THE MAYOR OF CHRISTCHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14310, 2 March 1907, Page 10

THE MAYOR OF CHRISTCHURCH.

LAST NIGHT'S BANQUET. COUNCILLORS AND EX-MAYORS ENTERTAINED. Members of the City Council and exMayors of -Christchurch were entertained at a banquet last night, in the Council Chamber, by the Mayor (Sir John Hall). In Sir John’s absence, Air G. Payling (Deputy-Mayor) presided. The Hon C. Louisson was on his right, and the Hon H. F. Wigram on his left. Both those gentlemen are ex-Mayors, and other ex-Mayors present were Messrs W. Reece, T. Gapes, H. J. Bcswick, and W. H. Cooper (a present Councillor). The 'following Councillors were present—Messrs G. B. Chick, W r . J. Neate, G. W. J. Parsons, J. liadfield, T. N. Horsley, H. J. Otloy, B. P. Manhiro, H. B. Sorensen and C. Allison. Mr R. M. Macdonald, (an cxOouncillor, and ex-chairman of the Works Committee), Air J. D. Hall, Air H. R. Smith (town clerk), Mr A. D. Dobson (city surveyor), Mr J. Bickerton Fisher (city solicitor), and Captain Humo (Sir John Hall’s secretary) were also present. Apologies were received for the absence of Messrs A. E. G. Rhodes and C. M. Gray, M.H.R. (exMayors), and Councillors H. H. Loughnan and S. Hurst Seager. After “The King” had been honoured, Air Reece proposed “ The City Council.” He said tnat lie felt highly honoured in having the toast placed in his hands, it was no light work to represent the citizens on the Council. The city now had a large population. It had many natural beauties, and the citizens should be proud of the improvements made in recent years. Improvements had n to be taken in hand as' they could, and progress in that direction must necessarily be slow. Ho thought that it was an advantage to have . mature councillors, although it might be regretted that younger men did not come forward.

11l responding, Councillor Coopo”. senior councillor, expressed regret at the absence of the Mayor. It was gratifying, ho said, to hear Mr Reece’s references to tlio city’s improvements. INorks on a largo scale had been taken in hand in late years,'notably, the Destructor and the City Abattoir, and in the course of'twelve months there would be a tepid bath. On Monday, there, would be submitted to the Council a complete scheme for a large and comprehensive high-pressure watersupply, together with facts and figures, supplied by Mr Dobson. Councillor 1 Hadfield proposed “ The Ex-Mayors.” He said that the toast would bo received with much enthusiasm. All the Mayors under whom he )iad sat had endeavoured to carry out their duties with great tact. Mr Wigram was a pattern Mayor, and had the best wishes and kindly regard of all councillors. The speaker went round with Mr Wigram when he was urging his water-supply scheme on the citizens, and the fair and thoroughly British manner in which ho had conducted the campaign gained the speaker’s admiration. Mr Reece had gained everybody’s respect. Ho hoped see Mr Louisson back "as Mayor. Mr Beswiek represented a typo of Mayor that the city should be proud of, and Mr Gapes had done his best for the interests he represented. The toast was honoured enthusiastically, and those present sang “ For They are Jolly Good Fellows.” Mr Gapes responded. Every Mayor of the city, he said, had carried out Ins duties to the best of his ability. He thought he could say that each gentleman who had added a link to the mayoral chain had also added lustre to " the position. That was specially marked in regard to Sir John Hall s term of office. Mr Louisson proposed “His Worship the Mayor.” He said that they all icgretted the unfortunate circumstances that prevented Sir John loom actively conducting the city’s affairs. As far as the Mayoralty during the Exhibition was concerned a better choice than that of Sir John Hall could not have been made. It would have been gratifying if Sir John could have conducted affairs and attended to the entertainment of visiters personally. They all hoped that Sir John would be restored to health, and that before his term of office expired he would he able to preside at the Council’s meetings. Mr Payling, as Deputy-Mayor, had carried out the duties admirably. That gentleman would receive the thanks <vf the citizens, and they would naturally expect that he would agree to- attend to the duties on his own behalf. (Applause.) ' If that was so there was no doubt that the duties would ho ably attended to. Speaking generally he said that the citizens should put their shoulders to the wheel and keep things going, especially in connection with a high pressure water supply. The citizens, had made a great mistake in voting the scheme for the city to purchase the Bank of New Zealand corner. The bank’s demands had been exceedingly moderate. If tbe Council could obtain the land at the price the bank asked, it would confer a benefit on the citizens and their children forever. It was necessary to have a Town Hall. A high-pressure water supply could not he dispensed with much longer- The thanks of the citizens were due to the Beautifying Association, which had attempted to prevent the beautiful Provincial Council Buildings from being interfered with. It would be vandalism, even sacrilege, to interfere in any way with these buildings. In responding, Mr Payling said that lie would first reiterate what had had said on many occasions, that it was a matter of the deepest regret to the citizens, the members of the Council and himself, that Sir John Hall had unfortunately been prevented for some time past from diecharging the duties of his office. As one who might truly be said to have stood by the cradle of municipal institutions in Christchurch, being the first chairman of the Council, it was singularly appropriate that Sir John should have been selected to' fill the office of Mayor of the city during the gala year of the Exhibition. \Although Sir John was unable to do the work of the Mayoralty, ho hud most worthily and most generously dispensed the hospitality of the city to the numerous and distinguished visitors from over-sea. Sir John had always been most anxious to attend to that important part of me duties of the mayoral office, and had done so in a manner that fully upheld the best traditions of the City of 'Christchurch. Mr Payling continued that he regretted deeply that Sir John’s desire to servo the public, to whom he gave the best years of his life., in the many distinguished public positions held by him, including that of ‘Premier of the colony, had in no small degree contributed to his .failure of health. Vvndst presiding over the Council. Sir John'had brought to the work of the office of mayor that thoroughness, tact, and right wisdom which had always characterised his public life. Now that his term of office was drawing to a close, the speaker felt sure that those present would agree with him that the citizens of Christchurch owed, him a deep debt of gratitude for the admirable manner in which he had provided that the hospitality of the city should he amply and generously dispensed. On Sir John Hall’s behalf, he thanked them sincerely for the kind manner in which the toast had been proposed, and for the way in which it had been honoured. fir Wigram proposed “ The DeputyMayor.” He said that all present would loin with him _ in drinking the toast heartilv. Owing to circumstances that everybody regretted, Mr Payling hud been called upon to drs-

