MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

The annnal elections of Mayors for Municipalities and Boroughs took place yesterday. We append the results :— CHRISTCHURCH.

The annual meeting of the City Council for tbe election of a Mayor for the ensuing year took place at the City Council Chambers. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs Hart, Hobbs, Jones, Ick, Farr, Gapes, Calvert.

The following ex-Mayors of Christchurch were also present, viz, Messrs W. Wilson, J. P.Jameson, J. Anderson, and H. Sawtell, ex-Councillor Pratt, Dr Foster (city solicitor), Mr C. Cuff (city surveyor), and Mr Denißon (city surveyor elect) were also present.

The minutes of the former meeting were read and confirmed.

The Mayor then informed the Council that he had amicably settled the matter left in his hands respecting Mr Moodie's claim. His Worship then said that the object of tbe meeting that day was the certification of the accounts of the Council as audited, and the election of the Mayor. The accounts as printed were unanimously adopted, and signed by the Mayor. The Mayor then called upon the members present to nominate a Mayor. Cr Ick said before proceeding with that business, he had been deputed by the members of the Council and the ex-councillors to present his Worship the retiring Mayor with a piece of plate and an address. He felt sure that all the members of the Council would agree with him when he said that the chair had been filled during the year just closed with that dignity which had always characterised the Mayors of Christchurch. The citizens of Christchurch had always been fortunate enough to secure the services of gentlemen as Mayors who did honor alike to the office and to the citizens. During his Worship's term of office several important works had been completed, and on every occasion his Worship had given the works committee the valuable aid of his counsel and advice. He spoke this tbe moie feelingly, as he was a member of that committee, and on many occasions the committee had been indebted to the practical advice of his Worship the Mayor. Apart from this the duties appertaining to tbe office of Mayor had been discharged by his Worship most efficiently. He would not detain them longer, but would now present his Worship the Mayor with the following, address, accompanied with a silver decanter, stand, salver, and biscuit box. The address was as follows :— "To E. B. Bishop, Esq, Mayor of Christchurch. Dear Sir, —We, the undersigned members and ex-members of the Christchurch City Council, beg to present you with this address and the accompanying piece of plate, as a token of the high esteem we entertain for you as a private citizen, and also for the very careful and assiduous attention you have at all times shown to your duties as a member of the City Council, more especially as Mayor of Christchurch for the past year. Trusting you may be spared for many years in your sphere of usefulness is the earnest desire of yours, very sincerely, M. B. Hart,

W. CaWert, F. Hobbs, C. T. Ick, T. D. Jones, S. C. Farr, W. H. Lane, J. Gapes, W. Wilson, John Anderson, J. P. Jameson, Henry Sawtell, Wm Pratt, Geo Gordon (Town Clerk)." The testimonial consisted of a very handsome pair of spirit decanters in a silver stand npon a silver salver. It was furnished by Mr T. R. Procter, and was exceedingly handsome and tasteful. The address, a very good specimen of illumination, was executed by Mr J. Goodman, and reflected very great credit upon him. In the left hand corner waa placed a well executed photograph of the ex-mayor, and the capital letters were illuminated in gold and silver and colors.

His Worship the Mayor said that be felt

deeper than bis words could express the honor that had been paid bim that day, not only by the members of the Council who had served with him that year, but also by the ex-Councillors and Mayors who had filled the chair before him. In doing what he had done in the position to which the Council had elected him, he had only endeavored to do his doty faithfully and well to the citizens, and had laid out for himself the rnle of following in as close a manner as he could tbe conduct of his predecessors in office. Those gentlemen who had preceded him bad discharged the duties most efficiently—[hear, hear]—and his endeavour had been to follow in their footsteps. He thanked them heartily for their gift, the more so as it was a spontaneous testimonial on the part of the gentlemen who bad worked with him, and the more so as it came out of their personal pocketp, and not ont of the rates. He had during his term of office received the utmost courtesy from all members of the Council and all the departments of the City Council, and he begged to thank them most heartily. Cr Calvert then rose and said that he had much pleasure in proposing as their next Mayor Michael Brennan Hart, Esq. That gentleman had, in the capacity of chairman of the works committee, given ample proof of administrative capacity in no mean degree, and he thought that by electing Mr Hart as Mayor of Christchurch they would be placing a gentleman there who would do honor to their choice. Councillor Hart had served the citizens well for a number of years, and he thought that the honor in the hands of the Council would worthily be conferred upon that gentleman. [Hear, hear.] Cr Hobbs had great pleasure in seconding the resolution. Cp Hart had for spine years been an active member of tbe Council, and the citizens had cause to be thoroughly well satisfied with Cr Hart's assiduity, As chairman of the works committee, he had been most assiduous, and his practical knowledge had been of very great service to them. He felt sure that Cr Hart's election as Mayor would do honor alike to them as a Council and the citizens generally. [Hear, h^ar] The motion was then put and declared to be carried unanimously. Cr Ick then moved—" That the thanks of this Council be given to the Mayor, B. B. Bishop, Esq., for his conduct and services during his term of office, and that the same be recorded on the minutes of the Council." Cr Parr seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The proposer and seconder of the Mayor elect then left the Chamber and returned with the Mayor. The Mayor said that it was his pleasing duty to inform Cr Hart that he had been elected to the position of Mayor of the City of Christchurch. As a member of tbe Council, Cr Hart had been a most zealous and active worker, and he hoped that his experience of the office during the ensuing year would be as pleasant as that of his (the Mayor's) own, He felt sure that Councillor Hart would fill that chair with all that dignity which had beep the characteristic of the occupants of it. He now begged to vacate the chair in favor of the new Mayor. The new Mayor, clad in robes of office, then entered the chamber accompanied by his proposer and seconder and completed the circuit of the chamber. Mr George Gordon (town clerk) then stepped forward and presenting the Mayor elect with the key of the seal of tbe city, said that be had great' pleasure in handing over to bis " Worship, as the first recognition of his official position, tbe key of the seal of the important city of Christchurch. In doing this he wished to impress upon bis Worship the symbolic nature of the ceremony. The city of Christchurch had not yet arrived at the dignity of having keys of the-city to present to his Worehi_>--raß was qsually done in cities at home, but be felt sqre that the new Mayor would keep and guard the key as it had been done by his predecessors, and would protect the citizens f rom enemies without as well as within the boundaries. J Cheers,] The following is a description of the robes worn by his Worship the Mayor elect on the occasion :—The robe adopted by the Mayor is composed of purple velvet, with I train of eighteen inches, trimmed with i ermine, and lined with amber-colored silk, < and large open sleeves. The band or collar is made of black velvet, edged with hand-some-gold braid, and four gold starj oa

