ONEHUNGA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 254, 2 November 1897, Page 2

ONEHUNGA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the Onehm>« Borough Council was held last rajf when there were present His WorshinV Mayor (Mr D. A. ■ Sutherland),' fie? Nixon, Colledge, Laking, Rowe, M Fleming, Patten, and Stoupe. Mr ]W woodie was absent through illness. An Inquiry.—lt was agreed to hold» special meeting next Monday night to-en quire into the charges made again^ Borough official, the official to be nJt sent. s

Street Watering.—A letter was recekaj from Mr McLean, of the National !&$& and signed by several shopkeeper/*/ questing; the Council to water Chw street when necessary. The Mayor moved and it was agreed to grant the request • Finance. — The Treasurer's statement showed a credit balance on each account as follows :—General account, £36 3.. waterworks account, £294 Os 4d; m J tractors' deposit account, £24105; Bom?" account, £9 9s lid; due to boroughfuM £99 9s 3d. s

Miscellaneous.—An application from Mr E. Earle for water to be laid on to his *$. perty in Church-street was referred to tie Water Committee to inquire into, audit; was decided to allow Mr James Harris to receive water by meter. It-was agreed to erect a gas lamp at the corner of Church and Victoria Streets, while an application from the Fire Brigade for a lamp to be erected in Princes-street was referred to the Finance Committee for consideration. Mr Higgins applied for permission to form a crossing opposite his premises in Qn^. street. The application was ordered to be dealt with by the Streets Committee. Mayoral Election. —At the conclusion of the ordinary business the Mayor Was pre. sentedwitha requisition to be nominated for a fourth term of office. The requisition bore the signatures of all the members of the Council" and a "number of ratepayers. Mr Hill spoke in support of the requisition, and, while congratulating the Mayor on having nearly completed his third term of office, said he hoped the latter would consent to preside over the Council for another year. He knew the Mayor had very arduous duties to perform Avhich required more, time than he expected Mr Sutherland to give, and he suggested that a Deputy-Mayor be appointed to assist in the work. Mr Nixon_ also spoke in support of the requisition, and in the course of his remarks caused laughter by stating that no member of the Council had differed from the Mayor's ruling more than he had; still, he hoped Mr Sutherland would comply mH the unanimous wish of the Council a shown by the requisition. In reply, the Mayor said he thoroughly appreciated the good wishes of the Council and those ratepayers who had signed the requisition, and much as he would like to oblige them1, he regretted to have to say that he could not consent to be nominated for a fourth year. He was about to complete his third year of office, and he thought that was long enough for him to hold office and all that the ratepayers could reasonably expect. If reelected, he would not be able to devote the necessary time to the borough, as circumstances had arisen which required that he should give more attention to his private business. He was sure they could find some other person better fitted to be chief magistrate of the borough than himself. He thanked the Council for the requisition, and while accepting it in the same spirit in which it was given, he must decline the invitation, which answer was final. >