MAYORAL INSTALLATION.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2659, 12 May 1908, Page 5

MAYORAL INSTALLATION.

The ceremony of installing Mr John Edgar, senr, to the Mayoralty of the Borough of Qneenstown for the 19364)9 term, to which office he was recently returned unopposed, took place in the Town Hall on Wednesday, 6th inst, at noon. After the customary declaration had been signed, the retiring Mayor, Mr M. J. Gavin, came forward and said that he was very pleased to hand over* the reins of municipal government to Mr Edgar. During his two years of office he had been ably assisted by that gentleman in carrying into effect many improvements in the borough; in fact, he had been his right hand at tbe Council table. Mr Edgar had said on the day of nomination that he would have rather there had been an election, but he (the speaker) did not think he would been acting fairly to Mr Edgar in opposing him after the way he had always aided him in the Council. He also considered that the money which an election would have cost would be better spent in doing some necessary work in the town. During the time he had occupied the Mayoral chair he Imml endeavored to make some improvements to the streets outside the business portion of the town and he thought he had done as much and as well with the small amount of money at his disposal as could be don? j and, moreover, he was leaving the finances in as good a state as they were in when he took office. There were two important undertakings which would come before the Council during the year—better lighting and improvements to the waterworks, both of which were very necessary works but which could not be undertaken without money other than the Council's ordinary revenue. There was another important matter which would have to be considered sooner or later. That was drainage, which in his opinion was of supreme moment to Queenstown. Before vacating the Mayoral office he desired to *>"»»* the councillors for the way they one and all had assisted him in the carrying out of his various duties, and he trusted they would stand by his successor as loyally as they had stood by him. In conclusion he wished Mr Edgar a prosperous and pleasant term of office. In regard to the vacancy in the Council caused through the elevation of Mr Edgar to the Mayoral chair, a number of ratepayers had requested him to stand for it and he was willing to do so. If the electors did him -the honor of returning him, he would continue to serve them to the best of his ability, as he had endeavoured to do for the past thirteen years.

Mr Edgar, after signing the declaration, acknowledged with thanks the honor just conferred upon him, and stated that he would do his utmost to comply with the conditions of the document he had just aigned. He had, during the years he acted as Councillor, considered it a pleasure aa well as a duty to work in conjunction with the members of the Council in the

administration of the public business of the Borough. The utmost harmony had | always prevailed and he felt confident that during his occupancy of the Mayoral ; chair, the same good feeling would obtain. He would endeavour to merit the confidence placed in him. He (Mr Edgar) would be wanting courtesy and duty if 1 he neglected to make some reference to 1 his predecessor, Mr Gavin. He (Sir ' Edgar) considered that Mr Gavin had, during his term of office, discharged the ] duties of Mayor in a manner highly creditable to himself and satisfactory to •' the ratepayers of the Borough. His grasp ( of municipal matters had proved invaluable and he trusted that Mr Gavin's | absence from the Council wonld be 1 of short duration, as his long experience in | matters municipal would be of inestimable ' value to the Council. He (the Mayor) ' would not commit himself by making extravagant promisee as to the future. Many I improvements were required, some 1 of tliAm being imperative, but he 1 felt confident that with the assis- I tance of the Councillors the ratepayers of Queenstown might rely upon a ' judicious administration of the public business of the Borough. Public bodies were in some measure like private individuals—they had to adapt themselves to circumstances. Queenstown was widely acknowjidged to be one of the prettiest inland l o vns in the Dominion. He hoped to see tt in the near future one of the busiest.