breast of same, and attached to the _omf i. the city coat of arms, embroidered in aniS and silver, with gold border. The first linS of a chain is also appended to the coat o* arms, the intention being to add the links nf the preceding Mayors. The cap i 8 madenf the same velvet, with gold button and ermine border. uu

His Worship the Mayor elect on tiaincr said that a certain celebrated poet had aaid " That all the world was a stage, and all tho men and women merely players." They ha_ that day called upon him to play _ _j\_Z important part in the history of Canterbury viz, the assuming the position of the chief magistrate of the city of Christchurch. He thanked them most cordially for this mark of their confidence, and could assure them that he would endeavour, as far aa he pog. sibly could, to discharge the duties they had that day imposed upon him in as satisfactory a manner as his predecessors, and more especially the retiring one of that day hud done. Respecting the wearing of the robes of office, in which he that day appeared he might say that it was the custom in all parts of the world, and had been so for generations past. They in Canterbury should, he took it, endeavor to introduce amongst them all the best of the usages of other aud older mnnicipalities. Some, he dared say, would ridicule it, and call it an innovation; hut he only hoped that it was an innovation—if he might call it so—which would be followed by every Mayor who might come after him In carrying out the duties of the office to which he had that day been elected, it would be bis study to develop, so far as laid in his power, the municipal institutions under which they worked, and, in conjunction with the members of the Council, to so administer them as to be productive of the greatest amount of benefit to those who were governed by them. [Hear.] In conclusion he desired to present to the Council tho first link in the chain to be formed by Mayors and ex-Mayors. [Loud cheers.] The following is a description of the link presented by his Worship. The border forms an interlaced ribbon, and in the centre is an embossed scroll shield bearing the Mayor's I crest and the following inscription—" M B Hart, Mayor, 1873-4."

The Council, on the motion of Cr Ick, then adjourned to Monday next.

The healths of the retiring Mayor (E,B, Bishop, Esq.), the ex-Mayors, and tha Mayor-elect, having been drunk, those present adjourned to the banquet given by the Mayor at the White Hart Hotel. THE BANQUET. In the afternoon, his Worship the Mayorelect gave an official banquet at the White Hart Hotel to the members of the Council, the ex-Mayors, and chairmen, and the officers! His Honor the Superintendent, Mr R. J. 8. Harman, and the Provincial Secretary were present as invited guests. About twenty gentlemen sat down to a luncheon provided by Mr J. O. Sheppard. His Worship the Mayor-elect occupied the chair, having on his right his Honor the Superintendent aud Mr R. J. S. Harman, and on his left the' Pro■ vincial Seoretary and Mr Wm. Wilson ; Mr John Ollivier occupied the vice • chair, After the usual loyal toasts had been proposed by his Worship and duly honored, the following were given :— " His Excellency the Governor, " His Honor the Superintendent," "Bench and Bar," responded to by Dr Foster, city solicitor ; "The Provincial Council," responded to by the Provincial Secretary and Mr H. Sawtell; " The Mayor and City Council of Christchuroh," proposed by his Honor tha Superintendent, and responded to by his Worship; " The Past and Present Mayorg and Chairmen," responded to by Messrs Ollivier, W. Wilson, Bishop, Anderson, Jameson; and Sawtell; " Tho Board of Waimakariri Conservators," proposed by Mr Sawtell, and responded to by Mr R. J. 8. Harman, chairman of the Board; "Hie Officers of the City Council," respondad to by Mr George Gordon, town eierkj " Mr Denison, the new City Surveyor,'? proposed by Mr Ollivier, and responded toity Mr Denison ; " The Press of Canterbury," proposed by Cr Ick, and responded to bj Messrs Grey and Hart; " The Commercial Interests of Canterbury," responded to by Mr Sawtell;. " Hie Worship the Mayor, Mr M. B. Hart," proposed by Mr Ollivier and responded to by the Mayor-elect; "The Agricultural and Pastoral Interest," P">* posed by Mr J. Anderson, and responded to by Mr W. Wilson ; " The Ladies,": proposed by Crick and responded to by Cr Bishop, brought a very pleasant afternoon to a close.