BOROUGH COUNCIL INSTALLATION OF MAYOR.

The annual meeting of the Borough Council was held on Wednesday at noon. Present : — The Mayor (Eov. C. Jordan) and Crs. Spencer, Asher, Lemon, Fraser, and Hulme, and the Mayor-elect (Mr. Lundon). Mr. Lundon then made the usual declaration as Mayor.

The retiring Mayor (Rev. Mr. Jordan) then handed over the mayoral chair to Mr. Lundon and congratulated him on his election as Mayor. In doing so the r«v. gentleman said when he was elected a question much agitated was the Victoria Wharf, but owing to the efforts of himself and other gentlemen, That had now been settled. They had also passed a by-law to protect the ratepayers of the town from itinerant vendors, by imposing alicense of £10. The subject of the loan had also been in hand. He was sorry they had not accomplished much but negotiations were still going on. This loan was simply to consolidate the debt of the old Town Board and amount due to the County Council. The loan had been refused because they could not take a poll owing to the number of absentees They had had correspondence with the Government about the removal of the pilot, and also as to appointing a provisional man. He was sorry they had been unsuccessful. He was glad to say there had been no impounding far a long time. He regretted that the Council had been driven to retrenchment by reducing the Clerk's salary, and dispensing with the Engineer, whose services had been most efficient. He had only used his casting vote twice while in office, and then only to uphold the existing order of things. With regard to the Victoria Wharf he was sorry Cr. Bodell was not present, at he had published a letter in the Bay of Plenty Times which was calculated to mislead the public. The Town Wharf had been a total loss to the Council. The extension of that wharf was made without any authority from the ratepayers. The Council had paid £40 a year for it, fop which sum it had been let. There should be a report on the Town Wharf by th? engineer, as wett, ai *^ c .yktoria Wharf. What had been done was for the benefit of the people at large, He then referred to the manner in which the wharf tariff had been framed to assist exporters, and gave instances of goods offered for sale in Tawanga, then sold in Auckland and actually bought by Tauranga people at higher prices than originally offered for. He estimated the dues at £20 per month. He was glad to see Mr. Lundon elected to the Council, it was the duty of every Councillor to support the Chair, and he wished the new Mayor all success. He thanked the Council, lors for their courtesy and support to him during the year. Cp. Spencer moved a hearty vote of thanks to thexetiring Mayor who had filled the Chair in a very creditable manner. Cr. Hulme seconded, and endorsed Cr. Spencer's remarks. Any burgess who thoroughly enquired into matters would find they had done what was best for the welfare of the Borough. The Mayor (Mr. Lundon) then conveyed to the Key. Mr. Jordan the thanks of the Council in a neat speech to which the Rev. gentleman replied, stating he intended to spend his days in Tauranga, and might again have the pleasure of sitting at the Council table, as he had the interests of Tauranga at heart. The new Mayor said he hoped to prove a working member, rather than ;i speaking onfe. In any question* that were carried he hoped the minority would cheerfully give way |to the majority. He hoped the motto of the Council would be "For the cause that lacks assistance, and the wrong that need* resistance, a,nd the future in the distance, and the good that we caa do." A few thin gs had transpired during the year which as a settler be deeply regretted. First there was the loss of the pilot service, which was a serious loss to the port and district generally. We was informed some of the buoys were seriously out of place, and there was no provision for the harbour at present, and there was thie risk of vessels going on tin bank. Such a think would be detrimental to the port. He had been one of those

who had been instrumental in getting a. Pilot and Customs officer stationed here. First they lost the Customs Officer and then the Pilot. If there was a possibility of re-establing this serrice he would be one to take actire steps in the matter. He feared the next thing would be to close Tauranga as a port of entry, and he hoped all would assist in resisting such a move. Another matter to which he was fully alire was the passing of a Harbour Act, and referred to the fate of prerioufl attempts. He referred to the small amount of labour employed during the last year or two on account of which people had to leare. He ha,d not had an opportunity of going into the financial position of the Borough, but the income wa,s

about £900 a year, and out of that they only got a surfaceman and £30 or £40 worth of work done. The interest was a heavy drain on the Borough, and there must be an end to it. Mr Jordan had informed them that the getting of the loan was m train and he hoped they would succeed as a consolidation loan was absolutely necessary, and by getting it at a low rate of interest* they could employ more labour. Another matter though a little outside the Borough was the settlement of the land. Tkey had thousands of acres of land, and good land, and be thought free selection would be a good thing. It was more & matter for the County Council but they might co-operate with that in endeavouring to bring about the settlement of these lands. He intended having a detailed statement made of the financial state of the Borough to submit to the Council.He asked their co-operation and assistance in fulfilling the duties of his office. FIRE BRIGADE. Cr Asher said that as an unpaid officer as Fire Inspector he was in a fix, and wanted to know what, in case of fire, he was to do.— The Mayor asked that the matter remain over till next meeting.— Or Spencer referred to the financial position of the Borough and pointed out that next year there woald be a decrease is subsidy. The Brigade cost £74 per year, which was too much. He moved that having regard to the financial position of the Borough the Committee bring in a report and recommendation at next meeting of the Council, and that the Inspector in the meantime ask the men not to ditbad.—Cr Hulme seconded. — Cr Fraser thought the Brigade would not be like a lot of spoilt children, but would give all assistance in cas« of fire.— Cr Asher said he would see the men and do the best he could. — The motion was withdrawn and the question dropped. THANKS. The Mayor then tendered his hearty thanks to the retiring Mayor for baring installed him in office, and the Council adjourned.