THE NEW MAYOR.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1075, 20 August 1883, Page 2

THE NEW MAYOR.

A special meeting of the Borough Council was held on Friday evening for the purpose of electing a Mayor to hold office until the coming election on Sept 12. There were present Ors Mahony, Dixon, Adams, Paul, Taplin, Barton, Aitchison Williams, and the Town Clerk (Mr Eyton). The Clerk read over the requisition, signed by the three Councillors calling the meeting. He said that according to Clause 57 of the Act, the Council might appoint one ‘of their number to the position of the Mayor and if the annual election was within three months of such appointment, the Councillor would hold office until the date of such annual election. In the present case the time was more than three months, and an election would be necessary, and the Councillor appointed that night would therefore only hold office until that election. ,Cr Aitchison : Had I been aware that the time of nomination was so close, 1 do not think I would have signed the requisition. It would have been better to have waited until the nomination day to see if there were more than one candidate.

The Clerk: The Mayor has certain duties. He is a member of the Works Committee, and has also to sign cheques, and there might be some important business arise. Cr Adams proposed that the Clerk take the Chair. Seconded by Cr Barton, and carried,

Chairman : I have a resolution proposed by Cr Mahony, seconded by CrPaul, that Cr Adams be appointed Mayor. Are there any amendments ? Cr Taplin moved that Cr Barton be appointed. Cr Barton No, I thank you.

The amendment not being seconded, it was suggested that it should be withdrawn.

Cr Taplin demurred. Cr Barton said that private business had exercised such a call upon his time lately that he felt it was hopeless to attend to his duties as he could wish, and therefore he intended to place his resignation in the hands of the Clerk. He did so with regret, but it was absolutely necessary. Either his business would have to be neglected or his public duties, and he was satisfied that he would have to resign. Chairman: For the information of Cr Williams (who had just entered tho room) I may etate that there is a resolution before the meeting proposed by Cr Mahony, seconded by Cr Paul, that Cr Adams be appointed Mayor until the election.

There being no amendment the Clerk then put the resolution which was carried without a dissentient voice. Cr Adams thanked councillors for their confidence. He would try to do his best to carry out their wishes in anything that might crop up between then and the election of the proper Mayor. Cr Adams then signed the necessary declaration and tho Council adjourned.