MAYORAL INSTALLATIONS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 3005, 17 December 1896, Page 2

MAYORAL INSTALLATIONS.

Mr Bell Takes Office as Mayor of Wellington. There was not mdoh speech-making yesterday, nor was there much formality, when the Councillors and several of tho citizens of Wellington met in tho Council Cbambor .M witness the hew Mayor, 3Sir H. D. Bell, take his seat at the Couuoil.tablo. 100 speech of tho retiring Mayor, Mr George I whor, was a model of brevity, and Mr Bell a was also a record ono in that respect. , . After the Councillors h&d. walked m in twos and throes, accompanied by various citisous, tbotwo Mayors appeared* ana Mr 801 l having clgncd the usdul declaration Mt Fisher rose from tho Mayoral scat, and. faiiihat in an instillation ceremony was the simple function of the outgoing Mayor to introduce tho incoming Mayor. ..Tho in* coming Mayor was Mr Francjs Henry Dillon 8011, and ho therefore formally: introduced hinv, arid naked him to take liio plica aS MaVoK.. * ; . « . - Mr . Fisher then gracefully stopped ; aside from the seat, and Mr 801 l as gracefully took his place, amidst applause. Mr Bell said he had had tho fortune to bo associated during tho past six years with many of tho councillors who now sat at tho table, and ho had none but pleasant recollections of tho goodwill and good feeling that existed between them; and ho hoped to bo able to establish as cordial relations with tho gentlemen who had been elected since the years of hia service to tho city. Ho recog* nisod too well—for ho recognised it from painful experience—that the Chairman of A Body Uko Hlo; Copnttl.liaa $ difficult and delicate task, because lio was not only expected to take an active part in tho management of tho affairs of tho 'city and the deliberations of the Council, but bo was expected at the same time to exorcise impartiality in debate, and without the support and confidence of hia brother councillors he could scarcely hope to steer safely between Scylla and Cbarybdia. Through tho courtesy of tho retiring Mayor, ho had been ablo to obtain some returns from tho Town Clerk, which convinced him that tho Council had an anxious time before them. .Tho overdraft in March next would probably bo £15,500, ns against £10,500 in March last, and that without undertaking any now’ Work which wotild Urgently prbsa Upon ihdui; .. Hb intoflded to hiy befbro them proposals with regard to tho ftnanpo of the city, and if tboy were fidoptbd by tyio pouncil, and adopted elsewhere—and probably Mr Fisher would give his assistance in that direction tho result would bo to place tho finances of tho city on a more satisfactory basis for tho future, and at tho same time relieve tho Council next jear from the exigencies of the present position. Ho only asked for these proposals their careful consideration; of course they could bo carried only if tho Council concurred in the proposals ho would lay before them. His first act would bo to ask councillors to give tho retiring Mayor a vote of thanks.

