, on being voted to the chair, said they had met there that
evening for the purpose of hearing the views of the two candidates, Messrs.
Scowen and Ellis, and, for his own part, he had nothing to say about them, as he
had known them both to be good men. He had worked with them for the past
twelve months, and he was satisfied that they were fit and proper persons to
represent that Municipality. It was necessary for the ratepayers to get the best
men possible on the Council, and to his mind Councillors should be good
business men or men of some influence in the Municipality, and endowed with
the capacity to think and grasp clearly the future prospects of the district. The
Municipality was growing, and it would develop into an extremely large place in
a few years. Some of the schemes that were started by his colleagues and himself
needed a great deal of looking after, and it would be difficult to “break in”
thoroughly any new recruits who might be elected. He had great pleasure in
recommending to those present the two candidates who were on the platform
that evening for the purpose of expounding their views.

Mr. Scowen, though he was glad to meet them, said he did not exactly see that
the meeting was necessary. It had been called for the purpose of giving the
ratepayers of Kalk Bay an opportunity of hearing the views of Mr. Ellis and
himself on municipal matters, but their views could be seen by anyone who
wished to visit the Council Chamber, and he therefore did not think the meeting
was in a way necessary. They had a lot of works in hand during the last few
years, and those works had been done with every credit to the Councillors.

Mr. Ellis said he had great pleasure in coming there that evening to address those
present, and he also agreed with Mr. Scowen that it was scarcely necessary for a
meeting to have been called. He would not have stood there that evening if he
did not think that he had the confidence of the ratepayers. He respected his
opponents, but he did not think they would see the Council Chamber. Neither he
nor Mr. Scowen feared a foe. They liked to see genuine competition for seats in
any Council, as it showed a healthy state of affairs, but he and his fellow-
candidate would get in, and of that result those present might rest assured. He
had met Mr. Thomas, one of their opponents, the previous week, and he had told
him that it was useless on his part to stand, as he would not get into the Council,
but only put them to great expense. ……….. “And,” said Mr. Ellis in conclusion,
impressively, “there is one thought that will haunt you for some time, even
tonight, and that is the candidature of Scowen and Ellis.”