MAYORAL INSTALLATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 292, 4 May 1911, Page 3

MAYORAL INSTALLATION

1 MR. TISCH'S FOURTH TERM. The installation of Mr. Q. Tisch as Mayor of New Plymouth took place yesterday morning in the Borough Council chambers. There were present: Crs. G. W. Browne, W. Ambury, J. ('. Morey, .1. T. Mannix, H. Stoeker, J. Iluxton, G. Hartnell, J. Buttimore, and a few representative citizens. After the mayor and councillors of the West-Central ward had taken the formal declaration, his Worship took the opportunity of tliankiii'.' the burgesses for the confidence thev had placed in him by returning him to the office for the fourth time. He had not looked for or sought this honor, as he considered that the office should l>" i rolling one, and that some other members of the council who had done good service should fill the position. In the face of such a requisition as he had received, however, he felt that he could not do otherwise than accept. He congratulated the members of the new council on their elect'on. He was pleased .to see several old eouneilln's among them, and he could assure the young councillors that be would giv<> them all the assistance possible so as to enable them to get into the running. At past installations he had given the council a summary of the work carried put during the year, and also the cost of the various works, but this had already been dealt with at length at the last meeting of the council, and the statements had been published by? the press. He would, therefore, on this occasion refer chiefly to matters that would engage the new council in the future.

FINANCE. Owing chiefly to expenditure on new works, the new council would ,find an overdraft of nearly £I,OOO on the gencnl account. He was justified in saying uin the revenue of the borough for tho current year would exceed the revenue of last year by at least £4OO, that being the amount represented by the injrwscd. valuation. There were'several'amounts on last year's estimates that would not recur, namely, new stables £2OO, purchase of railway line £350, survey of cemetery .£75, Clemow road formation and metalling £157, Powderhnm stre"'; £75, Gill Street extension £IOO, anfl several otlier small items. St'ujjs the council would have to use the priming knife to bring the expenditure within the council's revenue. NEW LOAN. The revenue and rates for tho past year were not sufficient for new *trott works and permanent improvemonts, an] as the ratepayers' demands fast outgrew the provision which the council wa3 able to make the ratepayers sanctioned a loan, of £11,225 for new street works and sewer extensions, and, with the exception of one small contract, which had been let, the whole of the loan money was available, and the engineer was preparing plans and specifications for new works. When these were approved by the council tenders would be called for the Work, He recognised that the borough of New Plymouth had great prospects, and the council was justified in spending money on new permanent; works, and as long as there was no extravagance and a careful supervision there should be no fear that the rates'; would be raised, especially as the sewer extensions would produce a revenue of over 6 per ctnt. AVENUE ROAD RESERVE. The local bill promoted last year enabled them to let part of the racecourse reserve, comprising 43 sect.ions, and a survey bad been authorised making the streets one chain wide, and no .time would be lost in placing these valuable building sites on the market, the rents would be applied to improvement of the' public parks and recreation grounds inj the borough. } ELECTRIC LIGHT. { The funds from this department had in previous years been paid into the general account, and the money spent on streets and other works. Last year the account was kept separate, and would in

future be spent on electric light extensions. The profits last year amounted to £I.BOO. This department was rapidly growing, and to meet the requirements the council's consulting engineer had been authorised to prepare plans and specifications for the new forebay. Mr. Tisch regretted to say that he was wasting valuable time in not forwarding the plans and specifications, which had been in his hands over four months. The council had called tenders for two new turbines and generators. Twenty tenders had been received, and a special meeting of the council would be held to consider the tenders. The plant was now called upon to take the maximum load without there being any reserve capacity. Though the maximum load occurred only during a few weeks in the winter, the position 'was none the less a serious one, and required that steps be taken without delay to enlarge the plant. GREATER NEW PLYMOUTH. His hope and ambition was to see New Plymouth one of the leading and bestgovenicd boroughs in the Dominion, and much of this success would depend on a Greater New Plymouth, as well'pig upon the sound administration of New Plymouth itself, Meetings had been held to induce the suburbs to amalgamate and the ground had been broken. There was now reason to believe that the proposal made by New Plymouth to win the hand of fair Fitzroy would at an early date see the nuptial knot tied. Meanwhile, no effort should be spared to bring about the happy union. The town and the suburbs had much in common, and their interests being interwoven and interdependent, particularly in the matter of the gravitation water supply and electric light, the success of establishing electric trams would, depend on the amalgamation with FitzroJ'. One had only to look to see what wonderful progress had been made where amalgamation of suburbs with towns had taken place.

ELECTRIC THAU WAYS. The question of tramways between Filzrov ami Moturon was very importmil,.i ml to his mind there was no movement that, would do more to advance the prosperity of the town and suburbs than the establishment of a tramway. New I'lymouth was most favorably situated. There were no engineering dillienlties, and the streels alone; the route were reasonably wide everywhere, and besides ordinary traffic between the business centres, there was n fair amount of pleasure Ira Hie to the Jirenkwater, which nm>t develop largely when electric cars were provided. Moreover, there were the important harbor works, the expansion of the town as a shipping centre, and the opening up of the oilfields, with the great stimulus it would give to the district as soon as the oil was put on a commercial footing. The Council was in possession of a report from Mr. F. ltlack, the tramway expert, on the cost of the proposal, also a summary of the working cost and revenue. The Citizens' Committee had also gone fully into the question, and the scheme should be a sound business undertaking. Although the tramways might result in a slight loss during the first year's working, the scheme had many corresponding advantages, which would more than compensate the ratepayers for the loss. He proposed at an early date to call a spe-

cial meeting of the Council to discuss that important question. BOROUGH" .STAFF. There was no borough in New Zealand served by a better clerical staff. Owing to the rapidly increasing work of the borongii, the clerical stall' would require certain increases of salary. Applications for increases were received by the old Council and referred to the new Council, and would be considered when the estimates were framed. He could give his testimony that the ratepayers had a zealous and deserving stall', a remark that applied to tin: whole of the borough employees. THE PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION. His Worship also referred to the fact that the majority of the councillors had been nominated by the Progressive Association, who had the support of the ratepayers. They were in favor of a Greater New Plymouth and the tramways scheme and also of general progress. So was he, but while considering the question of progress they must also consider the question of linanco. CR. BROWNE'S CONGRATULATY.

Cr. Browne, in congratulating the Mayor on his return unopposed, prophe-1 sied tnat the forthcoming year would be a remarkably busy one. There was the expenditure of the .t 11.500 loan t. ue undertaken. The Mayor had to keep a check on the ordinary expenditure and prevent them from riding ''the high horse." The Greater New Plymouth scheme had to be pushed forward, and the Mayor could feel assured of the support of all the Council in this matter. There was also all the necessary data to be prepared in connection with the trams, so that no delay should be incurred in preceeding with them when Greater New Plymouth was an accomplished fact. At the conclusion of the installation ceremony, those present, at the invitation of his Worship the Mayor, adjourned to the next room, where the health of the Mayor and tne borough councillors was enthusiastically toasted.