NELSON CITY COUNCIL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 6 May 1925, Page 4

NELSON CITY COUNCIL

MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS SWORN IN

Tlie Mayor and Councillors were sworn in at noon to-day by the down Clerk (Mr (1. A. Edmonds). The .Mayor apologised for the absence of Or. Gibbs, ■who was in Am-k land, and Cr. Moffatt- was in tlm South on Progress League business.

Cr. Neale said it apparently fell to him as next, on the list at the polls to Cr Gibbs, to lead off in congratulating the Mayor on tlm great honour conferred on him in being re-eleeted for six years in. succession. The Council would have much to do this year, and he. felt, sure all. would he eager for the work.

As a. new member, it would be his aim to Ho low until he had heard from inside. both sides of all questions. Or. \V. C. Harley, in supporting, said he had sa-t under the Mayor as chairman, and had always found him fair and impartial. Cr. Nightingale said it was a great honour to be returned as Mayor for six years. Mr Lock had. in tho past,- always impartially exercised his duties as chairman. With the present- Council elected, he felt they would he in aposition to transact- the business of the. city in. at any rate, a- fairly able manner. He was sorry to have lost- Cr. Russell, who had done good work for the eitv.

Cr. Stringer endorsed all that had been said. Cr. Wigzell felt that under tho Mayor's guidance a net leadership good work for the city would he done. Cr. Watson said the Mayor ha c } been a good captain for the team in the last, and would doubtless bp -the same in the future.

Cr. Plum endorsed all the remarks of the previous speakers. He felt sure that Mr Lock would carry out his duties in. a fair and impartial manner. Mr Lock thanked the Councillors for their congratulations. He. was pleased to see so many -members of the past Council returned. 'They would render him valuable assistance in carrying out the various works inaugurated By the Council. and embodied in the various loan proposals which had been endorsed by the ratepayers. Ho also extended a warm welcome to the new Councillors, three of whom had been elected to serve the city in addition to the old Councillors. One of them. Mr Carrol Harley, had served on the Council previously, when he took considerable interest in the Council’s affairs and management. The otlie rtwo Councillors, Messrs Neale and Wigzell, though elected for the first, time, had had large experience in business and financial matters, which should prove or value to the city. He was quite convinced that the electors at the recent poll had selected an excellent Council to guide the city’s destinies for the next two years. The Council would have important matters to deal with, especially those arising through the carrying of the loan proposals. Loans to the amount of £56,000 had been sanctioned by the ratepayers, and probably the greater portion of the money would be expended within the next, two years. Included iji this loan money was an amount of £13,000 for tar-sealing the streets, tarring footpaths and new street and footpath construction. Provision was also made for bridge construction other than the Trafalgar-street cart bridge, such as bridges in Brook-street, foot-bridge, at Halifax-street, and concrete decking for the Nile-street bridge at Tasman-street. The sum of £9OOO was provided for drainage extension, and £4OOO for electric pumps for the drainage system. There was also a sum of £2OOO for the purpose of remedying the nuisance, at the foot- of Waimea and Hardy-streets caused through the bursting of the sewer. They also had provision for other important city improvements, such as the baths, reserves, and the cart bridge on Trafalgar-street. The Council would no doubt go into all these matters with great care. _to see that they were effectively carried outwithin the estimates, and the money expended to the best- advantage. Personally he favoured the adoption of the contract system as far as possible, for it was necessary that the Council should know tho cost- of works as accurately as possible before their commencement. Nelson being a residential city, tlie Council should make it- as attractive as possible by beautifying it as much as they could within their means. Botanical'Hill could be made a beautiful spot, the large fir trees could be sold and the money used for planting beautiful native shrubs rhododendrons, wattles, etc., with the money received for the trees. They ought to establish a good and efficient rubbish service this year, but whether it should be _free or not was a debateable question. Ho thought a yearly charge should be made for a weekly .service as was done in Oamaru. There the Council made a small annual charge of 13s per dwelling. It would be extremely difficult to make the allocations and strike the general rate this year. There was a considerable amount of expenditure provided in the loans which would have had f (> come out of general account if the loans had not been carried. lie had askecl the Engineer to supply him with a list of this e> penditure. It would total about £3OOO. Tho allocations for maintenance of reserves, however, could not, be cut down, as all tho work authorised in the loans was for new work. Unexpected demands occurred any year, such as expenditure for the purpose of dedications of land caused by subdivisions, etc. Provision must be made for unforeseen expenditure of such a character, ti,s tho Council could not- incur an overdraft. lie would endeavour to be as fair and impartial us lie could, and give Councillors as much liberty in addressing the Council as possible consistent with the decorum and proper conduct of the Coamcil’s proceedings. Nothing in the nature of desultory conversations would be permitted at the ordinary Council meetings, and questions asked jmbliclv from the executive officers must come through the chair, lie hoped tlie Council would work harmoniously together and accomplish good work for tlie -city. Cr. Stringer said he would just, like to add to his previous remarks that he was glad to -see Cr. W. C. Harley back again, as lie was the first Councillor to urge the installation of electric light in Nelson.