Auckland's Retiring Mayor.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 8, 24 February 1909, Page 17

Auckland's Retiring Mayor.

After four year's strenuous work as Mayor of the City of Auckland. Mr. Arthur M. Myers, is resigning from office and at the end of the month he leaves with Mrs. Myers on a holiday to the Old Country. Mr, Myers is not to be allowed to leave Auckland without some tangible evidence of the citizens’ appreciation of his splendid services while occupying the Mayoral chair. A number of prominent business men have taken the matter up, and the recognition will take the form of an address, embodying the thanks of the people for the way Mr. Myers has advanced their interests. Mr. Myers has long been identified with Auckland city, and although not born in the Dominion, is practically a New Zealander, having come here at such a very early age. He was born in 1867 at Ballarat, and at the age of three came to New Zealand with his parents, who for some time resided in the Thames district. On the death of his father his mother removed to Wellington, where he received his education, first at the public school and afterwards at Wellington College. At the age of sixteen he entered the employment of his uncle, the late Mr Ehrenfried, and six months later took over the management of the Auckland branch of the business of Ehrenfried Bros., brewers, from which time until 1896 he was actively engaged in building up the business of that firm. On the death of Mr. Ehrenfried, Mr. Myers, as his successor and sole partner, completed the amalgamation with Sir John Campbell’s firm, trading as Messrs. Brown, Campbell and Co. (established in 1840), the firm thus established being the well-known Campbell and Ehrenfried Company, of which he is managing director. He is also a director of the New Zealand Insurance Company, and before entering municipal life was on the directorates of several other companies as well, including the Auckland Gas Company; but he resigned from all these on becoming a candidate for the mayoralty. In 1897 Air. Myers was appointed a J.P. He has taken a keen interest in volunteering, and during the South African war took a leading part in the despatch of the Fourth Contingent from Auckland, being president of the Citizens’ Committee. He now holds the commission of major unattached on the active list. He has also been a warm supporter of nearly all kinds of athletic sports, was at one time prominent on the football field, and has won prizes both as a swimmer and an oarsman. He is president of the North Island and Auckland Provincial Bowling Associations, as well as numerous athletic and other clubs. He has twice made an extensive tour of England, the United States, and the Continent. In 1903 he married the daughter of Mr. B. W. Levy, the head of the firm of David Cohen and Co., of London. Mr. Levy, who died last December, held the unique distinction of having had conferred upon him the freedom of three cities. Liverpool. Manchester. and Salford. Mr. and Mrs. Myers have two children, a girl and a boy. The latter was born during his father's mayoralty and the members of the City Council followed the old custom of presenting the Mayoress with a silver cradle. Mr. Myers is now in his fourth year of office as Mayor of Auckland. In municipal matters he has been an advocate of a vigorous and progressive policy, and of clean and efficient administration. Immediately on his entry into oflice he brought forward the question of the reorganisation of the municipal staff, which was carried out with highly satisfactory results. He has taken in hand a very large number of important municipal enterprises, the first place among which should perhaps be assigned to the Auckland and suburban drainage scheme. The difficulty of inaugurating this was very greatly increased by the fact that it was necessary to secure the co-operation of so many independent local bodies; but by patience and perseverance this was accomplished, and a bill of over ninety clauses was passed through Parliament last session, authorising the raising of

the necessary money and the construction of the sewer, and setting up a drainage lioard, consisting of the Auckland City Council, and the mayors and chairmen of

the other local bodies interested. Board is now holding reg’iilar meetings, and the enterprise is fairly launched. Besides this may be mentioned the Town Hall, the new abattoirs, the Waitakerei water supply extension scheme, the electric light and power scheme, and the Grafton Bridge*. Mr. Myers has also devoted a great deal of attention to the improvement ami

maintenance of the streets, and to the improvement of the parks and Domain, and has given a subsidy of each year, for band performances in the parks

during the summer months, lie l as been .1 warm advocate of a greater Auckland, and has called several conferences of the local bodies to consider the subject, before which In laid a very carefully worked <mt scheme, which, though it has hitherto failed to secure the support of the majority of the local bodies, should prove of use as a basis for any future movement in that direction. Ik* also prepared and

laid before the Auckland City Council a scheme for the erection of workers dwellings, but the majority of members of the Cmincil were not prepared to com-

mit themsehes to such an enterprise. Mr. Myers has been several times approached to stand for Parliament. but has declined owing to pressure of municipal work. He intends to resign the mayoralty at the end of this month, and start immediately on a yen’s trip to the Old Country, feeling tiiat after four years of strenu oils public ami private work he is eili it led to a holiday,