CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 6456, 22 December 1881, Page 3

CITY COUNCIL.

INSTALLATION OP THE MAYOR. The annual meeting of the City Council was held at the Council Chambers yesterday at noon. Present—His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Hutchison), in the chair, and Councillors Greenfield, A. W. Brown, McKenzie, nity, Thompson, Hanks, Logan, and Diver, The retiring Mayor remarked that his duty on that occasion was a very simple one, being ’ merely to retire and welcome the coming. Mayor, In vacating the chair, he had to congratulate the Council upon the large amount of useful work which had been accomplished’ during the past year, as well as upon the prospect of the Te Aro reclamation being proceeded with at a very.early date. In retiring, he desired to express his sincere thanks to the members of the Council for the kindness, consideration, and courtesy they had always displayed towards him during his somewhat prolonged term of office, and he expressed the hope that the same consideration would be shown towards his successor. The Town Clerk read the return of the Mayoral election furnished by Mr Ames, the Returning Officer, announcing the election of Mr George Fisher to the Mayoral chair. Mr Hutchison having left the chair, Mr Fisher, the Mayor-elect, the chair and subscribed to the usual obligations. He said that he bad no municipal manifesto to promulgate, nor had he anything particular to say beyond what he had foreshadowed. He sincerely hoped that the Council would, as a body, devote'itself peacefully and harmoniously to the business of the city, to which end they had been sent there. He said this much as he felt sure that the ratepayers would not be edified by aperpetuationwithinthe Chamber of differences which should end at the close of an election. Beyond certain radical changes which, as he had already stated he had foreshadowed, he did not intend to take an active part in the discussions, as he considered it the chief duty of the Mayor to endeavor to act impartially between the members of the Council, and to pay deference to each and all, so that the rulings of the Chair might obtain equal respect from the Council, which perhaps would not be the case if he took an active part in the discussions, as his opponents would look upon him in the light of a partisan, and the rulings of a partisan did not command confidence or respect. By the aid of the Standing Orders, to which he attached considerable importance, and the loyal support of the Council, which he confidently trusted to receive, he did not anticipate that there would be any loss of dignity in the future proceedings of the Council. He would add nothing more than to express the hope that the “Head would bury their dead,” and, in conclusion, he desired to wish them all the compliments of the coming season. The Town Clerk said that the only business was the passing of some accounts aud the consideration of a requisition signed by 314 ratepayers, calling upon the Mayor to convene a meeting on an early date to consider the recent decision of the Resident Magistrate in fining some Chinamen for breaches of the Gaming and Lotteries Act. Councillor Maginnity remarked that, having beard the expressions of hope that harmony would pervade the deliberations of the Council which had fallen from the Mayor, it was only right that the Council should reciprocate the hope and the good wishes expressed, and he therefore desired to welcome the accession of his Worship to the Mayoral chair. The Mayor thanked Councillor Maginnity for the expression of good feeling displayed by him towards the chair, more especially as his only desire was to do his best for the citizens, The requisition with regard to calling a public meeting to consider the question of certain Chinese having recently been fined for playing an illegal game In a bouse in Tarauaki-street, was read. Councillor Thompson moved “ That the Mayor convene a public meeting for Fripay, the 23rd instant, at the Athensenm, to consider the matter.” Councillor A, Brown seconded the motion, whjch was carried. Accounts. —Accounts amounting to £8541 5s (including £6900 due aud as payable in London on the Ist March next for city improvements and the waterworks loan) were passed tor payment. This sum also included £2OO for the Benevolent Society, The Council then adjourned.