DEVONPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 303, 20 December 1894, Page 2

DEVONPORT.

Lbi evening the installation of Mr E. W, Alison as Mayor of the borough of Devonporb (re-elected) took place in the Council Chambers, North Shore.

Cr. M. Niccol, after taking the chair, soidbhat Mr Alison had now been elected Mayor for his fifth term of office, he having been first elected in 1890. He could safely say thab the latesb year of Mr Alison's mayoralty was the moafc successful in the history of tho Devonporb borough, and itwaa in" very great measure due to his (Mr Alison's) efforts that the waterworks scheme bad been so successfully carried through. Ho had great pleasure in reintroducing Mr Alison as Mayor of the borough. Mr Alison signed the usual statutory declaration and took his seat as Mayor. Crs. Macky and Dubbon congratulated Mr Alison on his re-election as Mayor, speaking highly in favour of his work for the interests of the borough. Mr Alison then thanked the Councillors very hoartily for the/kind' and complimentary manner in which they had spoken regarding himself and his conduct of the municipal affaire of the Borough. " The year 1894," he went on to say, "had been a moab eventful and momentous one in the history of Devonport. Firsb, and of paramounb importance, the water supply had been completed and wibh pre-eminenb success. They now had an unlimited supply of water of exceptional purity, the beneficial effects of which wore beicg already prominently felb both by the ratepayers and the public generally. Nob only were houses being quickly tenanted, bub a greater number of sales of property had been made and buildings erected during the past twelve months than were made during the three preceding years. They now knew, boo, thab tho water supply would also prove a euccess financially. The quantity of wabet used during lasb monbh was 1,344,000ga1. The number of household consumers ab date was 330. The number of houses connected was 470. The total number of dwellings in Devonport was 590, co thab four-fifbhs of the total number of householders were likely to be users of the water within six months from its introduction. In addition to these there were extraordinary supplies in and outside the borough which amounted to a considerable aum." Mr Alison went on to- refer to another big important acquisition, thab of the triangle and old naval depob. The triangle was now vested in the borough and the old dep6b would be shortly. Ib will be their public duty to endeavour to make tbeso grounds attractive and convenienb for public recreative purposes. Another important scheme which had beon inaugurated was thab of building a concrete sea wall along tho foreshore of Beach Road. The more densely populated parts of bhe Borough, Mr Alison oaid, were well drained, still bhe population waß increasing, and a comprehensive system of drainage would have to be initiated and underbaken. The financial position oE the Borough was extremely satisfactory, both in general and loan accounts. The roads and foobpabbs of the Borough were in excellenb order.