BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 769, 22 December 1870, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

ELECTION OP MAYOE

The annual. -meeting of the Borougl: Council was held yesterday at noon in the Town Hall, for the purpose of receiving the annual balance-sheet and the election of Mayor for the year. J. Kilgour, Esq., the retiring Mayor, occupied the chair, and all the Councillors were present. The Mayor said the balance-sheet foi the year was now printed, and in the hands of members of the Council, but it ouuld not be iauiy dealo with at that meeting because it had not betm duly advertised as required by the Act, owing to some irregularity on the part of the Auditors. Its consideration could be postponed until next meeting. The only remaining business was the election of a Chairman for the next twelve months, but before vacating the chair he wished to take the opportunity of returning his sincere thanks for the honor which was conferred upon him when he was elected Mayor, and for the courteous manner in which he had been treated while acting in that capacity. He had always made it his study to work with the Council for the good of the town in every possible way. There had been differences of opinion, but this was necessary for the good government of the borough, for if they were all of one opinion there would he no necessity for nine Councillors. When he came before the citizens agaiu for election he hoped he would be welcomed as he had been on the last occasion—(Hear hear.) He would also take thevopportnnity of thanking the officers of the Council— Mr Whall, Town Clerk, and Mr Johnston, Town Surveyor — for the assistance they had rendered him upon all occasions, and also for the highly efficient manner in which they had discharged their duty, to the entire satisfaction of the Council — (Hear hear.) Mr Wl a l l wa3 always at his post; and sometime ago, when Mr Johnston was the servant both of the Council and the Road Board, a doubt was expressed that he would be able to discharge the duties of Town Surveyor ; but that doubt had been dispelled, for not only had Mr Johnston acted as Surveyor and Wharfinger, but he had done everything that was required of him in a very able manner— (Applause.) The minutes of the last ordinary meeting were read and confirmed, and the - correspondence read. Mr Moore then said : On behalf of himself, and he believed every member of the Council, he returned thanks to the Mayor for the manner in which he had discharged the dutie^ of his office during the last twelve months. At the same time he wished to remark that it was impossible, in a body such as that, to be without differences of opinion, but he hoped that Mr Kilgour would leave the

ihair entertaining the same kindly feelings towards them as they did to him. [Hear, hear.) There had been little unpleasantnesses, but he hoped that was all forgotten now. He moved that a vote of thanks be recorded to Mr Kilgour for the manner in which he had discharged the duties of his office during the past twelve months. (Applause.) Mr Strike had much pleasure in seconding the motion. He was still of the same opinion he. held twelve months ago, that in electing Mr Kilgour as Mayor, they were not only doing, him. honor, but also conferring honor upon the Borough Council and the town generally. (Hear, hear.) The Mayor said it Was rather a delicateposition for him to be placed in to -put such a resolution to the meeting. He' thought it would be better to leave the motion until another Chairman was elected. With regard to the differences of opinion to which Mr Moore had referred, these never partook of an individual character ; he was simply doing what he considered his duty to his constituents, and. he had never acted from interested motives, although it had frequently been hinted that he had. He could assure them this was the fact; and he asserted that he had conscientiously adhered to the motto "Do unto others as you would that others should do to you.'g (Applause.) When he took his stand on any question, he was firm in adhering to his opinion, and he could only say, as he had said on another, occasion, that the whole of the Council could not influence him. Whatever opposition he had shown to questions in the- Council, had been because he believed he was doing his duty to his constituents ; but he wished them to believe that his opposition went nc farther than that table. (Applause.) Mr Moore said he. had much pleasure in moving that Mr E. Wickes be electee Mayor of Greymouth for the next twelve months. He had no doubt they were al satisfied that Mr Wickes had reriderec great services to this town ever since h< came here, first in the Iniprovemen; Committee, then in the Hoad Board, anc now in the Borough Council. (Hear hear.) The Government Township, to i certain extent, owed its existence to M Wickes and othera, who although oppose* by the Government and their engineers had striven -hard to protect it. Th whole community must acknowledge tha Mr Wickes had by his efforts conferee* great benefits on the town at large, am there was no doubt that he had the confi dence of the majority of the people i town. (Applause.) Mr Kennedy expressed his pleasure i seconding the motion. There was n doubt that Mr Wickes would make very good Chairman, and even on th score of being one of the senior Coin ■ cillors he was entitled to the honor < being Maydr-^(Hear hear.) Mr>Wick< has always exercised his position in a impartial spirit, without respect to or township or another, and he had c i doubt that he would display the sane spirit during the time he fiilled the offk of Mayor — (Applause.) The motion was then put and carrie unanimously. Mr Kilgour then left the chair, an introduced Mr Wickes, who thanked his brothi Councillors for the honor they -had coi s f erred upon him, especially when it ha • been given unsought. He had " hither s refused to take any office, but he coui ~ ~mously"by. the Council to take~*the chai He assured them '"that every act while 1 1 filled it would be strictly impartial, an .he would represent the people to tl • utmost of Ms ability, and he hoped thi he would receive the warm support of tl members in maintaining 1 due decorum i : the Council and the, dignity of the chai: There were many matters which require the immediate attention of .the Counci but they must be tempered with equit and economy. For instance, the aj proaches to the present • wharf are a dii grace to the town, and the question < filling them up, so as to give more cor veniences to shipping required thei earnest attention. : It might be pn sumptuous for him to mention it then but he thought" that they were likely t receive attention to their wants at tli hands of the County Conner!, and if the thought proper to petition for it, the sui plus prison labor at Hokitika would b sent up here, and employed in protectin the town from the inroads of the rivei Tney Una pioveJ that the town could b effectually protected. When he and M: Whall, as the only town members of tin Road Board, assisted by the country members, Missrs Fox, Leach, and Barn hill, attempted to protect it by thepresen works, it was in direct opposition to th< chief engineers of the County. They stakec their reputation upon ie ; they had £ certain amount of power in their hands, and they were determined to protect the town or throw up their positions. A certain amount of debt was then cast upor the residents, but they. would all confess that the work then carried out had repaid itself, and that the citizens generally approved of their actions. If they had the prison labor at command they cculd now commence a permanent stove breastwork for the river, which could be carried on year by. year until a work was finished which would last for generations. (Applause.) He was in favor of giving every encouragement to parties in the outskirts of the town, to construct roads, so as to give access to the lands of the Borough, at a small cost to the Council. With regard to the retiring Mayor he must say that as an enterprising man they had not his equal in Greymouth. (Applause.) In the Council Mr Kilgour had done his utmost for the people who sent him there, with a determined pluck which they must all admire— (hear, hear) — and for which he now tendered the best thanks of the members, and gave expression to their warm wishes to see him back again amongst them at the next election. He (Mr Wickes) trusted that during his term of office he would give satisfaction to the Council and the citizens, and he assused them he would do his utmost to deserve it — (Applause.) Mr Moore then moved "That the thanks of this Council be tendered to Mr J. Kilgour for the abja and impartial manner in which he has discharged the duties nf his office during the last twelve months." Mr Strike seconded the motion. The resolution was put and carried unanimously, The Council was then adjourned to Friday the 6th January, for the purpose >f passing the annual accounts, {