MAYORAL INSTALLATION.

Northern Advocate, 3 May 1911, Page 5

MAYORAL INSTALLATION.

GENERAL CONGRATULATIONS.

Shortly before noon to-day the installation of Mr T. H. Steadman to the Mayoral Chair of the Borough for the second term of office, was carried out in the Council Chamber, all the councillors, with the exception of Cr. Harrison, who has not yet returned from Sydney, and some two dozen of the chief business men of the town, being "present. The Mayor gave a short resume of the work done in the Borough during last year, touching on several of the more important of the matters which been dealt with. The drainage ■fetherne was now nearing completion, and although not actually completed those most requiring a service had been connected. On taking office, Mr Steadman had found that the income of the Council had been forestalled, and consequently he had had to adopt a course of economy. Another matter which had been arranged before Ills time was Messrs A. and T. Burt's metal contract, v. r .hich he was sorry to say had not been carried out, and was still a matter of contention which he hoped would be fixed up in a short time. It had also been found that, owing to the heavy demands on the district rates, it was impossible to give the residents the improvements to the roads to which they were entitled, and consequently it was forced upon them Jhaf other means shou'd be found. Consequently the loan proposals had been made, and carried at the poll. It was now the duty of the new Council to see that they spent the money wisely, and he warned therrr to use care and to obtain value for what they spent; not to attain as little as some other boroughs, of which he was aware, had done. The course for the Council to adopt would be to obtain the services of a competent engineer to lay off the works, and to follow his advice, and to do nothing without first consulting him, and they would then obtain something for thejr expenditure. Included at the same poll had been a sum for a Town Hall and municipal offices, to augment the funds for which the Borough would have to collect some money which had been loaned to the County Council for a considerable time.

The Mayor wished to congratulate the Councillors who had been returned for the ensuing year, and especially Cr. Dent, who had been returned for the fifth time, which formed quite a record for Whangarei. In accepting office again, the Mayor had notified those who approached him that ho would be unable to give his whole time to the work, and he therefore trusted that the business people would give him all {assistance in any matter which he might overlook, as it was quite possiT)le with the pressure of his own business that he might overlook some matters. If he found, however, that he was unable to devote enough time to his mayoral duties, he intended to resign.

In explaining the finances ■- of the ■town for the past year, the Mayor said that when he took office the debit balance on the general fund account •was £1253 8s 2d, and on March 31st last it had been reduced to £468 18s. The Council had expended £881 10s 6d on street repairs. The Library fund account was in credit £159 Os 6d, of which £75 13s 10d was raised by the •special library rate. The Cemetery •account was in credit £21 10s 4d, and •as the rate collected to pay a demand of £290 13s 5d by the Charitable Aid Board was £310 3s 2d, there was a credit balance on that account of £18 8s lid. The waterworks account had a .credit of £570 18s sd. The Bank account of the general fund when he took office in 1910 showed an overdraft (Of £605 6s 8d; but that had been wip«ed out during the year, which concluded with a credit bank balance of £934 0s 6d, cash in hand £394 10s, a total of £1328 10s 6d. Included in that .•amount was £537 Is 8d special drainage rs.te not expended, and contractors' deposits £508. The contractors' deposits when he took office amounted to £558 in hand, so that it could oe seen ;that the town was in a good financial ■position. Mr -Steadman was then sworn in by ithe'Town Clerk in terms of the "Muni.ciljal Corporations Act, 1908/' and was ; «auly installed as Mayor, amid acclamation.

Mr R. Thompson congratulated «the Mayor on his reappointment and suggested that, as Whangarei had certainly grown important enough to marit it, the Mayor should be provided with a robe. It was necessary to keep up appearances, and he trusted that die ladies might raise a subscription to provide one.

Light refreshments were; produced •and Cr. Weaver proposed the health of the new Mayor. As an old and new Councillor he congratulated the Mayor -on his appointment, and expressed his belief that Mr Steadman must iiesl •great gratification in having carrier! a ,loan proposal of nearly £30,000 on the first attempt, whereas the water and drainage schemes had only been adopts4jdi\ the third time of asking. At the same time, his success pointed out to the older generation that there was new blood in the town, men imbued with progressive ideas, and it was greatly due to them that the proposals had been so readily accepted. During the coming year the Council would have their hands full, but he felt sure that they would cope with tlv work. The money judiciously speru would be of great value, but it 'It? same time it could be easily frictere:! away. He trusted that for every U spent, the Eorcmijh would obtain 2us worth. He agreed with vjhat had boon said concerning a Mayoral robe, and he went further by suggesting that, as a man who had figured largely in public life in the past, Mr Thompson should present oonn n to the Borough.

In responding to th r : toast, Mr Steadmatt agreed that the importance of

V-'hangarei demanded a robe, but at the same time he was averse to too muc*? ceremony, as he was a man who rather liked to do things quietly. In proposing the health of the Councillors, the Mayor expressed himself as well satisfied with the men who had been returned, and felt sure that they would do their work well.

Crs Bray, Mann and Chapman suitably responded, and the proceedings terminated.