THE MAYORALTY

Grey River Argus, 16 May 1935, Page 3

THE MAYORALTY

Mr. Meldrum Installed LAST EVENING’S CEREMONY. tivn lie^th Va - S a V 8 nDd t'epresentap ° f oitizons > including successful and unsuccessful candidates p n , t W re 7 nt Municipal and Local Bod, Elections, at the ceremony of the installation of the new Mayor of Greymouth, Mr W. Meldrum, at the Municipal Chambers last evening The installation _ ceremony was performed by the retiring Mayor, Mr ,T. W. Greenslade whilst the 'usual declarations were also made with regard to the installation of the new Council. The ex-Mayoress, Mrs Greenslade was present, also Mr Jas O’Brien, M.P. An apology was received from the Mayor-ess-elect, Mrs Meldrum, who was un able to attend owing to illness. The Mayor-elect, was gretted with applause while the retiring Mayor was tendered thanks tor his services. Wearing for the final occasion the robes and insignia. of the office, Mr Greenslade said that it was his pleasing duty to preside at the gathering and to congratulate the Mayor-elect on the distinguished honour conferred upon him, as chief citizen, which was the highest honour the town rou’d give him. It was an important position, and one to bo proud of, that of the chief citizen, and, as it were, the Managing Director of the’Council, through which there passed each year a sum of approximately forty thousand pounds. The Mayor and Councillors were called upon to govern the estimates of the town for the next three years. He felt that the new Mayor would manage the position with dignity and honour. A very great loss, he said, would be sustained by the absence of Cr. Kitchingham from the Council table. The Mayoresselect had been unable to attend through indisposition, as a. result of an attack of influenza, but he felt confident that Mrs Meldrum would support their new Mayor in every way in upholding the traditions of chief magistrate of the town (Applause). Tie had great pleasure in*asking the new Mayor to accept the position, and also invest him with the insignia of office, robe and Mayoral chain, hoping that he would have a pleasurable three years with the Conn oil. and that they could then look back and say “well done thou good

and faithful servants’” Mr Meldrum he felt sure, would fill the position with honour to the town and also to its benefit and the benefit of the people. “Our very best wishes,” concluded Mr Greenslade, as he handed over the Mayor’s robe and insignia of Office, and shook hands, amidst prolonged applause. The Mayor-elect was greeted with applause on rising to speak. He sai l he wished to heartily thank Mr (Ireenslade for the way he had referred to himself and for the hearty manner in which he had been received. lie agreed that the position of Mayor was an important one, entailing a great deal of work and requiring also a. great deal of dignity. He had not entered into the contest without realising all the work and the responsibility which the office entailed. He bad entered into it with the idea of doing his utmost, and of acting to the best of his ability, with a view to earning the genera] appreciation of the ratepayers and citizens of Greymouth. lie was grateful Io the ratepayers for returning him, and also for returning such a good Council, who, he considered, were all good workers, lie felt sure they would all work harmoniously and that their work would redound to their credit and to the credit of the borough. He referred to the appreciation of all citizens of Greymouth for the way in which Mr Greenslade had filled the position during the eight, years he had been in office. Tie had been unsparing and had conducted the office with the utmost credit to himself and the utmost appreciation of his fellow citizens. (Applause). The retiring Mayor had set a high standard, and upon looking round and seeing all the portraits of those who had filled the position before him, it made him feel in a humble state of mind, in that he would not do as well as they had done. He would, however, do his best, and if he failed, it would not be for the want of will, but. he had no fear of that. Mrs Meldrum would do her utmost to help him in every way to fulfil the position well (Applause). Mr Jas. O’Brien, M.P. said he wished to add his congratulations to their new Mayor. Speaking of the fine work of the-new Mayor’s predecessor he had been closely associated with Mr Greenslade and had known how he had worked and how he had done his best for the town and district, not only on this Council, but on various other bodies. He w*anted also to sympathise with one of the new Mayor’s opponents, one by the way, whom he thought to have been very straightforward when he was associated with him on the Borough Council, and who had done great work for the town. He had thought Mr Kitchingham would have been elected Mayor. If Mr Kitchingham had known as much about public life as he (Mr O’Brien) did, he would not have been defeated, for he would not have gone and fought for an aerodrome at Blaketown. Mr Meldrum certainly would uphold the dignity of the office, and, with such commonsense as he had displayed since he came to this town, that quality would not fail them in his new position. He felt Mr Meldrum would do justice to the position and that, at. the end of his career, they would be able to say, as of the late Mayor, that he had done exceptionally well indeed (Applause). He knew the retiring Mayor must have gone out of public life with some regrets. He knew the town now felt it would have nothing to regret, and he knew that Mr Meldrum’s work would be appreciated by all and sundry. He congratulated the new Mayor, the retiring Mayor, and also those who aspired to Mayoral honours for the fight they put up. Mr F. A. Kitchingham congratulated the Mayor and felt sure that, with his past experience of men and affairs, he would carry on the office in the way it should be, and lead the Councillors in the way they should go. Mr Greenslade had been unsparing in the carrying out of his duties to the town and had assisted those in distress during the period of depression, during which time he suffered a severe illness, but had carried on despite his severe physical strain and drain on his business, and they owed him a great debt, they could never repay. A few years ago the name of Greymouth was a by-word with the rest of New Zealand, | and the town had been put on the map. I Visitors from other parts were honest - | ly and candidly surprised at the im-

provement in the toown. The Mayor and Councillors had to look to the welfare of the town and they had to get their eyes on a good goal ahead, and weigh evenly all parts. Mr F. L. Turley also congratulated the Mayor on. his election. He said he felt sure the people of Greymouth would have no regrets in having returned Mr Meldrum. He felt sure Mr Meldrum would carry out the duties as he should do, and that he would be quite impartial on yll occasions. If Mr Meldrum used the same discretion as he did in another capacity, Greymouth would have no regrets. He thought that at the end of three years the Council would be able to look back with pride and say that he had don? well. The electioneering campaign had been fought cleanly and not bitterly. leaving personalities out of it.

