MAYORAL INSTALLATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4, 2 May 1912, Page 6

MAYORAL INSTALLATION.

MR. W. P. KIRKWOOD TAKES THE CHAIR.

The installation of Mr. W. P. Kirkwood, as Mayor of Stratford, took place this morning in the Borough ’ Chambers. There was not a large at- ' tendance of the public, though it may ' he considered the exception rather ‘ than the rule for many people to at- ‘ tend tins interesting cer'emony. The retiring Mayor, Mr. J. Masters, took his seat at toe head of the table for the last time. The following were 1 present;— Councillors J. 1). Tiealy, J. W. Boon, G. Sangster, T. Lawson, It. McK. Mori son, and J. McAllister. Apologies for absence were tendered by tne Mayor on behalf of Councillors Ward and Paget.

In iiis lust address, for some time at least, from the Mayoral chair, the retiring Mayor said lie wanted to thank the Councillors for their consideration and for the assistance he had received from them during the past year. Of course, during the year they had ups-and-downs. In matters of progress, perhaps', they might net have clone all that they could have done under different circumstances, hut unless a Council and its Mayor worked in harmony together, it was almost impossible to make that' progress which should he made. They were aware of the very great amount of up-hill work that had been done during ids term of office. Probably no .Mayor of Stratford had ever had so much of this class of work to do. He was leaving the Council, however, without any feeling against any Conn-' cillor. (Hear, hear.) f rom the bottom of his heart he again thanked those Councillors that had stood by him in such a manner. Referring to_ the past Mayors and the ass stance fie had had 'from them, the retiring Mayor said that there wore a Jot of things about which a new Mayor knew but little. Ho had found that out when lie took the important position. He was now leaving. There were a lob of things he had had to learn, although he had been on the Council for man-years, and had been chairman of the Works Committee. He trusted that the Council would use its best endeavours to work in harmony with the newly-elected Mayor. He assured them that it rested with the Councillors, to make the Mayor’s position pleasant or unpleasant. The Mayor could not work without their assistance. After all, he /was but one man, and it was only occasionally that he had a casting vote. A Mayor could certainly not do what he liked; he had his Council with which to contend. In fact, Councillors could make things very, very nasty for the Mayor. They should understand I that the welfare of the town stood before any party question, There had, perhaps, been too much of party feeling in Stratford during the past year, and he trusted that, when the new Mayor brought down a proposal for tiie good of the Borough as a whole, they would sink party questions and party feeling, and support and uphold their Mayor. Important matters, continued Mr. Masters, would come before the Council. Not the least of these would be the loan proposals. These would have to be carefully gone into, for they would see it was impossible to please every part of the town. Both Mr. Kirkwood and Mr. McAllister had emphasised that point from the platform of the Town Hall, and these gonelemen recognised that they could not do all that was wanted. Mr. Masters again asked that the Council would support their Mayor whenever he brought forward proposals that were for the welfare of Stratford. (Applause.) Turning towards the new Mayor, the retiring Mayor said: “Mr. Kirkwood, you have been elected to the_ highest position the ratepayers can give you. 'TTrust that you will ever fill • that position with credit to yourself and honour to the town, and I trust you will be able to work in harmony with the Council. I. now ask you to take your seat at the Council, and heartily congratulate you upon your election to such an honourable office.” (Applause) Mr. Kirkwood, before taking his seat, read out the formal declaration of fidelity to the interests of the Borough. This he signed, and Councillor King witnessed the signature. At this stage of the proceedings, Mr. W. \E. Porter requested permission to read “an ode to the conqueror,” but the new Mayor considered that as the ceremony was not yet finished the fitting time had not arrived for its production. The new Mayor said he had to thank Mr. Masters for his very kind remarks in the direction of requesting Councillors to uphold him whenever he brought forward proposals that might be considered for the good of the Borough; also to thank the retiring Mayor for the good feeling and goodwill that he had made apparent towards him. He would like to assure Mr. Masters that these expressions of goodwill were most heartily reciprocated by him, on Mr. Masters’ retirement his goodwill went out with him. He had no doubt that Mr. Masters would welcome the unaccustomed leisure that his retirement from his very arduous duties would bring upon him. As for himself, he full,' realised the responsibility he had had placed upon his shoulders. It was not in any spirit of bravado that he expressed his firm conviction that he would be able to hold out under any situation- that may arise, and that- he would have the ability to contend with that situation. He fully realised that as Mayor he could not do the necessary work without the support of the Council, but he felt certain that the Council would on all occasions support him when liis proposals .were in the interests of the town, and that their relations would always be of a most cordial nature. He thought that the spirit of compromise should be in the nature of every individual, and in the nature of every individual body of men. If that sp rit was not there they should all be autocrats in a world governed by autocrats. As far as the Council was concerned, while insisting upon decorum, he would not at any time curtail the necessary expression of opinion by Councillors. He asked Councillors to use their best endeavours so that the Council might be conducted in such a manner as would bring credit to the a hole of them.--The Mayor said he quite realised that as Mayor of this town he was not going to please everybody. Possibly ho would make a number of enemies'. His policy would bo the greatest good for the greatest number, and if at the end of bis term of office he felt satisfied that he had pleased the greatest number, then be would foci that ids term of office ns Mayor had not boon wasted. He would not allow the Council to bo overran by one particular faction of the community, for lie realised that there was often a danger of such a thing occurring, but as he sa : d before, he would endeavour to act for the good of the town as a whole. ‘

