A RETIRING MAYOR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 509, 17 May 1909, Page 4

A RETIRING MAYOR.

, , MR; BCII,TON,v: : ; / About ; seventy ratepayers.and residents of v. Eastbourne attended a complimentary smoke social tendered ,to Mr. F. G, Boltori, the.retiring Mayor,.at: the local Bchoolrodm, on' Saturday Tho chair was occupied by the Mayor (Mr. J. Barr), and inoludeq among those present wore '• Messrs.: A. L., Herdman, aud T. M; Wilford, M.P.'a" and all .the councillors except Councillor D. Robertson, who; apologised for "unavoidable' absence. ■■■/-'■'. •"; ■ In proposing the toast of V'Our Guesi," the chairman, in the oourse, of; his Bpeecn, n* ■ ferred to the services which' Mr. Bolton had.;, 1 rendered tho borough, and.said that he had < alwa,ys dond his best for it.. , \.'.'■-.. \ : In reply, Mr. Bolton expressed his appro- , oiaMpn or the honour done him. Hβ could ■ not say how much he appreciated the action' of his friends in the borough and from Wellington, and the Mayor .and councillors in having como to the gathering. Ho had never Iforgotten the kindly feelings■ that prompted tho farewell social to him\whon ho- loft for , England four years ago. and it: had spurred * hin) to dp all he could for tho borough. Hβ was certain that the affairs of the borough were in perfectly good hands. 1 ?' As to the rating, ho mentioned that the rating" pf Mira-: mar had increased, and'that it. could not com- . pare with,that of which was the lightest; rated borqugh in'; New Zealand. What hb'himsolf .had.'done was a laidnr of love. (Hear, Jiear,) :Ho 'irished to than]:'' Mr. Herdmnn,.i>: lato opponent in the" Par-.' liamentary election, for nls The contest was; fought • with the:: most friendly of feelings. (Hear; hoar:) .'Ho!also thanked ' Mr. Wiltord; who was a , very hpsy man : ,:and : who.had taken I great troublo.to m : present, . Ho expressetl l|is at the'''gathering and the recognition what'Be'rvjco. he , hadbeen ei)a.hled to porfonn in the past. plause.)'-: ':.•■''.: '■'':■'[■■: :'■"■'•' •":,■,■'■■. "'.•. :''■■>'': In proposing the .toast of, Mayor, Mr. H. W. said that they, hid been opponents, but Mr. Barr had won, and more power to him. (Hear, hear.) Ho was satisfied that the borough bad - & Mayor whp would conserve its interests,-- , . • . /' . Mr.' Barr briefly returned thanks.: Tho Town Clerk (Mr. J. D. Avery) $m read'an. illupinatcd addrees to Mr. B.oJtoV from the residonts and ratepayers of th? district..", v ..■'•■■.'■".■!'' >'■_ •' •.' ;; :-.'.." . '..." , ■'■".

, Counoillor Foley remarked, that it fras npi7 that.thoy were about to loso Mr. Bpltoij thaij they realised, what he:had done for.' the,benefit of the borough., The borough wu under obligations to him for a great deal, and . from its inception up till the. present tune ' his knowledge had 'saved; it many thousand pf pounds', It had boon very ceonomicall.T ■ .-•' managed, He thought also that it would be unfair not to: say a word for Mrs. Bol|on, (Bear, hoar.) And ho expressed the hope that a\ some future time Mr. Bolton wofljc| again guide their destinies.:,: : ' ■;'■■ : ' Mr. Boltqn' returned thanks for the preabn* , tation, which was entirely.unexpected.., • was especially pleased at the representative'•■ way in,which ■Wβ , address to him lwcj beon signed., He felt especially grateful that fihoj had overlooked the , fact that ho had boon ai) absentee Mayor, and for recognising 'that, notwithstanding this, ho,had trjed.to do hi» : best. He wqs very pleased to ; express hif ■■:■ thanks for the kindly references to his wife-* (applause)—and he added that althpugh Mrs. ' Bolton' was, no' ■longer the Mayoress; yet:, if his services and those of hjs wifo were needed they were always at their disposal. (Hpftr, hoar.) . ■ .'*■•..■ .■'■ .■■ ;■'■ "■ ■'■'■'■ ■"' *■ ■ .•' '.*■"■ '■'- Mr. Bolton, in proposing the heafth of the Town , Clerk,/expressed hie .very .high approt ' ciation/of that official's' services.' , ■■. '-' . ■ Other toasts"honoured wore!' "Our Mem« ber" (Mr: T.Jl.\Vil(ord), proposed hy Couih oillor Wills; "Parliament,' proposed by Opun/ «illor C. Russell ■■-, and : responded to by ■': Messrs: Hordman- and 1 W'ilford; and_ the ''Ferry to by Mr.,, "Zoh'rab. '*.' ; • ''■■.:■ ..;,*■'. ;■ ':* *; r : Songs, etc., worn contributed ,by Mossre, D,:F:-aso.r. D. A. Kenny, C. Girdlestono, J. P.. Kelly, R. Watts, IV : M. '• Wilford, B. Shortt, W. 0, Si Lovers, and Russo. ;,Mr. D,.A, Kenny playod the nccbmpaniniei\te.