PARNELL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 114, 15 May 1902, Page 2

PARNELL.

The installation of Mr John Fitt as Mayor of the borough of Parnell for the ensuing year took place last evening at the Council Chambers, Parnell. There were present—The retiring Mayor (Mr Hugh Campbell), Crs. Cozens, Petford, Thomas, Brook, Xewsley, Briggs, Gilmour, and Slator, and a number of ratepayers.

.The retiring Mayor, addressing the meeting, said he had held office for nearly three years and a-half, and he proposed to outline the present position of affairs and recount the work done by the Council during his term of office. Dealing first with, nnance, Mr Campbell said that in December, 1898, tlie overdraft on -the . general account stood at £851, to wixich had to be added £ 100 for woric in Brighton-road. In the same month of the following year the overdraft stood at £203, and on the 20th January, 1900, there was a credit balance of £2 3/5. On the 14th May, 1901, the overdraft stood at £1313; on the same day of this year it was £ 1450. liesides this, there was an overdraft on the drainage extension account of £148. Notwithstanding the very heavy special expenditure which.had been incurred during the last two years the amount of the overdraft at present was not very much in excess of what it was three years ago. Since he took office there had been comparatively little change in the revenue. The ordinary revenue for the year ending March 31st, 1899, was £2340; in the following year it was £2319, then £2313, and for the year ending 31st March, 1902, it was £2459 12/. The increase last year was mainly due to the increase in rates. The ordinary expenditure for the same period was £2096, £1923, £2677, and £2425 for the respective years, so ''hat an increase of expenditure had taken place during, the last two years. The special expenditure -in 1901 amounted to £600, and in 1902 to £500. These were mainly for road w^orks. The work done in Manukauroad during the first year included the raising of the street near Mrs Matson's property, and the result was that the road was much better now than it had ever been in the history of the borough. This was due to the operations of the Tramway Company in the centre of the roadway, and of the Council at the sides. These expenditures accounted for the overdraft being at present larger than when he took office. A new by-law had been formulated with great care to deal with the water supply and the drainage. The price charged by the city to the borough for water had been reduced by 20 per cent., and he hoped the price would be reduced still further. - The night-soil and refuse questions had caused great trouble to the Council, and he regretted soil trouble would have to be passed on to his successor. Then there was the special work of drainage, undertaken when he came into office. There hrd been practically a general mandate that the Council should undertake the thorough drainage of the borough. At that time part of the borough was absolutely without drainage, and some of the drainage was defective, as at Mechanics' and Hobson Bays. A loan was authorised by the ratepayers, and the work carried out. Of the specified drainage works, estimated to cost £7420, work estimated at £5920 was done. The estimates for the specified works carried out was £5920, and the cost proved to be £ 5922— only £2 difference. (Applause.) With regard to Mechanics' Bay, the borough had joined the Government and city and the Harbour Board in making a permanent sewer to carry the drainage to the sea, the borough's contribution being £930. The drain into St. George's Bay was carried to low-water mark at a cost of £960. Supervision and attention to old drains had cost £1900, making a total expenditure of £10,148 in all, and the amount borrowed for the works was £10,000, leaving an overdraft to the drainage extension account of £ 148. The Hobson Bay Drainage Board had accepted tenders for a Hobson Bay sewer, to be paid for by the various bodies concerned, Parnell being one of them. With regard to the recent loan proposals, he would like to say that the scheme placed before the ratepayers was practically a compromise. It had been said that there were no estimates prepared for the work in each particular street, but this was an error. An estimate showing* the cost, of the work in each street had been read and laid on the Council table. Be had now nothing to do but to express his feeling of extreme gratitude for the very kind and cordial manner in which the members of the Council had assisted him during his term of office. It had been a great pleasure to work with the gentlemen on the Council, and unpleasantness had never arisen in the proceedings of the Council. It was pleasant to him to consider that the Mayoral chair would now be occupied by a .gentleman who had been in the Council during his term of office, and who had been one of the most active of the members in committee work. He was sure that in his hands the work of the Council would go on successfully. In conclusion, Mr Campbell paid a warm tribute to the work of the foreman of works (Mr Wilson) and of the town clerk (Mr B. Gilmer). Mr J. Fitt, the new Mayor, then made the usual declaration, and took his seat. Mr Brigo-s then moved a Vote of thanks to Mr Camnbell for his work as Mayor and for his valuable advice on the many complicated questions that had arisen during his term of office. In moving the resolution Mr Rrigsrs spoke in appreciative terms of Mr Campbell's work during his term of office. Mr Thomas seconded, and Messrs Oilmore. Cozen", and Tewsley also snoVe, each of these srnt.lemen enln"•'sins- the services of +he outgoing Mn vor. The motion was earned, nnd tvss ordered to be recorded in the Counei'T^ minutes. Mr Campbell returned thanks briefIv. M> F'tt then thn-nVeid tv« rnt"--■"vro - p^'* him to t s h» ■position nf Movot. fin: 1, stated t_h-<+, V w-onld do _n. beet, to nromote thfe in'ori.ctß o' tlifl A-f+o-C t>i« i-oc.in-tin-if.-nr. _~f +>),_> COIUI--•iior=:. Ti-Mr>v> "c .lotniipfi elsewhere. 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