INSTALLATION CEREMONY.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLII, Issue 1808, 5 May 1921, Page 3

INSTALLATION CEREMONY.

MAYOR RECEIVES CONGRATULATIONS.

The installation of Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., in the Palmerston North Mayoral chair, took ' place in the Borough Council Chambers yesterday. There were present Crs S. R. Lancaster, M. H. Oram, M. A. Eliott, F. Jackson, E. V. West, A. J. Graham, H. J. Canton, C. F. Spooner, and F. Needham. A number of citizens and the executive olficers of the staff were also present. Cr Spooner, as the oldest member of the Council, extended a welcome back to the chair to his Worship. Speaking- on behalf of the old members of the Council, he said they had found the Mayor an ideal chairman who had always given the councillors the consideration their position en. titled them to, and had always extended them a fair and impartia!l hearing in'his rulings tnd guidance of the Council. He knew that this same courtesy and consideration would be extende-d to the new councillors. In asking his Worship to sign the usual declaration, Cr Spooner again welcomed the Mayor back to the chair. He said that though the councillors often disagreed with the Mayor across the Council table, it made no difference to their personal friendship outside. This was one of the strongest features in the Mayor's many excellent characteristics. (Applause). Cr S. R. Lancaster, in endorsing the remarks of Cr Spooner, said the Mayor had served the town well in the past, and he was confident that he would continue to do so in the future. He would svpport the Mayor to the fullest extent when he thought he was doing right and I would oppose him when he thought he was doing a wrong thing for the town, and he, knew the Mayor would respect him and the other councillors all the more for so doing. No one could have worked better in the interests of the town than the Mayor had done, and in saying this he was only expressing the opinion of all the old councillors. The Council had taken a lot of work in hand, and he considered the Mayor was the right man in the right place to carry it out. The position he occupied in Parliament would greatly facilitate his raising the necessary money to carry on. The Mayor had been personally responsible up to the present time for raising a large sum of money, and during the past six months the Borough had been able to raise through his agency probably more than any other borough in New Zealand. The speaker believed that with the Mayor at their head they would be able to push on with necessary works such as the electric power and gas, which were urgently needed. Cr Lancaster also expressed his appreciation at being returned at the head of the poll, and said he could assure the electors that their confidence in him was not misplaced. The position they had placed him in would inspire him to do more for the Borough than he had done in the past. Mr W. Park, while congratulating the Mayor on his return, said he also felt justified in congratulating the electors on having reinstated Mr Nash for. another term. As an excouncillor and-Mayor, and as one who had closely watched and criticised Borough affairs, he knew in Mr Nash he had every confidence in the Mayor's ability.

In reply, the Mayor thanked the speakers for the kind remarks made about him. They all had watched the growth of the Borough, and no one was in a better position than he. after occupying the Mayoral chair for 15 years, to speak on its possibilities. Ho knew what had been accomplished by the Council during 1 that time in the interests of the ratepayers. Many men had given good service to the Borough, and some had died in harness. The census returns showed a big increase in the population of the Borough, and they had reason to feel proud of it. He did not think an absolute record had been taken at the last census owing to many people being away from town at the time on holidays, but the position had now been fully established, and were it not for the greater schemes such as were in force in such places as Wanganui and Invercargill, Palmerston North would have retained its position as the fifth town in New Zealand. He believed Palmerston North was destined to become a great and important town, and it must extend in the near future with the advent of greater facilities, etc. Eventually it would take in such places as Whakaronga, Kelvin Grove, Longburn, etc., which must come into a greater Palmerston scheme to enable their people to take advantages of facilities such as gas, electricity and water, and the many privileges enjoyed by the citizens. There were very important works to be done, but some of these must be held up on account of the financial stringency. There wore two which must be proceeded with; he referred to tlifi gasworks and electric power scheme, for which the money must be found. The Council wanted a fair sum of money the present time. There was a possibility of- getting some in about a couple of months, and it was hoped that the Prime Minister would be able to raise some more for them in England. The Borough was faced with the unem. ployment problem. It was hoped that the Borough employees would not be affected, and he knew it was the hope and desire of the Council that these men should continue at their work. If they could raise the money for the works the Borough would be able to tide many people over the difficult period. The Mayor congratulated Cr Lancaster on being returned at the head of the poll, and Cr Oram at being placed second. He knew all the councillors would assist, in expediting the Borough work. With the assistance of the people he had managed to be returned with a handsome majority. He hoped the Borough would still continue to progress, and that the councillors would remember what the importance of the Borough meant to the citizens, and what it meant in the eyes of the whole Dominion. It had been a great disappointment to him that nothing had been clone in the matter of trams, but everyone would admit that they were out of the question at the present prices. However, with the railway deviation coming on, it would be absolutely necessary to provide transit facilities for the town. When trams could be procured at a more reasonable price the 'busses shortly to be put on the road would become feeders to the tramway system from out. lying parts. The work of the Council had always proceeded harmoniously in the past, and there had never been cause for swmplaint on his,