MAYORAL INSTALLATION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1415, 24 December 1887, Page 3

MAYORAL INSTALLATION.

The formal installation of Mr 6. O. Taylor as Mayor of Lawrence for a second term took place at the Council Ohambet* on Wednesday at noon. The Councillors present were— Messrs Fraer, Dodds, Johnston, and Chalmers. Before making the usual declaration, Mr Taylor said in bringing the old mayoral year to a close he did not think it would be out of the way to cast a glance over the operations of the Council for the twelvemonth just expired. He would not detain them loug; contenting himsf If with briefly reviewing the work accomplished. In oowmercial life it was thought advantageous to take slock annually ; and he thought that if the same priuciple were applied to public bodies it would be to the great advantage of the taxpayers. The law leqnired that they should publish a statement of their attain every year and every half-year ; bat his experience led feint to the conclusion that neither the ooooeUlor* nor th« ratepayers studied tins* •tetemrote as carefally as they ought to. He would therefore lay briefly

before them an outline of the present fhanoial position of the Borough, also an account of the work done during his term of office. They commenced the year with a debit balance at the bank of £40. During ihe previous year (1886), very Itiir work* of any magnitude were undertaken, so their account was in a very favourable condition. During that year the Council had satisfied themselves t>y seeing that the works already in hand were properly carried out; and the sludge channel, the new water-race, and reservoir, aud other minor works were completed. The first and most valuable work that had been carried out during the past twelvemonth was the extension of the water mains, one 1 mile and ten chains of new mains having been put down. That this had proved a gruat boon to the rate* payers was evidenced by the readiness With which each householder took advantage <>f the supply and applied to be connected; and he believed that before the present summer was over there would scarcely be a householder in the Borough who was not paying water rates. The increased revpnue from this source could ant fall short of £60. The cost of the oxtttnoion, exclusive of the cutting of the trenches, was only £390 15* lid. The next work in point of magnitude undertaken during the year was the forming, rubbling, and gravelling of Irvine-street. Tbis cost the Council £245 9s 7«i ; and he had b^en assured by the residents in this part of the town that the work had added considerably to their comfort. Blue metal for road, repair had cost them no less a sum than £208 during the year ; and this, he feared, would bean annually recurring item, owing to the low-lying position of the principal streets of the town and the heavy t< affic thereon. A large portion of Peel and Oban-streets had been formed dnriDg the year, which made the j i approach to the Recreation Ground easier. Naturally, the Council having undertaken so many works of such an expensive character in one year, a portion of the revenue of the ensuing year had to be hypothec ired ; consequently, their overdraft at the batik was no less a sum than £373. Councillors would, therefore, have to exercise a little forbearance and consideration in demanding new works until the equilibrium of their finances was restored ; besides, they would observe that the Government subsidies had been cut down by one half) and this would still further r«duce their available revenue by about £120. Thers was an important matter to which he would like to draw the attention of the Council, and fchafc was the gradual decline in the rateable value of property within the Borough, notwithstanding the numerous substantial buildings that had been erected of late. The present rateable value was £9609 10a, apinsfc £10,190 for the previous year. This was not as it should be ; and they c>>u)d only take it as a most significant sign of the times. During the past year a number of alterations had been made to the cemetery, which had had the eff *ot of still further beautifying it. While upon tb s subject, he desired to express his sincere regret at the untimely death of their late colleauue, Mr F. H. M'Ooy. For some time Mr M'Coy had discharged the duties of chairman of the Cemetery Committee, and they would all agree with him that he took great interest in the condition in which it was kept. In conclusion, he wished to tender to the Council his sincere thanks tor the kindly consideration they had always shown him while he had occupied the mayoral chair.

Of Fraer congratulated Me Taylor on his election for a second term . He had discharged the duties of the office in a most satisfactory manner. The meetings of the Council had been con 'ucted in a pleasant and business-like manner; and if things went as well during the next twelvemonth they would have no reason to complain. Financially, they were by no means in a b<td position, and at the end of the Bnaocial year (31at March) they would be pretty square. The apparent fall in the rateable value of the town eras, he believed, matniy due to the desire of the valuer to deal leniently wiih property-holders, who complained loudly of rhe bad times.

Cra Chalmers and Dodds also made a few congratulatory remarks.