THE MAYORALTY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 6 May 1914, Page 6

THE MAYORALTY

MR. W. LOCK INSTALLED

Mr W. Lock was installed as Muyji of Nelson for the ensuing year at li.* Council Chambers at noon to J»y. Among those present were • "-c Tuwr; Clerk (Mr G. A. Edmonds), Mr J G Littlejohn (Citv Engineer), Crs. Bishop, Hampson, Webley. "Mercer. Adam-,, and Robertson, Hampson, Webley, M"ercer, Adams, and Piper Mr H. Everett, Chairman of the Waimea County Council, Mr H. Baigent, an ex-Mayor, and Mr A. E. Mansford (Returning Officer). Apologies - were received from Crs. Harley and Wilkens. Cr. Hampson was voted to :• c • • and asked the Mayor-elect to make the usual declaration. liter this had been done, a-.«t tuo Mavor had taken the chair, Cr. Hampson said he hoped his term of office would be a successful one, and congratulate© him on his election. , Cr. Bishop also welcomed the Mayor, and spoke of what the Council had tc face in the coming year, mentioning es peciallv the drainage question. Cr. Mercer added his congratulations and wished the Mayor a successful year. Cr. Ad3ms, in his remarks, thought v quite right that a Mayor should have 3. "second innings." He reminded tin Mayor that when he took office a yeai atta he had promised to see more to th< outlying districts; but this, he contended, had done. Most of the jnoney had been spent in the centre of the town. Cr. Robertson also had much pleasure in congratulating the Mayor on a further term of office. He did not think the Council had anything to complair of in respect to the rulings from ih. chair. (Hear, hear.) He did not agrei. •with Cr. Adams that most of the rate. ■were spent in the city. The most important matter during the coming yeai -woulcT be the drainage. Cr. Webley. although he had not voted for the" Mayor, wished him a suci cessful rear, and "extended his congratulations." With regard to drainage, he did not think it was as bad as stated. The Council should find out what it would cost to put the matter right, and he hoped it would be done out of revenue. The Mayor, in replying, heartily thanked the Councillors for their kind remarks. He regretted, however, that so much political feeling was shown at the late contest, and hoped it would not occur again. The coming year, he thought, would be a strenuous one. It was for the Councillors to say what was the right course to adopt. With only a limited revenue it would be impossible to do all the important works cut of revenue. He -would not be a ctnmbling block to the Council, but at the same time he would not support any expenditure unless he was satisfied that : i was in the interests of the city. Dealing with the water supply-, he thought i'. possible to put it right out of revenue Regarding drainage, fie mentioned that f committee was at present at work collecting data, and when it was ascertained whether it was the connections 01 sewers which were at' fault, the .Council could take steps to remedy tho defect. Passing on to discuss other matters, he was not opcosed to a tramway system : but he thought it was a disgrace that a city like Nelson was without baths, ana he would be prepared to support s scheme up to £IOOO for the erection oi palisade baths. Dealing with finance, he thought Cr. Hampson's consolidation scheme was a good one, and that the Councillor concerned deserved credit foi it. He went on to say that he had re ceived a good deal of criticism because he had not put his foot down- on the Engineer more frequently. The Mayoi • saidi almost every Engineer—in fact vfith* the exception of one—had been scandalised and bullied; and so long as the Engineer did his duty there was nc cause for interference. He was, however, personally of the opinion that a good educated foreman would suffice for s place like Nelson. Referring to the re cent- retrenchment of officials, he hac heard that they • w'ere not satisfied; i they were not, he said, they had thei: remedy. Regarding Cr. Adams' re marks, the Mayor said the expenditure had been evenly distributed over the whole district. Special attention, how ever, should be paid to the Port Road, and he would suggest that it be widened.Cr. Hampson : It will have to be done out of revenue. Continuing, Mr Lock said the othei streets needing special attention were Waimea-st. and Washington .Valley. Ir. conclusion, the Mayor said he intendec 5 to do the best he could for the city" with the money available. He would nof vote for an inch of sewer unless investigation showed that it was justified. He would be just aS> progressive as the people would allow him; but he woule see that too much was not spent on re serves. He again thanked Councillors for their congratulatory Temarks, and resumed his seat ami! applause. The proceedings then terminated.