Levin Borough Council

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 December 1915, Page 2

Levin Borough Council

:ihe Levin ißoiough Council mot in the borough cffitnubers last evening. There were present: The Mayor (.Mr JUeiikhorn), Councillors M. Ifoscllu, l'J. M. Herrick, J. Davies. Dr Do vies, b r . Jones, J. lUoibertson, A.'Dempsey and H. B. France.

The Mayor moved: "That this council desires to place on record its appreciation of the valuable services ol .Mr B. 11. Gardener during his term oi office as the mayor of the town, being ■I'roni tiie inception of the borough n April, 1906, to his retirement in November, 1915; and also for his useful work during the same period as a representative on the Wellington Hospital and Charitaiblo Aid Board andi tin: L''oxton Harbour Board. As «a member of the Hospital Board he has, ■with a view of obtaining increased hospU.il facilities for the district and lessening the burden on the mteyapors, strenuously worked to obtain the severance oi the northern "part of the county and its 'attachment to the "Pahneruton North district, or in the alternative a new hospital district. As a member 01, the Foxton Harbour Board he hats continuously advocated acquiring con t-rol of the wharves from the Government, and a progressive development policy. During his mayoralty his efforts for the advancement and welfare ot the town have at all times been able seconded bv Mm Gardener whose

services as a worker anff' organizer have been of the utmost volue to the community." He said that the eoiinei'ilors already had expressed themselves i a something like these terms, but the Cuuncil had not made an official record ol its appreciation of Mr and Mrs Gardener's services t<; the borough. Councillor i'rance seconded the nioiion whicii was carried unanimously. Mr Gardener thanked the council ior its motion. During ins term el omee lie had peihaps not attended' u> Jiiii own anairs as lie might have, but ji. j ecugiuscii iiuiit lur some yeais a would LaKe a fcl oi worK Lo build up uie iKirough, and. Uiereiore had devoted all his time to the work. Things that perhaps did not seem ol much bone-lit at/ present would be fully ap piecui'todi by people in tnc- future and they would thank the past and present councils for their foresight. Xhero was not a single thing in the borough that he had been instrumental in bringing aibout, lor which ho was sorry. Throughout his years of office h>: had been ably assisted by Mrs Gardener and she had helped in everything that made for progress in me town and had made no distinction among people whatever. One thing he had been surprised at, and it also had been ru-in-ar' cd upon by people in the street, wii that on the occasion of lus retirement no mention, either of siipproval or disapproval, had been made of kin services to the borough in the local paper. Possibly it was an oversight, or possibly it was because /Kb paper did not think his services worthy of mention.. He didi not mind it for his own sake, but for the sake oT 'his successor, and ho hoped' that it would recognise tiie services ot his successor in a more liberal-minded manner. He again tlhanked councillors on 'behalf of himself and Mrs Gardeuer'for their kindly recognition of their services. [The Chronicle from time to time has made appreciative relereucoa to Mr Gardener's mayoral services and never anything depreciatory. In view of these facts, the remarks t>f the'' late mayor aeem uncalled for. His recoidi speaks for itself, and a column of parting words in a newspaper, whether appreciative or otherwise, is unnecessary, when a mayor completes his term of office. The custom has been Jongestablished,, but there is no need to perpetuate it.j