Awaiting the Elections

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 99, 30 April 1935, Page 8

Awaiting the Elections

CITY COUNCIL IN RETIREMENT Last evening's meeting of the Palmerston North City Council was the last of that body as at present constituted and at the close the Mayor (Mr. A. E. Mansford) took the opportunity of thanking councillors for the support they had given him during their term of office. He said he was confident no Mayor in tho Dominion had had a,more considerate council and for that lie was very grateful. Further, no Mayor had had a council more actuated by higher principles than the retiring council had had so that it had been a privilege to preside at meetings. Councillors had always been anxious to do the work for

which they had been elected. They hail mado his task an easy one and ho deeply appreciated their thoughtfulness. To Or. Hoilgens, the Mayor tendered personal thanks for the performance of duties as deputy Mayor at functions at which he (the Mayor) could not attend. He also appreciated the honour the electors had conferred by returning him unopposed once again. Mr. Mansford expressed his own and the council's thanks to the heads of departments and the office staff for co-operation given. He regretted that Crs. Free and Brown were retiring. The citizens were losing the services of two valuable councillors. Cr. Free, as chairman of the library committee, had been untiring in that department of the council's activities and Cr. Brown, as chairman of the by-laws committee, had shown the keenest interest in that work. Mr. Mansford moved that the council place on record its sincere appreciation of the unremitting and faithful services to the ratepayers rendered by both gentlemen. Cr. Hodgens seconded the motion and complimented both Cr. Free and Cr. Brown on the work they had done while on the council. Ho also regretted the difficulty that had been experienced in getting a thoroughly representative team of men to stand for civic honours. Cr. Hodgcna returned thanks for kindly references to himself and spoke of the splendid feeling the Mayor had engendered amongst councillors as well as the dignity with which Mr. Mansford had surrounded his office. The people of Palmerston North had paid him a wonderful compliment in returning hi / unopposed, an honour which should help to ease the burden of the next three years.

Cr. Free expressed liis thanks i'or all that had been said of his services. He had considered it a privilege to serve the city during a period of stress and regretted leaving the council. He felt sure ratepayers would recognise tho work tho council had done by returning those who wero seeking re-election. 'Or. Free, as chairman of the library committee, paid tribute to the librarian, Mrs. Christian, and spoke of tho work accomplished always cheerfully by the Mayoress. Cr. Brown also returned thanks but said his interest iu the town was by no means ending with his retirement from the council. He also paid tribute to the work of tho Mayor and Mayoress and offered his services wherever they might be wanted in public work. The Major briefly returned thanks for compliments paid him and Mrs. Mansford and later had the councillors, heads of staff and Press as his guests at supper.