ELECTION OF MAYORS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2483, 17 December 1868, Page 2

ELECTION OF MAYORS.

Wednesday, Dec. 16. chuistchurch. The election of a Mayor for the city of Ouristehurcli took place this afternoon, at the Council Chambers. The following Councillors were present at norm :-Messrs Jameson, Tombs, Anderson, Angus, Sawtell, Sheppard, Calvert, Kuddenkluu, and Duncan. Messrs Gordon (City Clerk) and Cuff (City Surveyor) were also in attendance. After waiting for a quarter of an hour, Councillor Angus moved, and Councillor Duncan seconded, that Councillor Jameson do take the chair, in the absence of the Mayor. Councillor Jameson took the chair accordingly, and the business was proceeded with. The Mayor entered the Chamber at 12.18 p.m., and Councillor Jameson thereupon vacated the chair. The Mayor explained that he had been detained at the Horticultural Show.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The Major said that in accordance with the wishes expressed by the Council at tho lust meeting a deputation consisting of Mr Jameson, Mr Gordon, and himself, had formally taken possession of the site handed over by tho Government for the purposes of a cattle market, Tbey had turned up a and on the 1 5th instant, and claimed the rental to heappliGil to municipal purposes for all time being. This seemed all that wa9 necessary. The document declaring that possession of ilie site had been taken, was signed by the Mayor and Councillor Jameson, mid ordered to liu recorded in the minutes of proceedings.

The Mayor then addressed the Council as follows; Gentlemen, you are aware that the principal object for which we have met to-day U the election of a mayor, and I am nhnut to nsk you to select from amongst your number a gentleman who shall be my succes. hop. Of course you remember that when you did me tht honour to elect me to that position, I 'uninvited that I would foel it my duly, when the next election c>mic round, not to entertain the idea of putting inysoll forward for re-election, as I thought It due to those who had served in the Council as faithfully as myself, that they should liavo an oppiir tuuity afforded them of being electoJ to a similar position, a position which I then regarded as an honourable one, aud as to which I still entertain the same opinion, The duty which now devolves upon ma is to ask you to select a gentleman to bo my successor from amongst your number.. The Clerk said that it was necessary the accounts should be certified, which was done accordingly, ' •;, ,: ! The Mayor said he need not repeat what he had formerly said, lie had now only to will on some gentleman to propose a successor. Councillor Duncan; Mr , Mayor aud Gcmleinen, I believe that as tho oldest member of the Council, I have been requested to propose a gentleman to act as Mayor. The

gentleman whom I havo the pleasure of proposing tins day, is Mr John Anderson, a gent eman, I think, who is justly esteemed by 1118 ellow-oitizeiw. 1 ani certain that the Council cannot do better than elect that gentleman to the offlqo which you, sir, HOW hold, and which you have so well filled, to the credit of the Borough, the satisfaction of tiie Council, and in perfect keeping with the dignity of the office. Mr Anderson is one of the early pioneers, in faot, one of the early pilgrims for he came out in one of the first lour ships, and ever since his arrival in Canterbury he has done his duty, carefully and conscientiously, to his fellow-citizens, and to everyone with whom he has come in contact. As well as yourself, sir, lie seems in his peculiar walk of life to have carefully gone shoulder to shoulder ill helping to advance the best interests of Canterbury, and more especially those of the city of Christchurch. Therefore, as you have been first Mayor, I think the Council cannot do better than elect, us your successor, one so intimately associated with the advancement of Canterbury, and, like yourself, so much interested in the development of the res mrces of the province as Mr Anderson is. (Cheers.) Mr Anderson is so well known and respected, that I need not take up your time on this oacasion by dilating on his merits as a citizen and colonist. I think he will fill the office of Mayor with credit to himself and satisfaction to thepublic, and that the Councillors who sit with him in this Council, will appreciate his services and render him every assistance (luring his tenure of office. You, as first Mayor, had to initiate quite a new system of things, under a new Act, and therefore Mr Anderson will reap the advantages which your experience confers, and will be enabled .to follow up that line of duty which you have so well enabled him to learn. The City of Clmstchureh has made such rapid advancement during the last few years, that I think for the last two or three years the Council has maintained both the dignity of its office and secured the goodwill of the people of Christchurch, by the manner in which its members have conscientiously fulfilled their duties; and this goodwill owes its existence in a great measure to the way in which you, Sir, have fulfllled your duties as Mayor. (Hear, hear) Choosing such a mau to come after you, I think we shall still be able to secure that consoientious discharge of the duties which devolve upon the Council, and receive the same amount of respect and goodwill from our fellow-citizens as we have received hitherto. I am sure that Mr Anderson will do everything in his power to advance Christchurch in the same manner as you have done, during the lust two years. He is both wellknown and respected, and one who carries a great weight with him out of doors; and I think it is desirable that we should choose one to be Mayor who possesses not only the respect of the Council, but that, also, of the city at large. (Cheers). I am sure Mr Anderson will yield to none in the amount of respect which is paid to Mm by the citizens of Christchurch. I have great pleasure in proposing him as Mayor. (Cheers). Councillor ' Ruddeuklau—Mr Mayor and Gentlemen, I have great pleasure in seconding the nomination of Mr Anderson as Mayor. Before I came here I intended to make a long speech, but Mr Duncan has expressed my sentiments so much that I really don't know what to say. I quite approve of the selection. I believe that Mr Andersen will be the right man in the right place. This, I believe, is the 18th anniversary of his arrival in the province, and I am sure that it will ba all the more gratifying to him to ba elected to the office of Mayor on this day. Mr Anderson has been a great benefactor of the city, by employing labour, and manufacturing articles which we had formerly to send money out of the country for. I believe, too, that he has at the same time benefited himself, and I hope he is in that position now, that he will be _ enabled to devote that time to affairs which is so essential to benefit the interests of the city. I would be glad to see Mr Anderson as your successor. You were in the ranks, I may say, and, while oue of you has worked yourself up to the position of chief magistrate in this city, I hope that a few minutes will seethe second holding all those honours which the office possesses. (Cheers). I have much pleasure in seconding the uomi nation.

