TAUPO'S FIRST MAYOR

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 91, 16 October 1953, Page 4

TAUPO'S FIRST MAYOR

THE closing of nominations for the Mayoralty of the newly constituted Borough of Taupo has resulted, as had appeared for some time to, be likely, in Mr J. E. Story being unopposed in his candidature and thus becoming the first Mayor-elect of Taupo. The absence of any competition in this first mayoral election does not indicate any lack of public interest in the administration of the town's business. This is made certain by the large number of candidates that has been nominated for the eight seats on the Borough Council. Mr Story has served four terms on the Town Board and has been Chairman during the term now ending. There is no doubt that his return unopposed on.this in the community that it would be fitting that ohe who had served its occasion is due to a general feeling interests long, diligently and unselfishly should now be its first Mayor. The position is far from being a merely *formal one. The amount of work to be done by the chairman and members of the local authority is much greater than is generally imagined. The business transacted at the regular meetings is considerable, but that is part only of the work falling upon both members and chairman. Meetings of Committees to deal with many detail's are frequently necessary, in addition to iiiformal discussions, inspections,, and not infrequently

meetings with representatives of various Government Departments. For the chairman, or mayor, these administrative and executive duties add up to a job of work that cannot be dealt with in an odd moment or two. Mr Story's record of past service ensures that he is fully aware of the demands made by the job, and is an indication that he is likely to devote to it the same measure of time and energy, patience and good nature, that he has . in the past. With the successful inauguration of its own power scheme there is no doubt that the progress made by Taupo in the recent past will contjnue. Mr Story played an important part in the establishment of the scheme, and, as was publicly acknowledged by other speakers at the "switching on" ceremony held in Rickit's Hall on December 23rd last, it was largely due to his persistence that power became available when it did. Increased population and its growing needs will pose many problems for the Borough Council to deal with during the next few years. The administration of a town in the stage of expansion being experienced in Taupo must present many1 difficulties. The experience gained by Mr Story during the years he has been a member of the Town Board will enable him to be of great assistance to the Borough Council in an interesting period of the town's history.