MAYORAL INSTALLATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13275, 2 May 1907, Page 5

M AYORAL INSTALLATION.

A special meeting of the Timaru Borough Council was. held last evening for the purpose of installing Mr.J. Craigie as 'Mirror for the sixth successive years. Mr Craigie made the.msual declaration, and this concluded the formal business.. Tlie Mayor had invited- tlie Councillors, ex-Mayors, the Council's solicitors and' bankers, public officers, representatives of local bodies (Harbour Board', Chamber of Commerce, etc.), heads of staff and firebrigade, and representatives' of the Press, to celebrate the occasion in a social; way. A number of apologies were sent by persons/ invited who were unable to be. present, nevertheless there was a gathering numbering about fifty, over, which, the Mayor presided as host very hajppily. Among the guetss were Mr Robin, a ! member of the. Otugo Harbour Board and »Mr Douglas', dredge engineer of that Board. ' ' '',

After the usual loyal toast of "The King" Mr J. P. Newman proposed,."The Timaru Borough Council." The Council, he said, had to sustain very great responsibilities in the interests of the ratepayers, and it must often cost them much anxious thought in, subscribing to democratic measures that had been put before them. So, far he believed,,; the, Council had given entire satisfaction ■ "to .the?.ratepayers', by their support of the progressive movements' that had been started by the Mayor. A good old adage- had it: "When'hi doubt, play trumps,", and if thece in doubt, followed the lead: of the Mayor thev would not go .far.,wrong. He believed. the Mayor and Councillors were ehapinsr a right course, and the ratepayers generally supported their action. Tlie Council'was composed of men who had seme stake in the place, and they tried to carrv out the wishes of the ratepayers. The, 'Mayor responded for the Council, thanking Mr Newman, for his expressions of confidence in them.,- The recent elec-, tion, in returning all old Councillors who were candidates,, and the resultof .the. poll on the drainage lofin were excellent proofs of that confidence. The Mayor proceeded to make a statement regarding the finance and other interests-, of ihe Borough, which we are compelled to hold over. In conclusion, His Worship said he was proud to be the Miivor of so progressive a town as Timaru, and lie was heartily applauded on resuming'his seat- ,■•.-.,. .••',. A. number of toasts were proposed ,ancl spoken to. Mr T. D./Youhg responded for the Harbour Board, and ,Mr Newman for the Chamber of 'Commerce. One of the mast interesting speeches wasthat of Captain Campbell, in responding for the Eire Brigade, ;proposed by the Mayor with congratulations on their successes at the Christchurch Exhibition. Captain Campbell mad© a strong appeal for a better equipment for the brigade, by describing their present premises and furniture. Whilst' others had been talking of the progress of Timaru, the brigade had made no progress at: all. They had the same engine house.,,as 25 years, ago, and the same furniture 1 , except that it was now worm-eaten, and' their room w"ais' ; not a fit place at hU in which ;to hang the" champion shields they had won at the Exhibition. He contrasted the excellent provision made for'-the brigade at Ashbur r ton with .that at Timaru.' He had seen the elaborate plans for new municipal buildings, but saw nothing there for the fire brigade. As an argument in favour of a motor or soma other means of hauling the reel at night, Mr Campbell suggested that if four councillors were _ told off to run the reel at the next fire at night, they would at the very next, meeting of the Council table a resolution , that a car,;, be obtained immediately. The brigade asked for it thirteen mbnths ago, and at present it seemed they would get, it by tlie time the members of the brigade, would be in the Old Men's Home. Mr.Campbell's,remarks created much amusement. He read a list'of the brigade's, wins, at successive' competitions, which included three champion shields, and he .clainied that as the brigade had made, themselves, efficient they should be properly equipped. Lieutenant Jones and Secretary Hilton supported their chief's remarks. . ; . The Mayor pointed out that the, Council -was poorlv housed compared with.-.,other. Councils, "and when the new municipal buildings were erected the present ones might be handed to the brigade, Mr' Robin desired to leave* early, and before doing so he made a few. remarksivhich were highly appreciated. He spoke of his favourable impressions of Timaru, when he visited the town regularly ten or twelve years ago, and then assured them that the Otago Harbour Board had. no jealousy of Timaru, but would be, glad.to see it progr.e&'sing—so long as Timaru did not attempt to get any trade that, naturally belonged to Dunedin. He spoke' of the great improvements made in Dunedin, by which, in place of small vessels drawing 7 or 8 feet, they had to-day the Delphic, drawing 21 feet, at the. Dunedin wharf. (Applause,'i He sympathised very much with the Timaru Fire Brigade, and. recommended the Timaru Borough Council !to. pay the fares of their brigade to Dunedin where they would find a station much worse than their own. iGreat laughter.) Ex-Mayor Jonas . proposed "His Worship the "Mayor," with a eulogy upon hiti energy and tact; ex-Mayor Hole spoke at some "length to the toast, and the Mayor replied: , A number of other toasts were proposed. In responding to the toast of, the " Go-A-ernment Officers," Mr McHutcheson mentioned that part of the material for a hew telephone service—-between £2OOO ' and £3OOO worth—had just arrived, and that several important improvements in the c.ountrv extensions weVa ,now in hand. Mr Graham, stationmai?rer, said the:business of the railway had doubled in thelast ten years, and they had all their work cut out to get through the work with the appliance® "at Timaru. .He mentioned that heavier rails were being laid between Ashburton and Timaru, as if the Department anticipated an increase of traffic in this direction. ... ... The meeting was enlivened by song and story, many interesting speeches were made, and the interest was-.well maintained till " Auld Lang Syne " and " God Sav* the JCing" closed the"' symporium at 12.30 a.m. .-.■..,..-..■