MAYOR INSTALLED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 184, 19 May 1931, Page 4

MAYOR INSTALLED.

MR WOODS TAKES OFFICE. COUNCILLORS ARE SWORN-IN. Being the first meeting of tthe new Council since the recent election,,, tho most important event of the Borough Council meeting last evening was the installation oif the new Mayor (Mr W. H. Woods) and the swearing-in of the members. The Towp Clerk (Mr W. Patterson) installed All- Woods into the office of Mayor and swore-in the councillors. Mr .R. Kerr, the late Mayor, said it gave him great pleasure to hand over to the Mayor the keys of office. He had had the pleasure of working with Mr Woods, and he knew that whatever duty he took up he did it well. The Mayor, in reply, thanked Mr Kerr for his kind remarks, and the members of the Council for their welcome, and assured them of his endeavour to foster the good spirit among the councillors that had been evident in the past. He hoped the good feeling extended to the previous Mavors would! also be extended to him. He' welcomed Mr H. R. C. McElrea to the Council, saying he was pleased to see he had seen fit to offer his services again to the Borough. He thought the Council should record a vote of appreciation in favour of Mr J. MeElhinney, the retiring councillor.

MAYORS OF ASHBURTON. MR WOODS ONLY NEW ZEALANDER. Of the 17 gentlemen who haye held the office of Mayor of Ashburton, Mr W. H. Woods, the present Mayor, is the only one who was born in New Zealand. The late Mr D. Thomas was the only other Colonial who has held that position, while Messrs H. and R. Friedlander were the only ones who were not born within the British Empire. The lands of birth from which previous Mayors came to New Zealand are ■as follow:; —England, Messrs T. Bulloek, A. Harrison, R. Bird and W. H. Collins.; Scotland, Messrs D.-Wil-liamson), C. Reid and R. Galbraith; Ireland, Messrs T. Sealy, J. Sealy, J. Orr and R. Kerr; Wales, Mr H. Davis; Australia, Mr D. Thomas: Poland, Messrs H. Friedlander and R. Friedlander.