CIVIC LEADERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 140, 15 June 1944, Page 4

CIVIC LEADERS

FORMAL DECLARATION

MR. APPLETON TAKES OFFICE

Mr. W. Appleton, Mayor of Wellington, and his councillors made their formal declarations at the Town' Hall yesterday afternoon and took over civic responsibilities in succession to Mr. T. C. A. Hislop and the retiring councillors. All accommodation in the chamber was filled for the ceremony, which was brief and enliv-

ened by applause.

After congratulating Mr. Appleton. and his councillors upon the confidence shown' in them by the electors of Wellington, the retiring Mayor, Mr. Hislop. spoke briefly of the extraordinarily varied activities and responsibilities which had been before the Wellington City Council during the thirteen years he had served as Mayor —a period encompassing a great depression, the centennial s celebrations and exhibition, and four years of war. He had been fortunate indeed in the opportunities given him to work for the citizens in every type of eventuality. Now it was with pleasure that he handed on the work to a loyal and capable supporter and a well-proved friend. Mr. Appleton and his councillors, he continued, would go into office with all resources' carefully husbanded and in the hope that in the not distant future peace would come and that they would be able to carry on the normal functions of a municipality, not impeded by slump or war conditions which had characterised so great a part of municipal life during past years. • ■ . - The formal announcements ana declarations followed, and Mr. Hislop placed upon Mr. Appleton's shoulders the Mayoral chain of office. CONFIDENCE OF ELECTORS. Mr Appleton thanked the citizens for the expression of their confidence in him, and that he accepted, not only as a mark of confidence, but as- a challenge to use his best efforts in cooperation with,the councillors to give the city the best possible service to the limit of the available finance and the resources of men r.nd materials. He was confident that with the team of councillors he had, great progress could be made within the next few y6Mr.' Appleton said that he proposed to depart from precedent by relinquishing the usual Mayoral prerogative of chairmanship of the tramways committee and to continue as chairman of the works committee, a post he had held for eight years. MAIN PROBLEMS. "I wish to be free to actively develop slum clearance, housing, major works and the great water scheme, 'continued the Mayor. "I consider airport development of major significance and propose to entrust this to a special committee -headed by a younger councillor, who. has tne knowledge, ability, and drive-to lead Wellington to the front in providing an airport to meet the new air age. The present position of labour ana materials made it unlikely, except for planning work, that the loans work approved by the ratepayers could be advanced during the present financial year, he said, and the moneys need then not be raised, so avoiding interest charges: they should be able to get through the year without a rate increase, with the • exception of the hospital rate, for which the council was only the collecting agency. "The board's levy," he said, "has risen from £138 451 last year to £152,075 this year. I cannot emphasise too strongly that the matter is not one. which the council can control. There is need for an overhaul of hospital taxation and this can only be done by ParliamMr!'■ Appletorf expressed his appreciation oi the loyalty of the council staff, from top to bottom: the council only made decisions on many-matters, leaving the carrying out to the staff. ■ "I am not, as Mayor, going to make any ,rash promises/5 Mr Appleton concluded. "We had examples during the election of endeavours to stampede us into certain promises. These were resisted and the general body ot electors showed their approval. At the same time genuine grievances were ventilated during the campaign. These will be investigates and, if possible, righted. As in- the past, district requirements will be met on their merits, all sharing as equally as possible in the available funds. The Deputy Mayor, .Councillor Luckie, expressed to Mr. and Mrs. Appleton the unbounded confidence, the good wishes, and a promise of I support and co-operation of all members of the council. His remarks were warmly endorsed by Councillors R A. Wright, Knox Gilmer, and J. D. Sievwright; each of whom also paid tributes to Mr. and Mrs. Hislop.