A LORD MAYOR’S EXIT

Evening Star, Issue 19778, 31 January 1928, Page 5

A LORD MAYOR’S EXIT

CEREMONY IN SYDNEY HANDING OVER THE KEYS COMMISSIONERS TAKE OFFICE. Efficiency and loyalty—unswerving loyalty from tne highest officer of the civic service to the humblest—are the watchwords to be honored in Sydney Town Hail (.hiring the reign of the three civic Commissioners. The Chief Commissioner, Air E. P. Fleming, after taking office on January J, told tho heads of tuenly-luo departments assembled in his room that tho Commissioners expected and would ho satisfied with nothing less. Also they wanted co-operation and economy. ‘‘Wo expect you on your jobs early. We will be hero at 9 o’clock in the morning,” he added. 'There was no hint of vindictiveness in Mr Fleming’s voice, says the ‘Daily, Telegraph.’ He spoke slowly and seriously as a capable business man and administrator would to other business men concerned in a great undertaking. He lias been installed in the room vacated by the Lord Mayor, with his two confreres at strategic points in the service.

The Town Hall almost reeled from the series of cumulative shocks it sustained on January 3. Frojn noon onwards there occurred the most momentous events in its turbulent history. Aldermen ceased to lie aldermen, the Lord Mayor’s title and office became things of the past, and a new method of government of the city—unknown since 1849—was ushered in with the coming of the Commissioners. Thu town clerk, lone and important in the portals, took the newcomers briskly upstairs. The ex-Lord Mayor, Mr J. 11. Mostyn, awaited them hi bis room, where was enacted an historic ceremony. The Chief Commissioner unfolded a largo parchment'roll—the commission given under the Governor’s hand.

THE LORD MAYOR THANKED. Mr Mostyn, standing, under a tinted photograph ol hijnself in the gallery of past lust citizens, murmured; “Yes; it is quite correct.” “1 have to thank you, Mr Lord .Mayor, most sincerely for the courteous and fair way you have met us,” said Air I'leming, “ and the arrangements yon have made ior taking oxer. 1 loci personally indebted to you.” The town clerk was also thanked for his part in the proceedings. The ex-Lord Mayor then handed over the keys, ami, shaking hands with the Commissioners, said he would bo glad to assist in any way lie could during the next few days.

Mr Fleming gladly accepted the offer,; and it was arranged that the ex-Lord, Mayor would return to the hall for a 1 few limes to aid in clearing up mat-' tors held over from the council, and of which he had special knowledge., Not an alderman was present to watch the passing of the old order. When the twenty-two heads of departments wore assembled in the Chief Commissioner’s room, all looking very business like, they wore introduced by the town clerk, who said Unit whatever the policy of councils in the past had been was no concern of the officers. Their duty was to servo 1 lie city with loyalty and to the best of their ability, and it would ho their duty and pleasure now to he of the greatest possible service to the Commissioners in the tremendous responsibility they had assumed, DUTIES for MRS FLEMING. Mrs Fleming, the wife of the Chief Commissioner, called on the Lady Mayoress, Airs Mostyn, and was entertained at afternoon tea xvilh the Commissioners and town dork and Lord Alayor. ft is expected that Mrs Fleming will take a. part m the social activities associated with her husband's office. In the absence of a Lord Alayor ho will he called upon to extend the city’s hospitality to distinguished visitors, aui to perform other duties in the life and the advancement of the metropolis. For this purpose it is understood that Air Fleming will receive the allowance of £1,500 a year formerly granted to the Lord Mayor to provide the viands and wines for the refreshment bullet. There is a handsome suite of rooms at the disposal of Airs Fleming, if she assumes the office equivalent to that of Ladv .Mayoress. The two cars formerly used by the Lord Alayor and the Lady .Mayoress, with their re. spective drivers, revert to the Corumission. . . The parchment roll which the Civio Commissioners received their authority to administer the city s affairs for two .wars is a curiously worded document. 4he three Commissioners are addressed as oni tiusty and well-beloved,” and adjured to “ have, hold, exercise, and enjoy their respective offices and [daces until December 31, 19-9, together with all . rights, profits, privileges, and ad- . vantages thereunto respectively belonging or appertaining.” ;

PAPER. BOY TO LORD MAYOR, Mr Mostyn, in a subsequent interview, said that lie was glad to be relieved of the bard work of his late office, but he was by no means finished with public life. Mu intended to watch the interests of the citizens of Camperdown Ward, and would stand again for that constituency at the elections for a Greater Sydney Council two years lienee. Mo found a fascination about public life, and lie thought lie had done fairly well iu it. Mo had only three years in the council, and then handled the Lord Mayor’s post through a difficult and arduous year; It was the greatest honor of his life to have welcomed the Duke and Duchess of York, “Not bad,” Mr Mostyn added, “for a boy who sold papers on the streets in Paddington. I did that to pay fees at the technical school to learn the electrical trade. When I was a toy at school at Orange I wrote an essay—l have still got it, and I was having a look at it last night—on how to become Prime Minister or Lord Mayor of Sydney. I do not know that I had much idea then that I would ever become Lord Mayor of this city. I was left without a father at ten years of age, and I started work in Sydney before I was fifteen.” Later, when Mr Mostyn relinquished his civic motor car, he strolled over to his own much more elaborate looking motor, a spanking 1928 model, sixcylinder sedan, with silver vases of flowers in the windows. He had just purchased it. His next step was to secure an office and hang out his “ shingle ” as an indentor, of electrical .goods and hardware.