Foxton Borough Council.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3517, 4 May 1905, Page 2

Foxton Borough Council.

FIRST MEETING. The first meeting of the newly elected council was held last evening* when there were present Messrs S. H. Baker, G. Coley, G. Stiles, O. E. Austin, G. Nve, G, Gray, R. Moore* and A- E. Shadbolt, and the retiring Mayor, Mr G. A. Simpson. Mr Frank* land was absent owing to indisposition* DECLARATION. The councillo rs made and signed the usual formal cJewW^ 1011 before taking their seats. THE MAYORAt CHAIR. Mr Simpson then thanked council* lot’s for the way they had treated him during hh term of office. Refpi’Sfogto financial . matters he said he *»«« noticed in the press a letter from Hennessy criticising statement, b# (Mr Simpson) had made on the public platiorm. These statements, Mr Simp* son contended, were unassailable. The facts were that No. 6 Line when he took office was overdrawn, and there ! was a possible liability of /250 00 account of Mrs James Syraoae* claim. As a matter of fact the borough was now £3O better off than it was twelve months ago, these diffi* culties having been overcome. Me Simpson then thanked those who had worked for and with him. As for those who had opposed him —well, they bad oleased themselves. He impressed on councillors the fact that fWy had been elected, to 2 man, on the “progressive" ticket. DurltfS the current year. Ms Simpson said,'i>3 trusted they jvould show some progressive work and that they meant business. By working to* gether unitedly they could do mui'a but individually they could do little of nothing. He then congratulated Mr Gower on his promotion, and inducted him into the chair, Mr Gower, he said, had one of the best of councils around him, afld as the chief man of the town he hoped h« would push Foxton ahead with their assistance. Mr Gower then made the usual declaration, after which he thanked Mr Simpson for his welcome to the chair. It would be his endeavour to do his best as he had promised, and trusted the council would be with himl He did not, however, believe that the Mayor must necessarily be* a leader and “run the show"; but with the council and ratepayers behind him tb® Mayor could do something. It any big undertakings were required the ratepayers had only to vote for them. Regarding Mr Simpson’s reterence to Mr Hennessy the Mayor said the general account was in credit a year ago, but the street loan account wae in debit. Mr Simpson's statement as reported in the newspaper was in error, and Mr Hennessy was quite right in drawing attention to the &ct. If Mr Simpson was misreported it a matter between him and the paper* Mr Simpson repeated that hi* statement was that No. 6 Line loan account was overdrawn and there was a poesi* bility of a heavy claim from Mi® Symons, He did not deal with the general account at all. A. a matter cf f act the general account was on nth May last/1742s yd in credit, add at the present date it was /ay 16s 4c! overdrawn. Thus the account had gone back /301 18s nd during the year, but it had had to furnish the streets loan account with /241 14. 8d to replace money overdrawn. Had it not been for this demand on the general fund there would now have been to its credit /213 12? 4d, or, in other words, 15s gd more than on the nth May, 1904. The council was now starting under improved circumstances, atid he once more urged cotin* cillors to back up the Mayor and h.lp him in all matters for the good of the town. Or Baker moved a vote of (hank, to Mr Simpson, which was seconded by Cr Stiles and carried unanimously. , Mr Simpson thanked councillors for the vote, and councillors, after congratulating Mr Gower on his accession ♦0 office, proceeded to ordinary' business, OVERSEER. ’' ' The council went into committee to deal with applications for tbit position, and on resuming it was recommended that Thomas Cook be appointed. Thli was confirmed. COMMITTEES. '■ ’ • • The following committees were ap* pointed for the current year :-vPublic Works: Crs Coley, Nyc Austin, and Gray. Reserves: Crs Coley, Nye, Frank* land, Baker, Stiles, and Shadbolt. Library: Crs Frankland, Moore, Baker, and Stiles, The Mayor and Cr Stiles and Moot# were appointed to sign cheques. progress. • Cr Baker moved the following reio* iution: That the council take im* mediate steps to prepare scheme* to place before the ratepayers-r-ist, loan to improve streets and form footpath*} 2nd, to supply the town with water; 3rd, lighting with coal gas; and whta ready place such schemes before a public meeting of ratepayers with tho object of taking a poll upon each cf these matters. In speaking to tho motion Cr Baker said they had heard a lot about progress of late and now they should lose no time in taking some active steps to bring about an improvement in Foxton. If the full information were placed before rate* payers they could then decide On what they should go in for. Cr Stiles seconded the motion, which was eventually carried, after which the meeting adjourned till Monday eyening next.