GREYMOUTH BOROUGH

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 June 1944, Page 3

GREYMOUTH BOROUGH

NEW COUNCIL INSTALLED

The installation of the. Mayor oi Greymouth (Mr. F. A.. Kitching,.am) and the swearing-in of the Borough Council for the ensuing term ot years took place in the Mumcipa. Chambers last evening, when m addition to the Mayor and Councillors and tlmir wives there wore also present, defeated and retiring members of the previous Council, cieteuteci candidates, and other local boay Town Clerk (Mr. F. H. Denton) read the result of the recent elections and the Mayor then read the statutory declaration, while Councillors affixed them signatures to their declarations. Cr. P. Blanchfield, who topped the pod in the Council election, was unanimously elected Deputy-Mayor, on the motion of the Mayor and Cr. G. iv. Harker. The following committees were elected, on the motion of the Mayor, who stated that he moved the resolutions in regard to the constitution of the committees as a result of a preliminary discussion among members of the Council:— „ Finance Committee: —All Councillors with the Mayor as Chairman. Works', Committee:—Crs. T. 1> Boustridge (Chairman), Blanch field, H. Hutchinson, J. Stokes and W I-ler--1 ''Reserves Committee:—Crs. Stokes (Chairman), A. L. McKay, J. B. Kent. Boustridge and Harker. . General Committee (Library. . ratlie. Tlesi RiH>ui and Public 1 Lceihu).-'--Cr'“ Kent (Chairman), Caldwell, Blanchfield, Herring and McKay. Town Planning (including bylaws):—Crs. Boustridge (Chairman), Kent, Hutchinson, Blanchfield and Harker.. , ~T . Abattoir, Gas Works and Waterworks Committee:—Crs. • darkei (Chairman), Kent, Stokes, Caldwell and McKay. Councillors Boustridge and Haib-ei were appointed Council representatives on the Milk Zoning Committee and Crs. Kent and Harker were appointed delegates to tne Grey I'iie was decided to invito the Grey County Council and the Greymouth Harbour Board to appoint two representatives each to be co-opten members of the Town Planning Committee when County or Harbour Board property is being discussed by Lie Comresolved that the Council make a tour of inspection of the Borough on Tuesday next.

MAYOR’S REMARKS

After the installation the Mayor addressed the- meeting and explained that no similar ceremony was held in 1941 as at that time Greece had just been evacuated by the Allies. Crete was being bombarded, Vichy and Germany had reached an agreement and ■Russia and the United States were still neutral. Now that the war had reached a stage where the final success of the Allies was not so far in the future >t was Celt that some ceremony-should be held. He welcomed the new Councillors and assured them that they were not likely to run out of work. He thanked the members of the previous Council who were not members'in'the current term for their services to the Council. Mr. Neville, he said, was overseas with the Army. Tht? previous Deputy-Mayor, Mr. H. Herring had not offered himself for re-election but he (the Mayor) thankied Mr. Herring for the great amount of work he did for the Council.- Mr. Truman had brought with him to the Council a lifetime of experience in' business, and Mr. Saunders had spent a tremendous amount of energy and time in and out of the Council. His work in connection with National

Savings and Liberty Bonds, said the Mayor, was quite remarkable, while his drive as a'member of the Forestry sub-committee rehabilitation would most likely result in benefits of immense importance to the West Coast.

As far as the town itself was concerned, added Mr. Kitchingnam, in the main, all the underground work, in the laying of gas and water mams, had been completed. Sewerage was as good as completed on the south site of the river and a. start had been made in Cobden. In view of the impending close of the war the Council must pay attention to. the rehabilitation work ahead. Pick and snovei work was not proper employment for men being rehabilitated, but the Council would hove to be prepared to takeadvantage of subsidies. Town planning, the laying out of the town in a logical way, was one of tne things the Council would have to attend to. The renovation of the Town Hall, sewerage connections and the question of a new water supply sciierae wore other matters with which the new Council would have to concern itself. He expressed a hope that during the next three years the Council would achieve a great amount of constructive work and that at the end of their terra Councillors, would be able io look back with pride and pleasure on the work they had accomplished. Crs. McKay, Hutchinson, Caldwell and. Herring briefly replied to the welcome extended by the Mayor. Cr. Blanchfield, in returning Inanks for his election to the position of De-puty-Mayor, said he believed that New Zealand within the next lew

years would see a big influx of..population and new industries, :md. he hoped to see the Wqst Coast, w.'.tn Greyrnouth as the metropolis, made a centre that would attract both population and new industries. Supper was served at the,conclusion of the ceremony and the brief agenda. WESTPORT COUNCIL WESTPORT, June 14. “It is fitting to obtain Divine assistance in affairs of the Borougn ” stated the Mayor, Mr. J. M. Robertson. at a meeting of the new Borough Council, this evening. “If we start off right,” he. added, “we cannot go far wrong ” Mr. Robertson mencioned the appeal of the King for prayers and invited Councillors to a service at the Wesleyan Church on Sunday evening.