NEW BOROUGH COUNCIL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 472, 9 May 1919, Page 2

NEW BOROUGH COUNCIL

The Installation

PROGRESSIVE POLICY OUTLINED \ V __ The first meeting of the new Pukekohe Borough Council was held on Wednesday night, the proceedings being mainly of a formal nature. The retiring Mayor (Mr H. G. R. Mason), occupied the chair for the induction. In a courteously worded, graceful speech, Mr Mason congratulated the re-elected members of the Council on their return to office, and thanked them for their loyal cooperation. He wished the new Mayor and the whole Council a successful term, and he was sure they would all work for the good of the borough. Having served with many of the Councillors, he could assure the new Mayor that he would find them good men to work with; and he was acquainted with all the new members of the Council sufficiently well to feel confidence that they, also, would do all in their power to secure the harmonious progress of Borough business. Mr Lawrie had been Mayor four years ago, but the speaker was sure that Mr Lawrie would find that the mental atmosphere in respect of Borough affairs had made progress no "less than the physical growth of the town, and that there was to-day a more united and progressive spirit than before. He trusted that the new Mayor and Councillors would so administer the Borough affairs as to produce a unity of interest on the part of the residents, thereby preserving and enlarging the spirit of unity and progress on the part of the people, which made tor the advancement of the Borough. The chair was then vacated, the new Mayor (Mr C. K. Lawrie), taking his and the following Council wore then duly initiated : Crs Q. H Armstrong, R. Bilkey, A. P. Daysh, J. Dent, D. R. Hamilton, J. H. Keith, F. J. Morrow, and R R. McGough. The engineer, Mr W. Wyatt, and the foreman, Mr Clews, were also present. Keplying to the retiring Mayor's remarks, and addressing the new Council, the Mayor appreciatively commented on the career ot the previous Mayor and Council. He recognized that Mr Mason had worked strenuously and with singlemindedness in the interests of the Borough, and that he would find it hard to fill Mr Mason's shoes. He was not a believer in pulling down things already under way, for he believed in a constructive policy, and he hoped the Council would all endeavour to have existing works completed. MGHTIN'O AND WATEK Outlining the policy he wished to pursue, His Worship said that first and foremost he wanted to have the water and electric light available for every house in the borough and with this object in view he would en deavour to have the existing plants considerably extended. Drainage was also required, but, on account of the expense, and the peculiar nature of the difficulties to be overcome, this could not be undertaken at present. However, the Clerk (Mr J. F. Deane), would be instructed to call the Finance Committee together, after which a definite statement of the Council's finance would be available. DEI'UTY MAYOR. Cr D. R. Hamilton was unanimously elected deputy Mayor. COMMITTEES. The following Committees were elected : Finance, Legal, By-laws, and Library—The Mayor (chairman), Crs Hamilton and Dent.

Works, Recreation, and Band— Crs Daysh (chairman), Morrow, and McGough. Waterworks, Lighting, Sanitary, and Drainage Crs Armstrong (chairman), Bilkey, and Keith. Cemetery—Crs Bilkey (chairman), and Dent.

Fire Brigade Crs Armstrong (chairman), Dent and McGough. It was also decided to empower the Works' Committoe to experiment, with local sandstone, on a hundred yaids of the Buckland Koad. If it proved satisfactory on this much used road, it might be highly payable to uso it ostensivelv iOitead of scoria. ~