MAYOR TREWIN.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1169, 27 April 1910, Page 4

MAYOR TREWIN.

GIVES AN ACCOUNT OF HIS STEWARDSHIP.

HIS VALEDICTORY .ADDRESS

A POPULAR SPEECH.

Mr W. J. B. Trewin, Mayor of Feilding, gave a valedictory address on borough matters to a meeting of ratepayers in the Drill Hall last evening. Mr Fred Pirani _ occupied the chair, and briefly introduced, the speaker. Mr Trewin commenced by stating that after four years' occupancy ot the Mayoral chair, he had decided to retire. He thought the office of Chief Magistrate should be given to every public man who aspired to it. He reviewed the causes of his first takthe chair, saving there were legal difficulties looming ahead, and he thought it would be good to have a man with legal knowledge at the head of the Council. He thought every man should have two years of office, and so he stood again. On the third year he was returned unopposed, and the fourth year he wished to retire, and asked Cr. Tolley to stand, but that gentleman had had to retire, and so he (the speaker) stood again, 'having received a challenge from Mr S. W. Fitzherbert, whom he defeated. The Mayor then referred to several law cases which the Council had had to deal with, showing that the Council had come out of the case very well. When he entered the Council in 1906, the sewerage works were £2000 in debt, but eventually the whole debt [ had b&eii. wiped out. On the Council's relations with the Gas Co., he gave a detailed account of the history of the agreement between the Council and the Company. In 1895 the agreement was made, whereby the Council could take over [ the gasworks after a certain period. Hesliowed that it would be very bad business for the Council to take over | the gasworks. The Council had ; brought down a report on electricity, and he was very optimistic regarding electricity, with which they would be able to work marvels, and it would bo , much cheaper than gas. i He apologised for having to bring the people to this cold, dreary build- , ing. Perhaps by next Mayoral elec- < tion they would have the Opera House which the Council recommended. The ratepayers should exhibit a .proper civic spirit, which Councillor Harford had shown in regard- to the baths, which had not paid monetarily. One section of the Council had no right to say to the other section, "You have no right to place this matter before tho ratepayers." The Mayor went over the ground of the Council's proposals for the Opera House scheme. The Council's Committee had endeavoured to satisfy all the elements in the Council, and had provided for an Opera House with concert hall added. Mr xrewin led np to the present position. He did not know who the AntiOpera House League were—perhaps they were the old Pro-Boer League resuscitated. Some of them believed in the policy of Dick Seddon—Trust the People. The Council should trust the ratepayers with regard to the Opera House. One gentleman had said they should not put this before the ratepayers, because it might be carried! (Laughter.) The Mayor went on to show why the present iiroposed site was the best available, and why it would be a business proposition. Mr J. C. Thompson had recently spoken , against the Opera House, but some time ago he offered to sell a site to the- Council for it at £8 10s a foot. If the Council had accepted the site, what about the Opera Jtlouse then ? Would Mr Thompson be in favour of it? (Loud laughter.) On the matter of the South street land, the Mayor said it was-first offered to the Council—lo acres—for £1000, the money to lie for five years at 2i per cent. The Council refused to take it, but they ultimately bought from the A. and P. Association 9-1- acres at £1450. He did not think there was much credit in it. (Laughter.) He did not know whether Cr Harford, or Mr Cobbe, or the Feilding Star was going to claim the credit for that purchase. (Laughter.) He did not want any of the credit. (Laughter.) The Council had got, from the Government, ■ through the efforts of Mr Guthrio, a subsidy of £700 on the cost of the reserve, and ho wished to publicly thank Mr Guthrie for ' his good sen vices to the borough. (Applause.) The Mayor dealt with the finance j, showing that the overdraft on the general account was being gradually reduced. The 'borough had no endowments, and had to depend entirely on rates for revenue. At the present time the Council had the interest rates, general, and library rates to pay. They now had a credit to the Loans Interest Account of £722, and the . Council cpuld reduco that rate this yeaT by that amount. He advised the ratepayers to pay their rates as soon as they received their rate notices, at the beginning of the year, and so save the borough £230 in interest on the overdraft. With these and other economies, the borpugh could save £1000 in rates this year. The public debt of the borough was now £71,309 17s. With regard to what had been done, the Council had raised loans at very reasonable terms. Unfortunately, the Government found out they had no authority in law to lend the money for tarring and sanding the footpaths. This work was now being done out of general revenue. He believed the Council could do two miles bi' streets every year. He mentioned the installation of the chilling chamber at the abattoir, for which Cr. Bramwell, as Chairman of the Abattoir Committee, was greatly 'to be thanked. Reference was made to tho excellent services of Mr Rankin. Mr Trewin referred to the fact that the-Stab, had recently stated the Mayor Avas practically Town Clerk. * He (the speaker) did not mind what the Star said about him, but ho i'elt that there was no reason why a man who was ill should not receive every consideration. (Hear, hear.) The man who could make a slighting reference to a sick man had very little humanity in him. (Loud applause.) The made very complimentary reference to the good work of Mr Tong, who had been acting Town Clerk for a considerable time. (Hear, hear.) Mr Trewin thanked the Council staff for help given him during his term of office. He agreed with Or Harford that the position should be open to be sought and obtained by any man who had the ability and who sought it. He made creditable reference to both the candidates at the present election. The Mayor concluded by stating, this was probably the last time on which ho would appear before a Feilding audience. He thanked them for the confidence they had placed in Jiim, and asked them to believe that in all his public acts ho had had no impure

motives, but had a heart- which had been dedicated to the service of his fellow townspeople. With more thanks for their confidence, he now bade them good-bye. (Loud and prolonged applause.) In answer to a question, the Mayor I said Mr Rankin had been appointed Town Clerk at £200, and his salary afterwards increased. If the new Clerk proved a good man, no doubt his salary would be increased. He reviewed the negotiations with Mr Rkkliford regarding the water pipe line. Cγ J. W. Bramwell .proposed that the thanks of the meeting be accorded Mr Trewin for his speech and for his services of the past four years. He said Mr Trewin made a most efficient chairman, his advice on legnmatters having saved the council mam : hundreds of pounds. The epeakei hoped Mr Trewin would not Tetiro from public life. A man with hi? talents owed something to the com- , mimity. (Loud applause.) Mr J. M. R. Lochhead seconded the motion. He referred to his nomination. ,_.- He had been told on the morning -of nomination day that' only one candidate had been nominated, and he and a few friends thought it would not do to let one candidate go in unopposed. He had been told that ho had nominated to split the votes of Or Harford. He had also heard he was going to the poll to split the vote of Cr Goodbehere. (Laughter.) Of course, they knew that in triangular contests sometimes tihe wrong man got in, which would have been the case if he had been elected. (Loud j laughter.) Ho had much pleasure in seconding the motion of thanks to Mr : Irewin. (Applause.) j The motion was carried with applause which lasted for some time Mr Irewin returned thanks and I the meeting closed with a vote of , thanks to the Chairman.