MAYORAL INSTALLATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10237, 20 December 1894, Page 3

MAYORAL INSTALLATIONS.

SOUTH DUNEDIN.

The statutory meeting to instal the newlydented mayor of South Dunedin (Mr W. Wardrop) was adjourned to last evening, when It was held in the Council Chambers, those present being Mr E. Osborae (retiring mayor), Crs Shaddock. Smith, Fisher, Holler, I'iddis, Thomas, and Marlow.

Before vacating tha chair, the Mayor renewed the events of the year just clossrl. When he took office the total overdraft w £3aßo 19a 7d. During his term oE office the council had been compelled to adopt a course of Btnct economy in order to avoid financial' trouble, the result being that to-day ths overdraft atood at £310* 12s 7d, bsing an improvement of £276 6s lOd as compared" with Unt Fear. He also made such alterations with »he banker as would effects sn annual laving of from £50 to £60. Having thanked Sue members of the council for the coDperation they afforded him, he concluded by statisg that he could noc allow the. occasion bo pass without thanking their respected town clerk for his willingness at all t:rae» to supply information. He had done all that lay in his power to forward the interests of the council »nd the ratepayers generally. Mr Wardrop, having signed the usual, Separation, then took his eeafc. He stated that he came forward to take the position iv response to a numerously-signed requisition, and upon the condition that no member of the council was willing to offer himself for nomination. In regard to the affaira of the borough, the fact that their finances were not in thn most satisfactory state was due in a large measure to circumstances over which they had no control, while it must be remembered that they possessed well-formed streets and footpaths, miles of gocd drains, an excellent water supply and many ether advantages which tended to improve the place. At the present time there was no great urgency to increase their indebtedness by entering into a perfect drainage system. They had suffered through offensive matter being discharged into the harbour and washed by the tide on to their foreshore, and if this evil were remedied their principal cause for complaint would be removed. With regard to the Cargill road drain fco suggested that £80 or £100 bo allocated on>, of next year's revenue to repair it. The £1500 ■balance to the credit of the Inst £10,000 loan had be-» allowed by the Auditor-general to be drawn against, and was now available for the purposes for which it was borrowed, °^ »* *Hevents could only be made available by placing money to the credit of the muaieip,.! account, which was..now. equivalent to thu municipal account sompleting the schedule of works. If his memory served him aright, £800 would complete the unfinished works included in the £10.000 loan, so that £900 would have been available for transfer to the municipal account. It cost them £15 per annum to maintain the present arrangement, and he therefore suggested that during the next Parliament tLey should get a' cKuse passed in the new act authorising the amount to be tramf erred to the municipal account, and thus reduce their overdraft. The water consumed last year was equal to 95gal pet head per week. According to engineering statistics 70gal per week par head was a liberal allowance ;'-and .'if their consumption could ba reduced to that; thsre would bo an immediate saving of £150. After a few further remarks toe mayor concluded. The council then went into committee. WEST HARBOUR. A special meeting of the West Harbour Council to instal the mayor-elect (Mr D. Harris Hastings) was' held last evening, and attended by Mr Duke (retiring mayor), and Crs Barclay, Bateman, Hooper, Maurai3, Ross, and Cray. The Hayok, before retiring, referred to the courteous treatment he had experienced daring his term of office nfc the hands of tie council Nothing striking had occurred daring the course of the year, but he made mention of the Steps that had been token with the object of Btopping the pollution of the harbour which' occurred owing to the sewage, ef the city being discharged into it. H» believed the solution of the drainage scheme rssted with West Harbour. , agSc Matjbais spoke in terms of approbation of the services rendered by Mr Duke during his period of office! "<tMr Hastings signed the usual declaration and then took the seat vacated by the retiring mayor. He expressed his pleasure at the fact that the Government had recognised the claims of the borough, and had started men to work on the road. He pointed out that in April 1888-the bank overdraft was £741, whereas now it was £585. They had also paid off dabtato the •mount of £305, although the rates were' decreasing. He concluded by proposing a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Duke, and the motion, being seconded by Cr Chat, was carried nnanimoualy. Cra Bauciat, Ross, and Okay congratulated Mr Hastings on his election as mayor. ' The dog tax was then fixed at 10s for the year. . .■"•. •. >.:.-.. ... The mayor was appointed delegate to attend the conference under the Shop and Shop Assistants Act. It was resolved, on the motion of Cr BatkKAN—''That a letter be written to the Railwfi.y Commissioners recomoaendißg thai; a station b» placed ia the vicinity of Princes street, Burkesfcown, to suit the requirements of the residents of KiUaroey, Hastings, and Burkestown." (Pan United Press Assooiatioh. ) Auckland, December 19. Mr J. J. Holland wao installed as mayor for fc second terra. He said that notwithstanding that £3863 had been spent on special work* the overdraft on the general account was £1706 less than a year ago. The present overdraft on all accounts was £20,900, against £22,6*6 lasb year. The interest account was going behind at. the rate of £2000 a year, and he hoped to overtake that in a few yearn, Wellington, December 19. At the.mayoral installation Mr Luke, the mayor, urged the conversion of city improvement and waterworks loan at a saving of 2 per Boat., which would result in a saving of £8600 per annum. He favoured paving the principal Streets of the city with wood. Chhistchubch, December 19. At the installation of Cr W. H. Cooper as mayor of Christchnreh the retiring mayor (Mr T. Gapss) said the past year had been noted far the number of funds that had been established for the relief of the uuemployed and for other charitable purposes;, uho for the relief of the sufferers by the Wairarapa disaster. These had at times overlapped one another, but he thought these funds had been, on the whole, judiciously administered, and he bad to thank the citizens for the liberal manner in which they had subscribed to them. Mr Cooper said he felt that tha unemployed question to which Mr Gapes had referred was a difficult one, and would have to be faced year after year. He wou!d take an opportunity of laying his vie ws before the council at the next meeting.' "