MAYORALTY OF LAWRENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 75, 17 July 1869, Page 3

MAYORALTY OF LAWRENCE.

Saturday, the 10th inst. was the nor- ! ination day for candidates for. the office of | Mayor of Lawrence. As it was generally under-stood that Mr. Bastings was to be returned without opposition, there was a poor attendance of ratepayers. The chair was taken a few minutes after 12 o'clock noon, when the Town Clerk read the only nomination paper, wheh had been deposited in the box. Proposed by Ebenezer Hailey, and Beconded by John Mouat, " That Mr. Horace Bastings is a fit and proper person for the office of Mayor of Lawrence." Theifs being no opposition and no other candidate, Mr. Bastings was, therefore, formally and legally declared elected. Mr Bastings rose and said that he again accepted the office, although he would assure them that the position was unsought by himself. It was not till late on the previous Friday that a numerously signed requisition was presented to him, and nothing but that requisition, signed by so many of the ratepayers, would have induced him again to stand. He had neitber^the right nor the desire to monopolise the office, and he only came forward at the spontaneous wish of the people. There was no occasion for him to make a speech, as his past conduct was the best guarantee they could have for his future actions. He had always taken a deep interest in the wellbeing of Lawrence, and not of Lawrence only, but the neighbourhood at at large, and if his endeavours had met with the approbation of the citizens, he could only say that he would continue to forward everything affecting the welfare of the town, with even more energy and rigour than before. He' was glad the Council had decided upon a shilling rate, on considering these bad times, he thought it as much as the ratepayers could afford. He hoped and trusted, however, that the Government would see fit to subsidise the Corporation more liberally for by so doing, and alao giving the Council ihe control of the^main road through Lawrence — a road which the Government had frightfully neglected — a great benefit would be conferred upon the town. At the expiration of his term of office, he hoped he would not again have a walk ' over, but' that some one would be brought forward to relieve him, and occupy the honourable position to their satisfaction. This closed the proceedings.