CITY COUNCIL.

A special meeting was held last, night for the purpose of electing fa Mayor, and appointing Committees, Cr Burn in the chair. Present, all the members but Cr Harper. Cr Webb proposed Cr Everett as Mayor, but tliat gentleman declined to accept the office. CV Everett proposed and Cr Carter seconded Mr J. H. Levien, who wbb declared unanimously elected The Mayor 3aid that he should have been better pleased had Cr Everett accepted the office, as he would probably have done much better thon hiraaeif. At the same time ho desired to thank them, more especially because he had been elected unanimously. The town was undoubtedly in great but not insuperable difficulties, but they were to be overcome if the Council were as unanimous in combatting them as they had been in electing him. Their present indebtedness would, he trusted, serve as a warning to them for the future not to enter into contracts unless they were certain of obtaining the werewithal to pay for them. It had been said that the Corporation was in a bankrupt condition, but he demurred to such a statement, as, while their debt was £1900, their income was about £2800. He hoped that by their conduct in the Council they would secure the eonfi Jence of the ratepayers, and that the^e would be among them no Buch bickerings as had brought the late Council into disrepute He wished them only to perform their work in strict accordance with the Act, and thought that their meetings might be made much shorter than hitherto, if they would set to work like gentlemen and avoid all personalities. He could not just then offer any opinion upon the state of the gas and water works, but thought that the most they could do was to act faithfully towards the public, and leave the modus operandi to the Committee of management. He trusted that he should not be influenced by any penchant for any particular Councillor, but act impartially towards all. Cr Webb proposed that there should be a Public Works and a Finance Committee, and that the former should consist of Crs Gray, Carter, Thompson, and the mover, Cr Burn moved as an amendment that there be three Committees, a Finnnce, Public Works, and Gas an^ Waterworks. / The amendment was carried by 4 to 3. Ayee — Crs Burn, Carter, Wilkins, and Gray. Noes — Crs "Webb, Everett, and Thompson. On the motion of Cr Burn it was resolved that the Public Works Committee coDsist of Crs Webb, Carter, and ThompsoD. / On the motion of Cr THOMPSONy/it was resolved that Crs Everett, Burn, and the Mayor be the Finance/Committee. On the motion of Cr Everett, it was resolved that Cis Harper, Gray, and Wilkina be the Gas and Waterworks Committee.