MAYORAL ELECTION.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 247, 29 November 1878, Page 2

MAYORAL ELECTION.

+ Mr Meech's Meeting. On Tuesday evening last, Mr Meech met a number of the burgesses at the Town Hall, with a view to address them on matters connected with his candidature for the office of Mayor. Mr J. D. Garwood was voted to the chair. Mr Meech was introduced to the meeting by the Chairman, who requested for him a fair and patient hearing, expressing, also, a wish that all personalities would be avoided. Mr Meech alluded to the business done by the Council during the last twelve months, and also to his individual action as a councillor. The speaker dwelt on many subjects of local interest—boundaries of the Borough, administration of charitable aid, drainage, water-supply, and the Council's overdraft at the bank. He would be happy to answer questions that anyone present might wish to put to him. Mr M'Gregor remarked that he, had seen it reported that Mr Watkins claimed to have obtained the 2000-acre reserve, and should like to know if this was the case. Mr Meech explained that Mr Watkins' statement implied-that he had been the first to moot the question, which had since been taken up by some other councillor. Mr Cullen said that the books of the Council would shew that Mr Annand was the first to bring the motion before the Council, and therefore to him, he considered, the whole credit was due. ! Mr Bridge said that he hardly considered that the meeting was at all necessary. He was at one time a candidate for the office of Mayor, but for private reasons had considered it advisable .to withdraw. He did not consider that Mr Meech was entitled to throw the onus of the overdraft on other councillors, since, as Chairman of the Works Committee, he (Mr Meech) had taken care that the overdraft should not diminish. Mr Waeckerle, he noticed, was not present at the meeting, and he thought that gentleman was quite right not to attend. Mr Waeckerle's actions as a'public man were well known, and the meeting was quite capable of judging of his fitness as a candidate for the office of Mayor. Mr Sunckell proposed a vote of confidence in Mr Meech as Mayor of Akaroa. Mr Cullen seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Meech tlmnked the meeting for their expression of confidence in him, and he' • trusted that burgesses would always assist the Council by taking an interest in public matters. After a vote of thanks to the chair the proceedings terminated.