NEW COUNCIL SITS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 4694, 16 May 1935, Page 5

NEW COUNCIL SITS

AFFAIRS OF THE BOROUGH. The first meeting of the newlyelected Te Kuiti Borough Council was held last evening, Mr. T. Carroll, the Mayor, presiding over Councillors 11. C. Douglas, A. Dobson, G. B. Johnson, W. J. R. Rundle, F. C. Sparks, T. M. ITetet, K. W. Low, and C. W. Isaac, the Town Clerk, Mr. M. J. Strange, and the Engineer, Mi’. B. J. Drake. An apology was received from Cr. E. M. Mackersey, who is attending the officers’ training camp. The retiring Mayor hoped to be present to invest Mr. Carroll into office. He was unavoidably detained in the country and an apology was tendered on his behalf. After Mr. Carroll had been sworn in, Cr. Low, on behalf of the Council, congratulated him on his becoming Mayor of Te Kuiti, at the same time saying he was sure Mayor and Councillors would work together in harmony during the coming term of office. Similar sentiments were expressed by each of the members of the Council. '

This was following by the swearing in of the Councillors, after which His Worship thanked the Councillors for their good wishes. He welcomed new Councillors. He would endeavour to give a fair and impartial hearing to all Councillors. During the coming term of office the Council would be called upon to give consideration to many important matters. The late Council had left the finances of the Borough in a sound condition, and he thought this Council should endeavour to leave behind a record of substantial progress and leave the finances in as healthy a condition as it found them. In closing, he reminded Councillors that the Council table was the place to conduct Council business.

On Mr. Carroll’s motion, seconded by Cr. Douglas, Cr. Isaac was appointed Deputy-Mayor of Te Kuiti.

Committees Appointed.

Committees were appointed as follows:

Legal and Finance: Mr. Carroll (chairman), and Crs. Isaac, Mackersey, Low and Dobson. Works, Water and Abattoir and Reserves: Crs. Douglas (chairman), Sparks, Hetet, Rundle and Johnson. Library: Crs. Low (chairman), Sparks and Johnson, Messrs. A. S. Gresham, E. J. Garlick, and Mrs. H. C. Evans, subject to the three lastnamed consenting to sit on the Committee.

Sanitary Committee: Mr. Carroll and Cr. Dobso'n.

The Mayoral honorarium was fixed at £67 10s. The honorarium was originally £75, two cuts having reduced it to £6O. In moving that it be increased to the figure mentioned above, Cr. Douglas said it would be restoring, one of the cuts—the Mayor added, after it had been fixed, that next meeting the Council would consider restoring a portion of the cut to the Council’s employees. It was decided to obtain a portrait of the King from the Soldiers’ Civil Re-establishment League at a cost of £2 2s, to hang in the Council Chambers to mark the Jubilee.

A request from the Volunteers for a subscription towards obtaining'new •colours for the Waikato Regiment was received, and on Cr. Low’s suggestion it was decided to donate the sum of £2 2s. The sum of £3O was voted from the Mayor’s Relief Fund to the Te Kuiti Relief Committee, and £lO to the Civic League. The fund stood £BO in credit at present. The Mayor and Crs. Low and Dobson were appointed Borough representatives on the Patriotic Society. It was decided that on Saturday afternoon next an inspection of the Borough and waterworks should be commenced by the new Council.

Old Power House Property#

. The Waitomo Power Board advised that a decision had been made to give the Borough a three months’ option over the old power house site and buildings.

The position was explained by the Mayor to the Council. The option would not expire until July. The Board had offered the Council the property for £4OO, plus interest, and the Winter Show Association had been offered it for £350 cash.

The Mayor and Crs. Mackersey and Low were appointed to wait upon the Power Board to endeavour to obtain more favourable terms than have been offered the Borough, and it was decided to obtain a rough sketch plan of the infringing boundaries of Board and Borough properties for the hext meeting of the Council.