The Mayor inquired if. any other gentleman lmd a candidate to propose. No one responding, Mr Wilson declared Councillor John Anderson to be duly elected Mayor of the Borough of Christchurch. He said it was his duty to congratulate the Council on the wisdom they had shewn in the choice they had made, If the selection of Mayor had been from amongst the whole of his fellowcitizens, there was no gentleman of whom he would be so proud for his successor as Mr John Anderson. (Cheers.) He was sure he would do full credit to the position j they had been personal friends for the last 18 years, and during all that time their friendship had never been changed in the slightest degree. It was now his duty to vacate the chair, and give it to Mr Anderson. The new Mayor was then conducted to the vacated chair by his proposer aud seconder, lie was congratulated by the ex-Mayor, and the Councillors in attendance.

His Worship said: Gentlemen, having accepted the office to which you have electeJ me, it is now my duty to return you thanks fw the honour you have done me—an honour which I appreciate very highly indeed ; and all the more highly when I consider the character and ability of the gentlemen surrounding me by whom I have been elected. It h at all times a pleasing thing for one to feel ihat at leastto some extent he enjoys the good wishesof his fellow-men j and when that feeling is accompanied with such expressions as my proposer and seconder, aud the late Mayor have been pleased to give utterance to] I feel that I am almost unfitted for the few remarks I had intended to make. The circumstance of your having elected me to tliia office to-day, arises more from the position that I hold as a citizen and early colonist than from any particular ability that I possess to fulfil the duties of this important office. ('No, no.") I find it will be necessary for me to ask from you a large amount of forbearance, while I discharge the duties of Mayor; but I am convinced that whatever will be necessary in that way will be fully accorded by you, aud that we will be able to maintain that unanimity aud good-feeiing which have ever characterised the proceedings of this Council during the IhsJ two years. (Hear, hear.) It may in some respects be a matter of congratulation, that the election of Mayor should have been performed on (he anniversary of our settlement. For my own part, I am rather pleused it is so, because I consider that it marks the event all the more strongly. It has been remarked by my seconder that the day is somewhat eventful, in consequence of its being the 18th anniversary of my arrival in tho province. That I have been elected to this honourable position to-day is a very gratifying feature U me, and one which I trust will induce me, if inducement were necessary, to do my very utmost for the interest of the city. (Cheers,) Tho fact brings to my mind a few of: tho alterations that have taken place in the city during the period of 18 years. Eighteen years ago Uliristchurch became the habitation of civilized man. Up to that lime it was withoiif a road, a house, a street, or Improvement of any kind, hut no sooner had civilization t ilten up her abode than the maroh of colonization began. But for the first ten or twelve yoarß that march was very Blow; very lilllc was elfected ( very few streets wero made, and very few improvements of nolo took place. It was not until the beginning of lsW, wlieu the first Municipal Council was elected that any very great progress was made, but so soon us that body was constituted and place I in funds, as you know, by liberal grants from the Government, the city began to shew very marked signs of improvement. Streets were formed, and I am very glad to see that the improvements have been keeping pace with the requirements up to the present time. I trust that this Council will continue in the work, and that you, gentlemen, will be as aptive and vigilant—and I have no reason to expect you will be anything olsa-as you have been for the year just past, and that you will seqit.to beyourduty to continue those improvements which have so very successfully been commenced, such as the improving of the tbwivbeltJ'and other works, so fsr na your means will allow you. In making this

