CITY COUNCIL IN OFFICE

Southland Times, Issue 24447, 29 May 1941, Page 6

CITY COUNCIL IN OFFICE

Statutory Meeting Held

Invercargill’s new City Council was installed in office at a statutory meeting at noon yesterday. The business transacted was chiefly formal and included the appointment of committees and representatives on public bodies. The Mayor (Mr J. R. Martin) and Crs A. Wachner, A. Scott, W. H. Boyes, F. A. Webb, W. Aitchison, W. J. Thomas, R. T. Parsons, G.«B. Orbell, T. Pryde, A. W. Jones and J. Pickard were present. After they had made the statutory declaration they were installed in office. Cr G. J. Reed, who was engaged in the Supreme Court, was unable to be present.

The Mayor extended a welcome to the councillors. He said he was pleased to see so many members of the former council returned. Some of the new councillors had had previous experience on the council, which was a distinct advantage. New councillors without previous experience would be handicapped to some extent at first, but as they acquired experience they would quickly become useful councillors. He hoped that all would act harmoniously during the next three years.

A vote of appreciation was passed to retiring councillors.

The Mayor moved that Cr Wachner be appointed Deputy-Mayor. He said it was the custom for the candidate who topped the poll to be appointed to that position.

Cr Jones seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. In acknowledging the appointment, Cr Wachner said the best service which they could give would be to work harmoniously. With Mr Martin as Mayor he knew all would receive a fair and impartial hearing. He felt that the new council would give good service for the benefit of the city. COMMITTEES APPOINTED The following committees were appointed:— Finance, Harbour and Theatre, Salaries and Wages.—Crs Webb (chairman), Jones, Pickard, Scott and Wachner. Trading.—Crs Wachner (chairman), Aitchison, Boyes, Jones and Parsons. Baths and Library.—Crs Jones (chairman), Pryde, Reed, Orbell and Webb.

Reserves, Endowments, Queen’s Park, Cemetery and Town Planning.—Crs Pickard (chairman), Pryde, Reed, Thomas and Scott.

Works, Waterworks, Public Health, Quarry, Traffic Regulations.—Crs Scott (chairman), Parsons, Pickard, Thomas and Wachner. The following representatives were appointed to public bodies:—Southland High Schools’ Board, the Mayor; Southland Technical College Board, Cr Thomas; Southland Museum Board, Cr Thomas; Southland Progress League, Crs Jones, Aitchison, Boyes and Orbell; Southland Progress League executive, Cr Pickard; Invercargill Fire Board, Mr W. G. Tait and Cr Parsons; Southland Employers’ Association, Cr Boyes; Invercargill Chamber of Commerce, Cr Reed.

The Mayor’s recommendations for the personnel of committees were accepted except that Cr Orbell suggested that he be appointed to either the Baths and Library or Works Committees instead of the Reserves Committee. He said his knowledge and interests would make him more useful on either of the committees he mentioned than the Reserves Committee. An adjustment was made by an exchange with Cr Scott, who took a seat on the Reserves Committee instead of the Baths and Library Committee. FIRE BOARD REPRESENTATIVES The only appointments to public bodies which provoked much discussion were the representatives on the Fire Board. The Mayor informed the council that Messrs W. G. Tait and A. Dix were the present representatives of the council on the board. If the council wished to make a change he suggested that Crs Aitchison and Pryde be appointed. He said Mr Tait had recently been reappointed chairman of the board and consideration should be given whether it was desirable that he should be removed from the board at this stage. Cr Boyes said the council naid a substantial sum of money to the Fire Board ar.d it was desirable that it should have direct representation on the board by at least one member of the council. Cr Jones said he considered the council ihould not remove the present representatives immediately, but should inform them that it would make a change in six or 12 months. The town clerk, Mr W. F. Sturman, said the Fire Board had full powers to control fire-fighting activities in the city. The council could appoint whoever i*- pleased to represent it on the board, whether the representatives were members of the council or not. Cr Orbell said that in addition to the large sum of money paid to the Fire Board by the council, the fire-fighting services in the city were of much greater importance than before because c" he necessity to prepare for an emergency. Therefore, it was highly desirable that the council should be directly represented on the board. Because of the experience of the chairman of the board, Mr Tait, in the —lezgency precautions scheme, it was undesirable that he should be removed at the present stage, said Cr Pickard. On the r.otion of Cr Thomas it was decided that Mr Tait and Cr Parsons be the representatives on the board. The chairmen of the committees expressed hanks for their appointments, and before the meeting adjourned until June 17 a motion was passed thanking Lieutenant J. R. Hanan and Mrs Hanan for their services to the city.