ANNUAL MEETING.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 149, 21 December 1877, Page 2

ANNUAL MEETING.

Wednesday, December 19,

Present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs Cullen, Wagstaff, Meech, Waeckerle, Sunckell, Penlington, O'Reilly, and Annand.

The customary declaration having been read and signed. Mr H. G. Watkins, the Mayor elect, took his seat as Mayor for the ensuing year.

In handing over the keys of the office and the Borough seal, Mr Scarbrough said —"Gentlemen, —The next thing I have to dv is to leave the chair, and before doing so I would like to address a few words to the councillors present. I beg to thank you most sincerely for the attention and care which you have shown to all business that has come before you as councillors, and also to express my gratitude for the courtesy that you have at all times displayed towards me as Mayor. I trust that you will treat my successor in office in the same courteous and friendly spirit. In conclusion, 1 wish you all success, both in your private and public lives, and also trust that the town may continue to advance and prosper." His Worship the Mayor (Mr H. G Watkins) then said : —" Before returning thanks to the late Mayor, I wish to say a few words. I trust, as Mr Scarbrough has remarked, that I may receive at your hands the same courtesy as was shown to my predecessor. I feel confident that you will all agree that the late Mayor has always acted for the best during his official career. I will conclude with proposing a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor, Mr Scarbrough."

Cr Wagstaff had much pleasure in seconding the proposition. Their late Mayor had been most attentive to his duties, and had conducted the business of the council in a straightforward and business-like manner, and he was sure that the Borough had in no way suffered during his term of office.

Mr Scarbrough, in reply, said:—" lam much obliged to the mover of the proposition and the Council generally for the vote of thanks accorded me. You are all aware of the difficulties which I had to contend against at starting—diffipulties arising from inexperience and the novelty of the position, and which of course were inseparable from the initiating of a Town Council. However, with your kind and care-taking assistance, we have been enabled to set things in fair working order, and, as has been said just now, I can truthfully assert that I have ever done my best for the Borough. Should I come forward again, at some future time, as a candidate for the position of Mayor, I hope to rsceive your support. It was not my wish to present myself for re-election on this occasion, but I might come forward on a future day. lam of opinion that the honour of the position of Mayor should be divided. Allow me to thank you again for your kind expressions toward me." - Mr Scarbrough then retired-from the Council. Cr Wagstaff proposed, seconded by Cr Cullen, and carried—'-That .'the Mayor be authorised to sign cheques, and act as chairman of committees until tho next general meeting." His Worship was of opinion that the Mayor.should not be, of necessity, chairman of the several committees. He thought the committes should choose their own chairman at each meeting. * Cr Waeckerle was glad that his Worship had introduced the subject, and was of the same opinion. It was undesirable in many ways that the Mayor should be chairman of all committees, and moreover was likely to prove a great tie to the Mayor himself. Cr Penlington suggested that consideration of the matter be deferred till the next general meeting. Cr Meech tabled a notice of motion, to be brought forward at the next meeting, to the effect that the existing committees be dissolved, and fresh ones appointed, each to select their own chairman when they met.

The Council then adjourned