Councillor Fraser seconded tho motion, and remarked that, as it was during Mr Bell’s term or office that tho drainage scheme was established, they hoped ho would bo Mayor when it was concluded, so that ho might see tho whole thing brought out as it should bo. Tho vote was carried, and acknowledged in about six words by Mr Fiahor, and tho pro* ccedings closed. MELROS& . ... Tho installation of Mr Charles Townlcy Browne as Mayor of Melrose for tho ensuing year took place at the Borough Council Office last evening. There were present— Mr J. Collins (tho retiring Mayor), Mr C. T. Browne (Mayor-elect) and Councillors Baylis, Wisharfc, Tait, Bruuskill, Key and Frost. Messrs F. Sidoy and K. Mowatt fox-Mayors) were also present. In vacating the chair* M t Collins said hd Was ploastd to inform them that Ihoitf finances Wbrb Ih ft Very; satlSfAbttfry. tfUUjj ditioh: Thbv wbrfc gritting toward th$ a erid:df the year, aim yet wore ijmto free from debt, '.there was a sum of £l9 owing to tho bank, but as against that there was an amount due by the United District Board, so that they had a comparatively clean sheet for tho incoming Mayor. Tho year had boon an uneventful one. There had been no road* washed away, and generally there had boon no serious damage done. At Mitohelltown some land had been acquired, and grids erected, which would supply gravel for tho roads damaged by storm, Ac. A considerable amount had boon spent in repairing and maintaining the Evans Bay and Seatoua roadc. William stioot had boon formed, giving tho dwellers thereon accesc to their holdings, and providing more facilities for opening up moro luiid for’ settlement. Other important works carried out included tho widening of Moxharn avenue, tho divorsion of Hamilton road uud acquiring of more accessible wator rights. At Island Bay good work had been done, Including the metalling of Derwent street, catting down of Brighton and Liffoy streets and erection of breastwork, thereby stopping on* croachmont by tho sea, and allowing tho Esplanade and approaches to tho Queen’s Drive to be widened. Ho suggested that the owners of tho Island Bay estate should be ap* preached and asked to give a piece of land, now vacant, as an endowment to the borough. Good Work had also been don© at Obiro. A breastwork had been erected,, and Obiro road widened. Short street at Vogeltown had been raised, and portion of Gorhardt street formed. Tho rising suburb of Brooklyn had also been improved. A quantity of the roadway had boon formed, pathways formed* Ac. Tho Council had already faced the question of the removal of nightsoil and shortly it would bo contracted for. Knowing that the affairs of tho 'Council wore in capable bands he anticipated that With tho great increase of settlement the Melrose borough would be no rdean municipality in the future* Ho was euro that in tho Mayotblebt they had a ifian of godd wearing colour* dhd that with the aid of tho ho Would have a successful year. In conclusion* Mr Collins referred in terms Of eulogy to thb members of the Council* and said that the ToWn Clerk was a man they should all fool proud of. " , The Mayor-clcqt having sighed the formal declaration, Mir Collins handed over to him thekdyoftho Office and thti gold Chain, the links of which it wAa deemed, when the borough was first formed, should be supplied by bach Mayor as be went out of office; Mr Collins said that they Wore Ulrich Indebted ,to a Worthy (jotmcillor—a man of metal (Cbilnoillof Baylis) fotf idea* blit be regretted that therb was ri miarihg link. A gentleman who had filled the office for two years had declined to spend ft brass farthing on the borough, although he was very glad of tho position the occupancy of tho Mayoral chair had given him. The Mayor-elect having expressed hift gratitude said he hoped tadt ho Would bb able td successfully carry out Ahe work. H<j could promise that lie would do liis best, rind he felt sure that with the assistance of the Cotincillota hb would succeed. ,

Councillor Baylis wolcorabd thb neW Mayor, as did Mr F. Sidey (the first Mayor of the bdrough), Mr E. Mowatt (another* oxMayor), Councillors Wishprt and Tait, and the ceremony then Concluded. Subsequently the new Mayor entertained the members of the Council and a few friends at tliri Trocaderp, THo., toast .of i lie Queen’’ wris honoured, after whicli a presentation was iriado to tho retiring Mayor (Mr J. polling), a Report of which appears elsewhere. In returning thanks Mr Collins said that tho success achieved by the borough was in a great measure due to the care and industry displayed by the Town Clerk (Mr Foster).

Mr Foster} in reply, said that ho had always received the assistance of the councillors, and the various Mayors in office.

Mr J. Hutcheson, M.H.8., after (expressing his gratification at being present, said that from bis intimate knowledge,: of the gentlemen who had filled the Mayoral chafe in the past, tho Melrose Borough Council IwQ been well served. He paid a high tribute to Mr John Collins, whoso pnblio spiritednosa he warmly applauded. Mr F. Sidey congratulated the new Mayor. Thanks were recorded to 11 Tho Press,” tho representatives of the Post and New Zealand Times responding.

Special to the New Zealand Times. Mastebton, December Hi. Mr C. A. Fownall was to-day installed Mayor of Masterton.