NEW CHAIRMAN

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22143, 11 December 1941, Page 4

NEW CHAIRMAN

Levels County Council MR R. G. CLELAND APPOINTED Mi- R. G. Cleland, of Sutherlands, was, on the motion of Mr J. E. P. Cameron, seconded by Mr D. Grant, unanimously elected chairman of the Levels County Council yesterday, in succession to the late chairman, Mr T. B. Garrick. Mr R. Munro, speaking to Mr Cleland’s nomination, said that if he would accept the position, the council would be well satisfied. Whoever was elected would be following in the footsteps of a man who took the position seriously, and it was a big position, for a good deal of outside work was involved. If Mr Cleland accepted, he could assure him that all councillors would do their best to help him.

Mr J. Scott endorsed Mr Munro’s remarks. As there were no other nominations. Mr Cleland was elected, and he thanked members for the honour- they had conferred on him. He said that the county had had only two chairmen. Mr C. N. Orbell was the first chairman when the county succeeded the Levels Road Board in 1894. On Mr Orbell’s death in 1924, Mr Garrick was elected chairman. Ml- Cleland said that he did not know whether it was altogether a good thing for one man to hold office too long. If they made the office a rolling one it would enable other .councillors to shoulder the responsibilities. The appointment of a representative of the council on the Timaru Harbour Board was deferred until the next meeting. The new chairman was elected to the council in 1920. His father, the late Mr Andrew Cleland, was a member of the Levels Road Board from 1876 to 1879.