Kid Gloves For First Mayor

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 270, 4 February 1928, Page 18

Kid Gloves For First Mayor

AN OPTIMISTIC REVIEW Some Forgotten History 1 Here is an almost forgotten page from Hamilton’s early history. The first borough council met on February 12, 1878, and the Mayor, Mr. I. R. Vialou, elected after a strenuous though successful contest, optimistically reviewed the future of the infant borough. The first councillors .were Dr. Beale, and Messrs. Isaac Coates, N. R. Roper, Thomas Dawson, David Gardiner, Frederick Gaudin, James Hume, R. Gwynne, and Albert Potter. The Mayor was presented with a

pair of white kid gloves in honour of the occasion! “Hamilton is now merging from a mere country settlement, and is assuming the importance and substantiability of a township sufficiently removed from the centre of population in Auckland to make it very largely dependent upon its own resources,”, declared the Mayor, “Already we have almost every class of profession, trade and business and prosperity looms not far distant if all our hopes be fulfilled, which there is every reason to believe they will be. The responsibilities of the local body will be very great, one of the largest being that individual interests must be sacrificed for the general good. LOCAL JEALOUSIES “Hitherto I know there have been local jealousies between the two townships which: are divided by the river, and in that respect, according to my experience, Hamilton is not in any way peculiar, “Now, however, as we have become attached as a borough, all petty jealousies and local feeling must be thrown aside if we mean to do any good. “One of the most important works to which the council will have to direct its attention is the construction of a bridge over the river, to connect the eastern and western banks of the river by a permanent way. The Government have placed a sum of £3,000 upon the estimates by way of subsidy towards the work, which the chairmen of the two township highway boards, on behalf of the proposed borough, have contracted to perform upon the understanding that the

Government will contribute a further sum if required. / “The construction of a bridge is an absolute necessity, and it will be the more felt the longer It is delayed. As the means at our disposal for crossing the river are entirely inadequate to meet the increasing traffic in the district, therefore, it is the duty of the council to see that this work is commenced as soon as pos•sible, with due care to economy and good workmanship. “Fortunately for us recent legislation, has placed within our reach a portion of the waste lands within the township, and 2,000 acres outside, which I should desire to be utilised in order that we may add to our ordinary revenue for public works and the services of the borough generally. "It will be my earnest desire te