Mr G. Stanton said that he felt sure Mr Meldrum would fulfil the office with dignity and justice. The retiring Mayor had worked like a draught horse during his term of office and had had to carry the unemployed on his back. He congratulated the retiring Mayor on his past record and stated he had every confidence that Mr Meldrum would fill the office with honour, dignity and justice. Cr. A. H. McKane, Deputy Mayor, congratulated Mr Meldrum on attaining the office, and felt he would fill it with dignity and credit, not only to himself but to the town. He had worked closely with the retiring Mayor and found that he had been burdened with an enormous amount of work. It was with regret that they were realis ing they were losing him, as they would miss his sound judgment, but he was deserving of rest and retirement that he had decided to take. He had had 24 years of civic life, which was a term from which one could retire an J feel proud of it. Mr Kitchingham was also a great loss to the Council. He trusted that at the end of three years Mr Meldrum would be fit. and well and able to take up duties for a further ■term.

Cr A. M. Carroll said he felt sure Mr Meldrum would fill the office with dignity and credit to himself and to the district generally. Mr Greenslade had, unfortunately, seen fit to retire from public life and he had set a strong main to the new Mayor to carry out the work of the district as ably any capably as he had done. He real ised that with 15 ar 16 years’ experience, Mr Greenslade was a man out of the ordinary. In losing Mr Kitehingham, the Council had suffered a severe loss as* he was often a silent, nut always a solid worker. His work in connection with the Beautifying Committee would stand as a monuirent He hoped that M>r Kitchingham would still assist the Council and again some day be at the Council table.

Cr. F. Boustridge assured the Mayor that during his term of office he would do his best to assist him. The Council would all be with him. He regretted the retirement of Mr Greenslade, who had to his mind, been a fund of ad-

vice. He regretted the absence from the Council of Mr Kitchingham. as he had the greatest respect for the wav Mr Kitchingham had carried out the officer allotted to him. It was a pitv liicic was not a “second dividend’ for the ALay<fal office. Mr Hitchingham would be the last to decry the fact 'that he had been defeated and if advice were needed he would be one to whom he would look and he felt sure, that it would not be withhold. Cr. C. Neville felt sure that with the rest of the Council., the Mayor would have a successful -three years. There was a lot of work ahead, but with the Mayor’s assistance, good work w mid be attained. A kindly interest was shown*]".- the retiring Mayor and Mr Xitchingbani in himself when he came ito the Council table four years ago and their loss would be severely felt. The thanks of the town were also due to those who had not been elected, as' much as to those elected, when it was considered that in the town there were many successful businessmen/ and that only three in addition to the nine Councillors re quired had offered their services.

Cr. R. J. Williams said they were all aware of the work of the fetirieg Mayor, who 1 ad come up to their expectations. He one of the bulldog breed. Whilst recognising the work of the Mayor and Deptvy-Mayor. they must not forget the -work of the Mayoress and he would ask all present to giv- her a hearty handclap. (Applause ■

('r G. R Marker said there were a few new Councillors. The new Mayor had had a duty in putting others in their place, and he hoped that if neces--sary .he would als’o put Councillors in their place. He referred to the good work of the retiring Mayor, stating that the present administration of the Borough left nothing to be desired. M/- Kitchingham had been one of the best of Couseillors and all regretted losing his services, but he hoped that they would again have his services. Cr. A. IT. Paters’on said he felt sure Mr Meldrum would fulfil the position exceedingly well. He added his felicitations to the px-Mayor, who, he said had not only worked himself, but had got others to work. Mr Greenslade had not spared himself. He hoped that when times became a little easier, he would be back again with the Council. Mr Kitchingham had also done good work not for his own glorifica tion, but for the good of the town. Of- J- B. Kent endorsed the remarks of the previous speakers. He had never worked with more painstaking and conscientious workers than the retiring Mayor and Mr Kitchingham;. and they would be missed from the Council table. He congratulated those fleeted and would say 'to those not elected, “you have done well, come again! 11

Mr Greenslade returned thanks for the kind remarks* about his good wife and himself. His wife had been a wonderful help to him in carrying out his duties. There were two Council-

h |ps who had retired and had done wel and were fine Councillors who had pulled their weight in every way and were always there to take their share of the burden, lie referred to Messrs J. S Robertson and F. B. Lawn. Mr A. Me Carthv was an old Councillor who had been defeated and he had been quit* an honourable member in all his deal ingy at >the Council table He wishe *he Mayor and Cou ic.i”ors the very lev* piling t. I !.' f(i;Lcoming term of oiice The Mayor finally returned thank? for the kind remarks made by the various speakers, and then invited those present to partake of some refreshments that had been made available »Oi the occasion.