THE MAYORALTY.

\ p .]. .1. DOOJALL ELECTED

SYSTEM OF KU-XTFOX CRITICISED.

: : w -j a l ,noetic of tho Clirfstr-huro'i '■ ground! w.,s held last ovoniuff for - ! -S'purpos.. of oKct.np a Mayor. tha u . ffiJhirinp Lf'-ii nia'l- v.-.rant through . ~. Tn yl nr •,!,,«. * precis: :—Cotineillois. .). .J. ' "S™c:i. H. I'- *>™»'n. C l>. Morris " t William*. A. *. Taylor, *■ »««- ". A " VI) H-irt. W. Millar. AY. K. ' ffi V. H. f-W. T - fJ «P". Jl H tor H. HriHaml. and K. Smith. The Mavornl clnir v.-as . drnpH in Hack and" on a table near at hand lay !L Mayoral robe and <'hrun. Other ' b'e'drapinp l which mutely testified to ibeV-cent bereavement, still hiuij', in their places. The scrti.m of tho Chamber reserved tor the- public con- • iiocd a fairly law aiulionw. Mr H. Cole a l -rie,lfi al,,i P artnor of tho ,ato • ■ MsTor, had » seat in the chamber proJ *Th<- Tawii Clerk /Mr H. K. .Smith) «ad the-section of tho Act which detailed the method of election, and Cr. Sorenwn was appointed to act as chairman during the election. He said that they felt very deeply indeed the great loss which had befallen tho city, and Mr Taylor's opponents, . 8S ,ell. as hus friends, sympathised most finrcroly with those who had been bereaved. H™« llls <11,t >' to <' ail ior .MiniiKiiions for the office < ? £ Mayor. Cr Morns proposed Cr. % for the position. Ho said that Conn'-illor Ucitpall had fil'od tho office temporarily to tho entire satisfaction of the Council, and no doubt ho would criro equal satisfaction if elected for the Islam* of the terra Cr. Cooper said that ho had ■ gffnt pleasure in seconding tho nomin-

Cr. Holland said that he had Dieasure in supporting the motion. Ho Qieved that tho election of Councillor fjt. pougali would l>c in the interests <>f ' the «ity. He f tho speaker) was nominated for tho office of Deputy-Mayor a i wek ajto. and since then a number of he Wends had asked him to accept aomiartion for tho Mayoralty. He felt, hwcTST, that tho appointment of CtoinpNor Dougall, a senior councillor, tni 000 with a longer experienco, «old be in the beat inter«gtr of the city. Though they all lamented the loss of their lato M»yor, ho trusted that none of them ' would feel that all interest in rauni- , dpol matters had been interred with • Mm. 4 They should all rise to the occaiion, and ■work in harmony for tho good of the community. , j Cr H. Hunter, in supporting the nomination, said that ho considered ' . tbe provision in the statute providing that the Council should elect the u M»Jor was wrong in principle. (Hear, /hear.) Tho statute provided that tho .Mayor should be elected on the popular ■,'YOte in tho first instance, and it was . ,"oaly right that in tho case of the de- * ««ee of tho Mayor tho new Mayor ?e!iould also he elected on the popular \ tote. Ho could not do anything but ■impport tho nomination, and wish Cr. ■ ".Dougell a proeperous term while in the chair. Cr. Hart endorsed these remarks. , Eβ thought it was to bo deplored that the City Council should have the ,' power to hold the election over the fteada of the people. Ho supported the Domination of Cr. Dougall. Tho Latear members had supported Cr. Holbnd for tho office of Deputy-Mayor .because they thought he was a man * trf their own particular mind. They •Jeped that the new Mayor would carry nm his duties as ably as the man who Mf preceded him, and no one would Sioro earnest or anxious to eo,J»te with him than, tho Labour fcortMfillors. , £ Kth Millar also endorsed these re■Quiks. The city had sustained a great rJMt by tho death of Mr Taylor. Ho WjUOßsed that Cr. Dougall had been .nominated, and he believed that he would look after the comfort and in- • Streets of the people. He also added ■ .mi protest against the process of elecwhich was imposed on them by ,;'-«U*xrte. He believed that this fosv ;.«fliaod law should be amended. They ?_ jkhould trust tho people to carry out ; f, the election, and the more they trusted •we people the better would thoso Vjslectedperform their duty. ;„• Cr. W. B. Smith supported the elecof Cγ. Dongall, but also protested the system of election. The ' -ia»cßinery should be put in motion to . alter the existing law. which made v eompuleory a most undemocratic pro- • cedttre'. Cr. Gapes supported the nomination. «6 ttid tiat Cr. Dougall was a level*e»«d man, who could be relied on to ■ t «acM6rge his duties with credit and im--pw&hty. j> Cr E. Smith said that the Council .gjWim* get a better Major than Mr ' TheChairinaa.ihen put tho question, - jnd Cr. Dougall was declared unanitoously electeofto thepoeition of Mayor. .'.™ Mayor then took the chair which L«hii temporary duty as the mayoral •'• &**i Hβ Mid-that the occasion which ■■.•Jed brought the necessity for the elec.>:t«m was one for.neither congratula- - W n i? r to anyone One "•■'SiS- e 3 l dt deepest sorrow ;-,ihat they had been called upon to per- ' such * ??**.■ Ho taught ho v could promise the Council that so long ■- v °$ occupied the chair as Mayor he ''■S2p str|TO to acfc in an absolutely im:SSS : J?W'' Hi ° was ver y Pleased : &M. that lm .' election hid been . aaaaSfious, and Jftarticularly so conthe peculiar constitution of the - rißmwl' *k ! *?!* it as a personal com- • . the councillors should %£» ,tt ? mnu . t ( 5- in the choice they had • W"«* *J lllcei ?] y - trusted that his «w» would give satisfaction to "PtSV" 1 *J»? «a*>»eM. (Hear, hear.) SSfcS" he won,d "faithfully "Msffif , S! y + c f e?ut t the ,,p owcrs an d .•"tpontiee Rested in him." I ■,' ggL_ . n mm