MAYORAL INSTALLATIONS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 105, 5 May 1915, Page 8

MAYORAL INSTALLATIONS

m - ■ ONSLOW ■THE WATER SCHEME, The statutory meeting of the Onslow Borough Council for the purpose of installing the Mayor and councillors was held at the Council Chambers, Wellington, at noon to-day. Those present were the Mayor (Mr. C. C. Crump) and Councillors J. Gardner, A. W. Palmer, Brown, Brenton-Rule, C. Bowden, Dale, Budd, Appleton, and J. G. Smith, besides a number of ratepayers. After the formal declarations had been signed, Councillor Gardner congratulated the Mayor on being returned unopposed. At the same time, he expressed a desire to see the borough progress. Some said it was not a time to expect progress, but the borough could not be stagnant. It must go ahead. Councillor Brown also added a few words, expressing the hope that all councillors would work harmoniously together for the good of the district. The fact that Mr. Crump had been returned unopposed was an ' endorsement of the council's policy in the past year. Councillor Bowden urged caution.' The borough would have to meet the expenditure of £300 on the Hutt-road, and he was opposed to any extra burden on the ratepayers. (Hear*, hear.) Councillors Budd, Smith, Palmer, and Appleton spoke on behalf of new councillors. In reply, the Mayor thanked previous speakers for their kind remarks. Councillors were there for ono object only — the benefit of the Onslow Borough. He stated that he would like to have tpen the return of the ticket which favoured his water scheme. They were nofc there, and he was sorry. " I particularly regret the defeat of Mr. Alderson and Mr. Lynneberg," said Mr. Crump. The former was a very energetic worker. Mr. Lynneberg had rendered valuable services to the borough for fourteen years. He had no axe to grind, and he took the greatest interest in the borough as a whole. " When I stood at tho head of this table a year ago," continued Mr. Crump, " I said my policy was for a water and drainage scheme. My policy to-day for water is as strong as ever. I am more convinced than ever that a water . scheme is necessary, and I am going to work hard for water." This morning he had opened a report prepared by Mr. Fulton on the scheme previously' mooted. He was pleased to see that Mr. Fulton regarded the scheme as " the only efficient one for the borough." There would be water enough gained from the present catchment area for a population of 5000 people. (Hear, hear.) He was going to work hard for that scheme. The first meeting of committees was fixed for the 13th inst., and the first meeting of the council as a whole for the 20th. • • Standing committees were set np as follow : — Sanitation. Water, and Lighting : Councillors Palmer, Brown, and Budd. Reserves: Councillors Bowden, Smith, and Appleton. Finance : Councillors Dale, Brenton,-Ru!e, and Gardner. Public Works : the whole council. Councillor Gardner, senior councillor, was appointed Deputy-Mayor. EASTBOURNE The Mayor and Councillors of Eastbourne Borough were sworn in to-day by the retiring Mayor, Mr. W. J. Organ,' who_ complimented them upon having obtained the confidence of the ratepayers. He assured them that there was a (considerable amount, of work, before them. It was nofc pWsible for them to always foresee what would affect tho welfare of the district. Who would have thought thafc the loss of the Titanic would have affected them'/ Yet such was tho. case, as the council would find out when it came to comply with the new regulations for saving life at sea (as the outcome of that disaster) in connection with its ferry service. The war, too, had affected the ferry steamers' takings — all this was unforeseen. The new water scheme would require a great deal of attention, as ifc was one of tho most important works that the borough had to undertake. He thought the borough had now established itself as a_ desirable place to visit and to live in. There would be no going back. It had turned the corner, and at one time it was a very dangerous corner. He thanked the members of tha old council for their cooperation, and welcomed the new council, also the new Mayor, Mr. James Patrick Kelly. - The councillors sworn in were Messrs. Foley, Macpherson, Russell, Pilch er, Heenan, Perry, and Morris. The new Mayor, after expressing pride in the | New Zealanders at the front and sympathy with the relatives of the killed and wounded, observed fchat he be- j lieved that he was the first Civil ser- ] vant to bo Mayor under tho conditions that enabled. Civil servants to take an active part in municipal life, and he certainly was the first Civil servant in the Railway Department to do so. He ! paid a warm tribute of praise and admiration •to the retiring Mayor for the self-sacrificing work he had done for Eastbourne, both as councillor and subsequently as Mayor. There was quite enough work leffc by the old for the new councillors to do when the new approved water scheme was added. The borough and ferry services, it was clear, would have to be reorganised, as the Town Clerk was retiring. If time permitted, they would go into the matters of drainage, town planning, and foreshore improvement. The new _ councillors spoke in praise of the retiring Mayor's service to the borough, as did Messrs. T. Ballinger, L. Button, D. Robertson, and H. W. Shortt, an ex-Mayor.