charge a most arduous task. Ho had provided that he was the right man to fill the gap. Ho had done the work with credit to himself and to the city. Besides attending to his duties as Deputy-Mayor, ho was chairman of the Bath Committee ,and of the serves Committee. Air Wigram added that ho was glad to learn that a watersupply scheme would be placed before the citizens again. He sincerely hoped that it would be "carried, and he would be glad to do what he' could to help the scheme. With reference to Mr Louissoivs remarks, in regard to Mr Payling, he hoped that the gentleman as Mayer, would have the assistance ol such councillors as other mayors had. had at the table, and of such councillors as Councillor Payling himself. The toast was drunk with enthusiasm. . Councillor Payling Raid that th opposition which the accident of his seniority in the Council had thrown#upon him had been rendered somewhat onerous by the fact that the year lust closing was Exhibition year, but he felt it a great honour to bo called upon to fill the position however imperfectly. He had endeavoured to best of hie ability to discharge impartially the duty devolving upon him, always bearing in mind that lie was merely administering the office. Those who bad not had experience of the work of the Mayor_ of a city of such importance as Christchurch could have no idea of the many details which daily required attention. It was not merely presiding over the meetings of the Council, but there was a large quantity of routine work which had to bo dealt with, day by day, involving a considerable sacrifice of time on the’part of the gentleman who might be caliwd upon to do the work of the Mayor. But though that was so, he had cheerfully undertaken the responsibilities which had been laid upon him, the more so becaueo he had had the loyal support of the members of the Council and the heads of the various departments. That had been especially so as regards the town clerk, who. had always been most ready to place at his disposal the aid of his wide knowledge of municipal affairs. With that assistance ho had been enabled to discharge the duties of Deputy-Mayor, ho trusted, to the satisfaction of the citizens and the Council. The one end and aim that he had was the improvement of the city, to make it a place which would be attractive to visitors and pleasant for its residents. With this end in view he had always endeavoured to aid any city project that had for its object this desirable result, and ho would continue to do so as long as he was connected with municipal matters. In the near future ho intended to ask th© citizens to honour him by placing him in the high position of Mayor, and if they did so he would always endeavour in the future, as he had done in past, to give his best energies to their service. He expressed a hope that lus career in the Council entitled him to ask that honour at the hands of the citizens, and if they elected him ho would endeavour to deserve their confidence by doing all in his power to advance the interest of this large and important city.

