MAORI HILL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 14053, 7 May 1909, Page 1

MAORI HILL COUNCIL.

The ceremony of installing the mayorelect took place in the Maori Hill Council Chambers last night. There was a good' attendance of residents, and from the Council there were present Messrs P. Duncan, W. Ure, P. L. Clark, W. Ross, G.l Lawrie, N. A. Booth, P. NeiXson, W. Har-j hour, and S. Maxwell. Tho mayor-elect* (Mr A. J.'Butterfield) was elected for tha’ first time last year, and was unoposed this! year.

Mr Butterfield (mayor-elect) lienr made a few remarks regarding the position of the: bp rough. Although the bank overdraft at31st March last stood at £649 8s 3d, aaj against £379 6s lid on March. 31, 1908J, the ordinary expenditure for the past year j had been kept well within the Council’s j income, the latter amounting to £1,725 i 12s 2d, against £1,586 4s lid expended,j leaving a surplus of £139 7s 9d. The in-' crease in the overdrait was accounted for: by the following expenditure:—£lßß 6s 3di paid for allotment 1, Balmaoew ; eji Estate; • £96 advanced against a vote from Government for work at Davidson’s comer; £67 5s 4d advanced against amount of Woodend loan not yet received from the Government; £52 2s 5d balance of Cannin"ton road loan; and £5 15e Id difference m d S^’ n The f e fi ff ares made a total of £403 9s Id, to be set against the £270 Is 4d by which the overdraft had increased, which then showed a surplus of ordinary income over expenditure of £l3O 7s 9d. Mr Butterfield then reviewed ,h----details of the different wards’ income a :d expenditure, and touched upon expend t ;re to which the Council was already committed. With regard to the purchase of sections 1 and 2, in the township of Wiltiamstown, there seemed to be an opinion anroad that the sum of £570 agreed to be. paid for them had been, paid out of ka;i money. That was not the care, and ’) > wanted to clear away that mis’ippiehcm fl° U - Tile sum was still unpaid save ior the £o deposit, and would remain uup-cid until the completion of the work on tr ■ lower portion of High street. The Council mid agreed to the Committee’s smoresuon that the property should be divided into three sections, two to be sold at an estimated price of £l3O each, while, for the time being, the other house would Ire Jet. The renial of this house would practically pay the interest on the whole of the capital expended. The Council had also, purchased' allotment 1, Balmacewen, with tie object of securing a section for the Fire BoanJ. so that a station could be erected in a” handy and convenient place. They hadi leased 30ft of* the frontage to the Board, and would receive a rental of £5 per annum. They would still require to pay in-, terest on the remaining £75 of the loan Purchase of the section, the Council had been successful in.axrarmmg for the loan of £2,500 from the Government on the very satisfactory, terms of 3 2 per cent which would in forty-one' years pay off both principal and interest the introduction of the electdc light and' gas into the borough had proved of very! great benefit.—(Applause.) J Cr Duncan took the chair and read* the mayoral declaration to Mr Butterfield. After it had been signed, Mr Duncan saidtiiat he would take the opportunity of expressing his own, and he was sure his ellow conncfflors appreciation of Mr Buttei field e wort dnnng the past year. They were all pleased to see him 'occupy the chair for a second tame in succession. He referred to the rolling-office theory in regard to tlie mayoral chair, stating that he : had always bron against such a theory. He thought that too much was heard about the matter. It <xmld not be expected thS a new man would be able to tekTup the business better than his predecessor. The speaker referred to the excellent work put m by Mr Butterfield in regard to the widening of Hsgh street, and hoped that the elected mayor would stand again next be «rese he knew that he (Mr Butterfield) could do the work. He had carried out his woric exceedingly well.—(Applause.) Or Maxwell ako made reference in a brief speech to Mr Butterfield’s good work as mayor.

The Mayor thanked those who had spoken for their kind expressions. He said that he had really done his best durin-> his term of office. He took the opporUmitox t'hanking the electors for placing him in his proud position. The following committees were set m ): Duncan, Clark, Ross Xeilson, and Maxwell; Works—Cm Uie Lawrte, Booth, Harbour, and tlie countillors Tor the ward in which the work is to be done; Drainage for South and East Wards, fhe nlvm wid preside over all committees. ' 'The representatives on the Fire Bo ai d wall be as formerly. "" * ■ The customary toasts were then honored aM---songs-.aEjd redtgtioreym'pn. -