MAYORAL INSTALLATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 381, 5 May 1910, Page 8

MAYORAL INSTALLATION

i BOKOUUtI OF IN'UUiWOOD. j The installation of Mr. J. Wrntleld aa I Mayor of lnglewood took place last night. The retiring Mayor (Mr. H. ti. Curtis), before proceeding witli the installation, said he had been accused of running the borough into debt, so he j would like to place a few ligures before them. When he took office in 1907 the overdraft was £lOl 7s 4d; next year it was £SO 5s lOd. In 1909 it jumped I to £4Ol lis, 'but £238 4s 3d had been spent on the Waiongona bridge, £l*o 4s on sluicing at the pit, £(;3 9s on the Fire Brigade, and £2O compensation, all of which was permanent work and would not be required again, in 1910 the overdraft was £BO3 7s, but about £l4O had been spent on the baths, and £7O on the fire brigade housing, etc., while 23 chains of new metal had been laid down, 10 chains of road formed, and I over 00 chains of footpaths in 1909. la 1910 more new metal had been laid I clown, all this 'being work of a permaI nent nature, which would not be re- | quired again. They had tackled works ? that other councils had authorised, but , had not been able to do, so he considered | h(' had financed well. Kates were now increasing, and in a year or two the borough finances would' be sound. He thanked all the councillors for the way [ they had treated him, and though they had plenty of fair argument at the, meetings, yet outside they were che best oi friends. He was going to take a holiday and hoped at some later time to return to the table either as a councillor or as Mayor. He felt sure, however, that in Mr. Winfield they would have the right man in the right place. -The Mayor-elect then signed the statutory declaration and wis formally installed. The Mayor stated that he hoped the pleasant conditions that had existed in the Council in the past would still exist, and that tliey would work amicably together and always have mir, open criticism. lie had listened to a resume of the work done in the past. There was certainly a very marked in*provenient in the streets. The concrete ehannelling was not only a labor stfHfr (but a health giver. When he was a councillor he had often felt ashamed of the Council when he looked at some ot the streets. The water tattles must be vigorously gone on with as soon aa money was available. The baths and other expenditure had been a heavy drain. It was not fair to meet this out of ordinary revenue. A loan should be raised for it. The streets should first be attended to out of revenue. He considered that lnglewood was very sound. If thev had a loan of £30,000 or £40,000 like some towns tb<\v rould push ahead. He thanked the retiring Mayor for his kind remarks. Cr. Bennett congratulated the Mayor on his election, and said the fact of him being unopposed showed the burgesses had confidence in his capability, lie also proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor for the n 1 !<• man-' ner in which he had conducted the business. Cr. Tarplee, in a eulogistic speeche, seconded, and after each of the councillors had endorsed it the motion wm carried uaniinously. Mr. Curtis returned thanks.