remark, I don't mean that this Council should exercise any oppression on the ratepayers to raise any money for any such purpose, hut carry out these improvements as far as our means will allow us. Mako a little improvement ; if a little, let us do it. I think I express the sentiments of the Council when 1 say that we regret very much that we are to-day losing the services of one of our most active members, and one who lias over shewn lii» willingness and readiness to do what wai required of him in reference to the welfare of ut ° ity ." Let U8 h " pe thfU tlie wi tMrawal of Mr Wilson's services from this Council is but temporary, and that before long we shall see him benefit the Council again by his services, (Hear, hear.) I don't know that 1 have any other remark to make, further than to thank you most heartily for the honour you have done me. I feel it a very great honour, and I would bo failing in my duty if IdW not acknowledge it as such. It is a position which of course any citizen ought to be proud to occupy. I again thank you for tho honour you have done me to-day. (Cheers) Councillor Jameson-Gentlemen, we have to-day elected a'most worthy citizen to fill the office of Mayor for the ensuing year; and I think it is a very appropriate time to give our thanks to the gentleman who has just vacated that chair. I would not attempt to call to mind all the good qualities which Mr Wilson possesses; we might refer to many. We know his punctuality— his constant attendance at our meetings; he has never been absent on any occasion during tho past year. His manner has been such as to give us great satisfaction; and he has been very kind and courteous towards the Council over which lie presided. The works that have gone foward during his mayoralty bear testimony to the manner in which be has diacharged his duties. We have had improved streets, iucreased lighting, ornamentation of the town belts, and not tho least, perhaps, of all the improvements is the increased supply of beautiful, clear, artesian water; and it is now a fact that the artesian wells in Christchurch produce over four million gallons of water daily. It would be impossible that we could hive such a disaster as that with which Timaru was unfortuuatcly visited last week. I have much pleasure in moving—- " That the best thanks of this Council be given to William Wilson, Esq., for the able manner in which he has filled the office of Mayor during the past year." (Applause.) Councillor Calvert seconded the resolution. He had sat with the Mayor for two yearsj and he now believed that a more able chairman the Council could not have. No angry discussion had occurred, and no clique or party had existed since Mr Wilson had baen in the Council. All the things that had been done during his Mayoralty, had been done with every regard to economy. Many great works had been done during the last two years, and the last twelve months more especially, and he considered that Mr Wilson was well worthy of their thanks. He had much pleasure in seconding the resolution. Mr Wilson thanked the Council very gratefully for the kind manner in which the motion had bein proposed and received, and expressed his gratitude for the kindness with which his name and past services had been introduced by the Mayor and Councillors Jameson and Calvert. He thought it was not unlikely that he might feel proud, indeed, to join the Council once more. (Hear, hear.) During his mayoralty the greatest unanimity had prevailed in the Council, and he trusted that such a state of things would continue. A really good fire brigtde had been organised, and there was little likelihood of such a conflagration occurring as that which had visited Timaru. Two of his primary aims on joining the Council were to endeavour to secure an abundant supply of pure, whulesome water, and encourage everything that had a tendency to suppress fire. lie had been well seconded by the Council in both objects, and the result was that the city had never possessed a more efficient fire brigade or so many of the requisites for suppressing fira than now. He trusted they would continue to plant the Town belt, notwithstanding the clamour that was now-and-again raised against it. Already the East town belt presented a new feature to the city, and he hoped the work of improvement would be continued. He was fully justified in saying 'that jthe great bulk of the public appreciated the improvement. Unanimity had been one of the greatest characteristics of the Council. For his own part, he had made all other duty secondary to that of attending at the Council, and lie now bade good-bye, he might say, with regret, at parting from the circle of those by whom he had been so highly esteemed. Perhaps he might some day" entertain the idea of joining them again, and talc ng an active part in the proceedings. This closed the proceedings, and the meeting adjourned until Tuesday next, at seven o'clock p.m.

LYTTULTON. The anmal meeting of the Councillors was to have taken place at noon at the Council Chambers. His Worship the Mayor, aud Councillor Willcox were the only members present. At 12.30 p.m. his Worship declared that the meeting stood adjourned until next day, at noon. KAUVOI. By an understanding between the Mayor and Councillors, the election of a mavor did not take place, but the meeting was adjourned till noon next day by his Worship,