CAVERSHAM COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10239, 22 December 1894, Page 2

CAVERSHAM COUNCIL.

INSTALLATION OF MAYOR.

The adjourned annual statutory meeting of the Caversham Borough Council for the purpose of installing the mayor-elect was held on Thursday, when there were present—Mr J. 11. Hancock (the retiring mayor), llr T. K. Sidey (the mayorelect), Crs Burgess, Wilson, Riuherfoul, Young, M'Laren, M'Goniscal Kae, ftnston, and Cole.

The retiring Ma you said ha hail been connected with the couucil for five year.', during two years of which period he had been mayor. He had always takttn a great interest in the work of the council, and it had afforded him vary great pleasure. The reason why he first contested the mayorality was in order to test the question of a water supply for St. Glair. That work had now been carried out successfully. The matter of financing the couucil had involved a good deal of thought, and the council bad dona thoiv utmost ia keup the borough out of financial difficulties. The greatest difficulty had been in regard to the municipal accounts, owing principally to legislative interference with municipal matters. Thu revenue of the borough who now £250 leas than it would otherwise have been, but fur the interference of the Legislature iv connection with such matters. The water account now stood about £1100 better than it did five years apto. That was a matter for congratulation. The work of KXtendiug the witter to St Glair hod cost about ,£<SOO less than the estimate, and there was now übuut £-iso to the credit of that account. Thc.pjiutk.n of the boicufib altogether was something like £5l'l) better thun it was five yews ago. lU thimght this was a, matter for cor.jtratulation in the race of a decreasing revenue and the difficulties the couucil had to contend with. He hid now much pleasure in vacating the chair in favour of Mr Sidoy.

Tlie Mayor-elect havjns made the usual statutory dadaration, took his seat. He then said the

rattpiyero had paid hi:u a very high conipliniuut in a'tlowiiy; him to bi; elecLei to his prasent position. H« hoped he mij;ht lv; able to discharge Hie duties of his office a's succ.::»sfnlly as his predecessor had done, fio far as tji^. future of the i eouucil wan onC'irnerl they were r-.oc in a jiosiiion I tci go invo any elaborate avuti-.ni of works of ona kind and another. What lie thought was wanted most particularly at the present time was careful management on the part of the council. Then: wore t!"n>e respects in which cdnsidoriiblrf assistance mi<;!it hi obtained. One way «as by agitating in the direction of fsotting the (Toverniueni to give aesistaiics t.) local bodit-s liyconsolidating their loans. The council wduaivare that thn'dßcrea.se in their revenue iv.viiH: to the loss of licensiaf; fee.i hat year brought fonvnrd the question of an a.iditional rate. Happily, however, they .were able to get along wHior.t impoMm; a" adiiitional rate, und he hoped that they would set|their faces aßainot placiug any additioual burdens on thn vatepnyera. ■Several of thjs i:ouncil'o:s th-jr. congratulated his AVor.-iiiip on accmsiou to ollicw, and tpoke in very coniplime .itary t.-rnia of the manner in whicli the r«ti ins msycr had carried nut his duiie^ while hefocmipuirt the iniyosal chsir.

Mr COLB tbei« movofi—" Th.-.I; the thanks of the council be recordci on th»: miuutes to Mr Huncoclt foi the satisfactory way in which h>\ has carried o-.it the duties appertaining to the otiiee of UK.yor -f t1..0.,. r ,MiTh."

'l;v .M.-vViK. .-uciiii.lud the jnoliou, which was carried uannimously.