KAIAPOI.

Press, Volume XX, Issue 2304, 19 December 1872, Page 3

KAIAPOI.

The annual meeting of this Council was held at noon. Present—The Mayor (E. G. Kerr, Crs Hall, Fairweather, Blackwell, and Weston. The minutes of last annual meeting were read and confirmed, The statement of accounts for the year, duly audited, were read. The total receipts from all sources was £877 11s Id, of which £166 ISs is in the bridge reserve fund. The expenditure had been £749 15s Sd, and there was an overdraft balance due to the bank of £10 2s 7d. The bridge reserve fund had not been touched.

Cγ Hall moved, Cγ Fairweathek seconded —" That the statement of accounts be received, adopted, and printed." Carried. The Council then proceeded with the election of Mayor. Cγ Hall said the time had again come when they were met for the purpose of electing a Mayor of the Borough, and in rising to propose a gentleman, he would remark that the position of Mayor of any Borough, however small, required certain indispensable qualifications. He, in the first place, ought to possess a thorough knowledge of the Act under which the Conncil was incorporated as a borough. He should have a certain amount of general information to fit him for taking the chair at public meetings in the town, able to express himself, and make himself understood. As a Justice of the Peace, he ought to be the best man they could get—if they could not get a lawyer— for he held that a Justice of the Peace should have a knowledge more or less of the statutes and exercise a degree of impartiality towards the offenders brought before him. In proposing Mr Kerr, all things considered, they could not do better than elect him, und possibly though they might fiad better mea

they were not always accessible. He was satisfied that he possessed it-least a pretty comprehensive acquaintance with the Act. As to the position of Justice of the Peace, ho could fill that also creditably. He might nut- occupy suoh a wealthy position, but that with him (CγHall) didnot weigh ape*son. He had been instrumental in getting a set of bvelaws adopted which, although he (_Cr H.) did not hold were expedient, they might become useful in time, and he should like to see Mr Ktfrr allowed a second term of office to see them carried out. He proposed "That Mr Edward George Kerr "be elected Mayor of Kaiapoi for the next year." Cr Faibweatheb begged, to second the motion.

The motion was put and carried unani-mou-lv.

Tb../ Mayor (Mr Kerr) said he could only aay he was much obliged to the Council for the confidence shown by their electing him Mayor again. He had always tried, to carry out his duties hitherto so as to secure credit to the town, and to some extent, to himself. He had endeavored to acquit himself as a Mayor ought to do, aud never let any oppoituuity slip for bringing forward matters requiring the attention of the Council or assistance from the Government. He would like some other councillor to have been placed in the position of Mayor, bnt although he sometimes found the duties irksome, seeing the Council were unanimous in inviting him to be Mayor another year, he was very willing to acquiesce, and do his best. He again begged to thank the Council for the honor done him.

Cγ Hall moved, Cγ Bi.Ackwell seconded, a vote of thanks to the Mayor, for the manner in which he had conducted the business of the Council last year, which was agreed to. The meeting then adjourned.