Mayoral Installations.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5494, 17 December 1885, Page 3

Mayoral Installations.

THIS DAY. SYDENHAM. The annual meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council was held at noon to-day, in accordance with section 7 of the Municipal Corporations Act, for the purpose of installing the Mayor elect for the ensuing year. The meeting which was to have been held yesterday for the purpose lapsed for want of a quorum. The retiring Mayor, Mr W. White, presided, and the following Councillors were present — Messrs J. T. Fisher, E. Jones, J. Gledhill, R. M. Taylor, G. T. Booth, and S. Day. The retiring Mayor congratulated Mr Forrester on his election, and the ratepayers on having returned a gentleman who would carry out his duties most satisfactorily. With regard to his own term of office, there had not been many important works carried out, with the exception of the floating of the ,£25,000 loan, which had been taken up on advantageous terms by the Postal Department of the Government, and the arrangements in connection with which would be completed that day. He had hoped that the Council would have displayed a little more energy in carrying out the works for which the loan had been raised, and, if necessary, have worked on an overdraft, so that a larger number of men might have been taken on. He had to thank the Councillors for the manner in I which they had assisted him during his ; two years of office, and felt especially gratet ful to Councillor Forrester, for the way in : which he had acted in the chair during his \ (Mr White's) absence. He would now i call on Mr Forrester to make the declaration required by the Act. j Mr Forrester then made and signed the [ customary declaration, and took his seat as j Mayor. j The newly elected Mayor, after taking ' the chair, said that though he had not the experience in public matters of the re- ' tiring Mayor, he would endeavour to ido his best for the interests of the ; Borough. With the assistance of the ; gentlemen around the table, he had no doubt that the work would be carried on satisfactorily. With regard to not pushing \ on the work of concrete channelling, he ' might say that the delay had arisen from j. the fear that some hitch might arise in ; connection with the loan. He begged to 1 thank the late Mayor for the kind remarks he had made with reference to himself. Councillor Taylor said that he would do his utmost to assist the Mayor in the discharge of his duties. With reference to remarks about the delay in carrying out ' the Borough works, the fear of some hitch • in the matter had deterred the Council j from proceeding so actively as they otherj wi.e would have done. He hoped that the j work would now be pushed on with energy, and that the Works Committee would I adopt a suggestion made by him that some extra professional assistance should be employed in laying out the side channels, &c. Councillor^ Jones re-iterated the explanation of the Mayor with regard to carrying out Borough works. He considered that the Council should pass a hearty vote of thanks to Mr White for his conduct as Mayor. That gentleman had acted during his term of office honestly and impartially ; he had allied himself to no party, but had carried out his duties fairly and to the best of his ability. He moved — " That a vote of thanks be accorded to our late Mayor, that the same be recorded on the minutes, and a copy forwarded to him." Councillor Taylor, as a new Councillor, had much pleasure in seconding the motion. Councillor Day supported the proposition, remarking that Mr White had done much | good for the Borough in the past, and he hoped would do the same in the future. He hoped to see Mr White among them again as a member of the Council. The motion was then carried unanimously, and the Council adjourned.