Installation of Mayor.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 1015, 22 December 1881, Page 2

Installation of Mayor.

The installation of the Mayor elect took place in the Council Chambers yesterday at noon. There were present to do honor to the occasion, Crs. Brown, Somervell, Tutchen, Whinray, Lewis, Clayton and Townley, besides a few of the public. Cr. Townley was voted to the chair on the motion of Cr. Lewis, seconded Cr.. Brown, and announced to the Council the business for which the meeting had been convened. The Councillors then rose to their feet, and remained standing during the administration of the following declaration :— “ I, Charles Debenhatn Bennett, do ■ solemnly and sincerely declare that I will faithfully, and impartially, and according to the best of my skill and judgment, execute the powers and authorities vested in me, as Mavor of the Borough of Gisborne, in virtue of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876.” On resuming, Cr. Townley said, on behalf of the Council, that the Councillors welcomed Mr Bennett as their Mayor, during the next year, with much pleasure. During his term as Councillor Mr Bennett had distinguished himself by tho exercise of a perfect knowledge of our Municipal laws, and he, Mr Townley, looked for-

ward to the next 12 months, under Mr Bennett’s Mayoralty, with feelings of a grateful pleasure. Mr Townley then inducted the newlyelected Mayor to his seat at the Board. After a convenient lapse of time Mr Bennett returned thanks for the honor bestowed upon him in his election. He recognised the compliment paid to his office, through himself personally, by the Councillors’ reception of him that day ; and he assured the Council that he should help to work

as harmoniously in the future, as they had done in the past. The Mayor then read the following telegram received by the Town Clerk from Captain Porter that morning:— To the Town Clerk and Councillors of the Borough of Gisborne.

Gentlemen.—Permit me to thank you for your courteous goodwill and cordial co-opera-tion in municipal matters during my three years of office ; and to express my regret at leaving your Council. Let me also congratulate the gentleman succeeding me, he being one whose experience in municipal matters affords an assurance of the continued welfare of the burgeesea.

T. W. POKTRR, Napier, Dec. 21. Mayor of Gisborne. Cr. Townley said he thought he exponed the sentiments of his brother Councillors in expressing his regret at the absence of the late Mayor— Captain Porter—from amongst them. He, Mr Townley, had always recognized in the late Mayor a desire to I promote the best interests of the Borough ; he would, therefore, move that a cordial vote of thanks be given by the Council to Captain Porter, on his retirement from the Mayoralty, that the Town Clerk be instructed to convey the substance of the same to that gentleman. The proposal was unanimously agreed to ; the Councillors dispersed, and thus ended the official ceremony of the installation of 1881.