First Mayor of Hastings

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 256, 13 October 1923, Page 1

First Mayor of Hastings

Mr. Robert Wellwood

The first meeting ot the Hastings town District Board, was Helu 111 reoiuary 4th, 1&84. Present: capt. W. R. Russell; Messrs J. tanner, C. Davey, 1. Foreman and F. D. Luckie. Captain Russell was appointed chairman, and Mr. J. Collinge was appointed clerk, valuer and dog tax collector to the Board at a salary of £4O per annum On September 22nd, 1884, Mr. R. Wellwood was elected chairman of the Board, a position which he held until that body was dissolved, the la.-t meeting being held on Aug. 19th, 1886. Mr. Robert Wellwood has thc honour of Leiner the first

Mayor of Hastings, and he presided at the Inst meeting of the Borough Council, held in the Town Hall, Hastings, o-i Wednesday, October 20th, 1886. There were present at that meeting, besides His Worship the Mayor*(Mr. R. Well wood), Cis. George Ellis, T. Foreman, F. •D. Luckie, McLeod, Morris, S. T. l ong, T. Tanner and J. N. Williams. The late Mr. (.'. A. Fitzroy was also a member of tl.e Council. At this meeting, Mr. John Collinge was appointed town clerk, treasurer, returning officer, receiver of rates and valuer to the Council. At this meeting also, the late Mr. T. Tanner offered to convey to the Council town sections 152 and 157 East Hastings, as a site for corporation offices, an offer which was accepted n November 4th, 1886. Mr. John Collinge continued to act as town clerk until 1911, when he retired. The p'resent Mayor is Mr. George Maddison, the following gentlemen forming the Council:—Councillors P. M. Cohr, N. H. Beatson, L. W. Fowler, S. J. McKee, F W. Cook, J. Simmons, F. A. Garry, A. Garnett and A. J. Kirkham. Mr. Percy R Purser is town clerk. Following is the list of the Mayors of Hastings, with the dates thev held office:— Robert Wellwood, 1886-87. W. F. Burnett, 1890-91. George Ellis, 1887-1890, 1891-94. C. A. Fitzroy, 1894-99. W. Lane, 1904-5. XV. Y. Dennett, 1899-1904, 1905-6. T. J.' Thompson, 1906-09. John A. Miller, 1909-11. Tames Garnett, 1911-13. Wm. Hart, 1913-17, 1921 to December, 1922. H. lan Simson, 1917-19. George Ehbett, 1919-21. George Maddison (present Mayor) succeeded Wm. Hart in 1022.