Continuing, the speaker said lie was always of the opinion that it was better to wear out rather than to rust out, and while talcing the position he now occuoied, it was not his intention to spare his services or his energies so far as the work of the Council was concerned. During the next twelve mouths he was going to be a very busy man as Mayor. At the same time,

they must forgive him if ,Jie did not , spare the Council or ihe'officers of •the Borough. j The new Mayor referred briefly to , the very extehs.ve requirements of the | Borough. He would do his utmost to provide economically the necessary improvements compatible with the conditions of modern civilisation. There were many difficult problems which must be solved by them at the Council table. He believed that so far asi , the progress of the town was concern-j : ed a very great deal depended upon' tlie ideals of the public men, and upon' the viewpoint taken by the inhabitants If the public men of this town set themselves lrgb ideals, and he believed tlfey did, and the inhabitants were prepared to take wide views on municipal matters, he had no doubt whatever that Stratford would progress very, very rapidly. He considered that the proper way to look at things was that the whole interests of the Borough should be the interests of the individual, and the individu.il's interests the interests of the whole Borough. The speaker said it was necessary that certain work should bo done, and that there should be a continuity of system. Among the necessary 'works he mentioned drainage, street improvement, and the giving to .every individual reasonable, accecs his property. At the next meeting of the Council it was his intention to give, notice of motion to move several motions dealing with loan and other proposals for discussion by the Council. In conclusion, the Mayor thanked Mr. Masters for his expressions of goodwill, and assured the Council that he would do his utmost to further Cue interests of the Borough, and at the same time 'would treat with respect the opinions that might be held by Councillors. (Applause.) "Councillor Sangster, as one of the older Councillors, congratulated Mr. Kirkwood upon his election to the very honourable position of Mayor of Stratford. He had been an opponent of Mr. Kirkwood's, and he had always found him a worthy opponent and an honourable one. It was on such occasions that they made good resolutions, though they were not al-i ways kept. He assured the Mayor, however, that it was his intention to j supoort him. !

Councillor King, in offering similar congratulations, felt sure that under the new Mayor's guidance Stratford would progress, and the Mayor would always keep in view the welfare of the town. He stated that Mr. Kirkwood would find the Mayoral chair not exactly a bed of roses, as he would not alwavs have Councillors agreeing with his views. He trusted that the Mayor would have a very profitable year of office.

Councillor R. McK. Morison said ho would like to add his quota to the remarks that had been made. Any proposals that were brought down by the Mayor, which in his, the speaker's, opinion, were for the good of the town, ho would support. Councillor Healy, in speaking on similar lines, said that he trusted that although agreeing to differ, they would still maintain the dignity of the Council, and would continue to further the interests of the Borough.

Councillor McAllister said measures of general good would have his hearty support. He congratulated the Mayor on his'new position. Similar congratulations were given by Councillors Boon and Lawson. ' The retiring Mayor referred to a matter which he had omitted in his speech, namely, the thanks he wished to tender to the Town Clerk and to the Overseer, -along with the other officers of the Borough, for the services rendered him. He eulogised very Warmly the ability, energy, and courtesy of both ttie'officers referred to, and said he considered that Stratford was most fortunate in securing such men.

In returning thanks, the Mayor endorsed what the retiring Mayor had said with regard to the Borough officer:?,. At the same time, he stated frankly that he judged every officer by his ability, and would be quick to let any man know if he considered he was not doing his duty. ~