SERVICE TO THE COUNTY.

Shannon News, 28 May 1929, Page 2

SERVICE TO THE COUNTY.

MR MONK COMPLETES 18 YEARS AS COUNCILLOR, 14 AS CHAIRMAN.

ANNUAL MEETING HELD

Midway through the special meeting of the Ilorowhenua County Council on Wednesday, the annual meeting was held, taking place at noon, as required by statute. Mr G. A. Monk vacated the chair in order that the election for the position might take place. - ■ Or. Rvder moved and Cr. Bryant seconded/that the late Chairman be reappointed. The mover said he had made the same nomination on several occasions and had no reason to regret it. As the Council were in the raiddlo of the big job of Highways construction, he hoped that Mr Monk would again be returned to the chair Cr. Gimblett praised the manner in. which Mr Monk had carried out the duties of his position. The speaker had travelled about a good deal to attend meetings for the, transaction of various kinds of business, and it had never been his lot to sit under, a better chairman than Mr Monk, who had impressed him- by the way he conducted the business, the time he saved the. Councillors, and the fairness he showed, to all. Cr. Whyte remarked that the Council had. every confidence in Mr Monk., as chairman .

Cr. Catley said he had spoken so often in favour of Mr Monk that he could not supplement anything that had been said on this occasion. No other nominations being received, Mr Monk was re-elected, with applause. . ■ In thanking the members for their continued confidence, the Chairman said he realised the responsibilities attaching to the position, and he had endeavoured, during the period in which he had presided over the Council, to make himself as efficient as possible. He was afraid that he was not quite uj to the standard with which Councillors had credited him, but it would be his desire to do the very best he could to reach that standard. With the experience that he had had, and the co-operation of the Council, he thought they would be able to do a very'fair year's -work. ' He was not afraid of work; when anything had been' deputed to him, • although he might not always have been successful" ke had given of his best in the interests of the ratepayers. He liked the work, bat, apart from that, he believed it to be the duty of "a man who felt that he could be of service to his fellows to offer his services and, if they were accepted, to try to do his best for them. He was thankful for having had fairly good health and having thus been able to do the work. He had only missed two meetings since his appointment in 1915—a record of which he felt that he could justly be proud. The Chairman added that he could not guarantee that, within the nexttwelve months, if the opportunity offered, he might not ask the Council for a little- leave of absence, because he thought he had earned it. He. sincerely thanked the Council for their confidence, and realised that there were gentlemen among them who were eminently suited to fill the position, and he would like one of them to fill it when the Council thought that h 3 had bfen there long enough. They need not be afraid to put in another man; the speaker woiuld always attempt to assist him, to the best of his ability.

In answer to a question, the Chairman stated that he had been a member of the Council since 1911. A resolution was passed authorising any one of the Councillors or the Chairman to sign cheques on the County fund and the various loans accounts. The following, committees■' were appointed for the" ensuing year:— Works Committee.—Crs Jensen, Ryder, Catley, Barber and Colquhoun. Finance Committee.—The Chairman and Crs Bryant, Whyte and Gimblett. The Chairman stated that the posiHon of the Council's representative on the Highways District ■ Council, which he had occupied since the inauguration of the system, had again to be filled.

On the motion of Cr. Ryder, seconded by Cr. Whyte, the Chairman Was re-appointed as the Council's representative.