NEW MAYOR INSTALLED.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 630, 6 May 1921, Page 5

NEW MAYOR INSTALLED.

. TOR JOHN ROUTLY TAKES THE MAYORAL CHASR. POUCY OUTLINED. The r-ewly elected Mayor, Mr John Routly, and the Council, consisting of Crs I?. R. Hamilton, J. Kennedy, A. P. Daysh, J. F. Morrow, R. H. McGoug'h, G. H. Armstrong' John Patterson, attended the Borough Council .'\ChamD£rs on Wednesday night for installation ceremony.

The defeated Mayor, Mr C. K. Lawrie, presided and said it was his duty to instai the newly elected Mayor, Mr John Routly. Before asking Mr Routly to take his seat, the speaker referred to various works undertaken by the old Council, including the war memorial for which F. 460 was on hand, and the drainage scheme, which he trusted would be pusher! ahead by the new Council. He also referred to the fact that during his term of office the local paper had given a good deal of satisv faction, but a week or so ago it appeared somewhat - one-sided, being particularly harsh on some of the candidates. He sincerely hoped that the local paper would work in accord with the new Council. He also expressed a wish that the new Council would do all in its power to fur-

ther the interests of the borough, He was pleased indeed to see so many > of the old councillors returned, which showed that the people apprej ciated the good work done. He then asked Mr Routly, the elect of the burgesses, to take the chair. Mr Lawrie congratulated His Worship in his election and hoped he would receive the support of the Council. He (the speaker) would always be willing to render Mr Routly any assistance he possibly could. He invited Mr Routly whenever he required any explanation of a matter to look him up at his office and he \ would be pleased to do so. In conclusion he congratulated the officers or. the work done during his term of office. There had been no ou-ling the strings and whatever the duties were they did them faithfully and well.

Mr Lawrie shook Mr Routly’s hand and then took a back seat. Or Hamilton welcomed Mr Routly to the Mayoral chair and hoped all would work amicably together. Mr Routly first of all welcomed the ■tiew'y elected Council and congratulated them on their election. He was satisfied that the retiring Mayor had served the burgesses to the best of his ability and he was sorry be was not continuing in office. Concerning Mr H. G. R. Mason, Mr Routly said the people of the borough appreciated the ‘good work he had done. No- one ever questioned the work done by him, and he assured them that he would not have been there that evening but for one th’ng, and that was. Mr Mason's political views. He reminded • MiMason’s friends that had he (Mr Mason) won the seat it would certainly have beer, another spoke in the wheel to the Labour Party’s credit. The electors owed a duty to the Prime Minister and the Government and to the political forces that make for loyalty, security and the wellbeing of the people generally. After a period of bitter war it was necessary to . stand by and strengthen those forces that make for stability, the repair of the ravages of war and the improvement of the institutions that centuries of political and industrial progress had given them. As far as the local electors were concerned. he was of the opinion that the electors had fulfilled their duty. He regretted the necessity that arose and credited the victim with the highest motives. Assuming the reins of office he solicited the hearty and loyal support of every councillor, and official. He would respect other men’s opinions in so far as he deemed them right and for the best after due consideration. The Council aud the Council’s servants would find him the very best of men to work with as long as he was satisfied that matters were going smoothly, but if he thought the reverse to be the case fie would oppose by every means in hxs power. He was a stickler for clean work and of giving to every man and woman in the borough their dee. His ultimate fate at the hands of electors was nothing if he was to review his work with a clean conscience and lay down the reins qf office with clean hands. He purposed asking the Council to place Mr D. W. McArthur on a commission basis, his remuneration to be 5 per cent, on the cost of the works he has in hand from time to time and the usual fees for land surveys. The general maintenance of streets, roads ant! buildings he intended taking under his own supervision, his own profession especially fitting him for tbjfi. He said that he also intended • to relieve the road foreman of the duties of building and sanitary inspector. The wanted a working foreman whose whole attention would be given to streets and roads and a few other utilities. The present ar-

rangement was not for the best. He placed the maintenance of streets, and roads first. He would ask the Council to suspend operations in favour of maintenance. He would also ask the Council to review the appointment of the electrical consulting engineer as he desired the Council to be in the best hands available for this work. He would ask the Council to cancel the arrangement under which the local electrical and waterworks engineer, who was receiving a bonus of 2 b per cent, on the cost of work done, in addition to his regular salary. Such an arrangement, in his opinion, was undesirable and unfair to another responsible officer, viz., the street and road foreman. This officer was as much entitled to liberal terms as his brother officer. If services rendered are not adequately paid for by the present salaries, then by all means let them be increased, but to his mind salaried men must be on a salary and commissioned men on ' commission. Ho had every confidence in the office staff. Commitments appear to be rather heavy in view of the present 'state of the borough finances, viz., Subway road, say £500; elevator, etc., £150; scoria, £562; shingle, £2O; metal chips £2O; electric cable, £2200; interest to July 2, £763; salaries anc], wages, not including for electricity, water supply and sanitary departments, £741; sundry items, say £100; an approximate total of £5056. Against this they had only £2267 approximately and the highways were in a disreputable condition. Should the Council fail to raise some of the loan moneys authorised the position would be one of grave seriousness. With the assistance of the Council and its officers he hoped to further the borough interests as far as may be done under the circumstances in which they were placed. Being absent from Pukekohe a good part of his time, he purposed arranging stated times when he would be at the Mayor’s room to receive deputations and attend to any matters private parties or others may wish to bring under his notice from time to time. “ That is all I wish to say at the present juncture,” concluded Mr Routlv. ,