PRESENTATION TO THE MAYOR.

Evening Star, Issue 4073, 16 March 1876, Page 3

PRESENTATION TO THE MAYOR.

This attemopn. his Worship the Mayor was presented, by Mr Haivkay’s attorney with a handsome'cold gas retort, as a memento cf his action in the purchase of the gasworks. In making the presentation, Mr Ritchie said that lie wished to present his Worship on behalf of Mr Harkey with a memento of the purchase of the gasworks of the City.' He should like to guard himself supposition that the fact of his presenting" that small trinket proved that Mr Hankey was extremely well satisfied with the Bft’e, ofrthat he had done exceedingly well by it, for unfortunately he had done quite the reverse. The presentation was merely a small token due to his Worship for his action in the matter ; and he (Mr Ritchie)' could personally testify to the manner in which his Worship had guarded tire interest of the City throughout the negotiation. On behalf of Mr Hankey he presented his Worship with a small gold model of a gas retori., with this inscription“ H. J. Walter/Esq , Mayor of the City of. Dunedin; a memento of the purchase cf Mr Hankey’s Gasworks by tbo- Corporation, Januaiy 1, 1876.”' He hoped his Worship would be able to wear tiie trinket for. a very long time. His Wobship acceptel the trinket on public grounds.- He had the greater pleasure fix accepting it, because hs had been associated with the matter from the time the agitation for the purchase of the works commenced come eight years ago till the present time. As every citizen of Xhmedin who had taken an interest in matters of this kind mast know, before he became a-member of the Council he mixed up lathe agitation got up for the purchase of the gasworks; and.now, during his office asMayor, the works have become the property of the citizens. Thu. works were taken over on December 81 in a quiet, unassuming manner; there wa* no blowing of- trumpets or anything of the kind, and be m’ght safety say that no negotiation of so large a d scription by a Corporate body had been taken over iu so.quiet a manned. cl is Wprahip then referred to the ti-Hiring fifid honest aid of the City Purveyor, Mr Miram-*, who, he said, had saved to the Corporation the commission ou L 6.00 0; and also 'to the watchfulness of Mr.-Maß|coy. ;rbe;Gas Committee were also, entitled to credit for: their cirefulne s and watchfulness in - the settlement pf this great undertaking. The 'Corpbra'ion were lo >king. forward tb the time when they w oul d be able to make the Gasworks not ohly a source of profit, but a-jatisfaction to the City,,and they propop§d to substitute gas tor those street damp’s where kerosene lamps are used at" the present time; for where Mr Hankey or; a private hdividua! could-not aSnrl to lay mains- th'e Corporation were necessarily co.np.l'ed to lay them. Mr Ritchie had'done; lyU best to s - tie the pnr : chase; ard for h ; s own part he (bis Worship) felt satisfied that he. had done _ms duty He, concluded by thanking Mr Ritchie, on behalf of the public, for tbs py aentation,. aid ex-pressed-the hope that bi-i (Mr Pitchie’s) connection>with the- Qorpo ation would not-now cease.’