Mr Beswiek proposed, “ Our Host, Sir John Hall.” He said that he had a great deal of sympathy with Sir John Hail because, like him, and like the late Mr Sefton Moorhouse and Mr Rolleston, he was a Yorkshiroman. Sir John. Teas from/ the first a strenuous worker in colonial life. It was a pleasure to Sir John Hall to undertake any work, and ho always made himself a thorough master of any subject he took in hand. The thanks of the city of Christchurch were duo to him. He praised the manner in which Mr J. D. Hall had attended to the public entertainments, and asked them to drink the toast of their generous host, 1 coupled with the name of his worthy son. (Applause). The, toast was drunk with musicalhonours, and Mr Hall replied. It was hardly necessary for him, he said, to assure them that Sir John deeply regretted that he had not been able to attend that night. The speaker detailed the events that led up to Sir John taking the position, and said that Sir John, with what he called his Imperial instinct, fully recognised- the importance of the occasion. Sir John agreed completely with the sentiments of statesmen in the Mother Country, that Imperialism would not be bound by commercial relations, and that it was more closely united by ties of sentiment. "When visitors came to New Zealand from the other colonies, including men prominent in politics, science, letters and music, and also in the field of sport, Sir John felt that it was an occasion npo-n. which Imperialism should bo fostered by the hospitality of the city and the manner of receiving the visitors. Sir John, therefore, could not decline an offer that was made practically unanimously. He was very grateful to those who came forward, and specially to the gentleman who so generously withdrew from the field.. Sir John’s disposition absolutely precluded him from being a figurehead, and from the time he first took office, ho was kept going all the time. In Sir John’s absence, the Deputy-Mayor had come forward, and had worthily entertained the visitors. His Worship wished the speaker to convey sincere thanks for the kindly efforts and assistance that had been given. He could hardly find, words to express how keenly Sir John appreciated the- assistance that had been rendered by tho DeputyMayor and others. Sir, John had asked the speaker to say that it seemed to him unfortunate in-some respects, that so many cx-Mayors remained, out of the Council, and did not come forward again. Personally, he hoped that the path of the City Council would bo a smooth one, and that the city would continue to prosper. (Applause.) Mr nail proposed the health of Captain Hume, whom he praised; highly, and the subject of the toast, who was received with applause, and the Kinging of “ For He’s a Jolly Good Follow,” replied. Councillor Manhire proposed “The Staff.” Ho praised the departments of both the Town Clerk and. the City Surveyor. Mr Dobson, he believed, had too much to do, and a little more responsibility ho said, should be placed on the foreman. Messrs Smith and Dobson responded. ■“The Press” was proposed by Councillor Otley, who urged the citizens tosupport tlie water supply scheme, and (said he hoped that Dir Wigram would return to the Council and that Mr Hall would enter it.

The Deputy-Mayor thanked Councillors for tlie manner in which they had supported him while he was ju the chair. He said that-he hoped that Mr Wigram would return to the Counciltable, and Mr Reece also. If men of that stamp would sit at the Cdfinciltablo the Council would be able to can-y out some of the schemes that had been rejected. Mr Wigram, in reply to the wishes expressed by Councillors Otley and Payling, said that he was quite sincere when ho said on one occasion that he would like to enter the Council again. Since then, however, circumstances had changed, and he would now have to spend probably four months of each year in Wellington, and lie would not bo warranted in coming forward to seek a seat at the Council- table. Ho did not presume to say that his services would be beneficial to the city, but he did say that his heart was in the city’s progress. He took a keen delight in helping movements for the good of the city, and if circumstances had not been as they wore, it would have given liim great pleasure to try to gain a seat. “The City Solicitor” was proposed bv the Mayor, and responded to by Mr Fisher, and the gathering dispersed.