MR BUTTON'S MEETING.

West Coast Times, Issue 643, 16 October 1867, Page 3

MR BUTTON'S MEETING.

Last evening, Mr Button met a number of the citizens at Casey's, Ballarat Hotel, North Eevell 3treet.

Tho chair was taken by Mr S. Boyle, who briefly introduced the candidate.

Mr Button said that it would be useless to dwell on Municipal matters, as on a previous occasion he had fully gone into them, and he took it as a pledge that they were fully satisfied with him because they had returned him at the head of the poll. He now came before them asking their suffrages for the office of I Mayor, and although he could not refer to past services, he must remind them that it was not merely past services which were required, but those services which had given satisfaction, for if past services merely were to be the test, then all those of the old Council who had presented themselves for re-election ought to have been returned. After alluding to the great expenditure by the old Council in forming Tauered street, Mr Button said thrt ho thought he might claim then* support on two grounds. First — because ho thought that they would give him credit that he was qualified for the office of Mayor, and secondly, he would promise that if they did place him in the office, he would endeavor to discharge its duties faithfully and efficiently. He had been accused that morning of being an Irishman. Now he would at once state that even were he an Irishman he should not be ashamed of belonging to a land that had given birth to Curran, the eminent lawyer and patriot. The same too might be said of Scotland, a country which had produced several ornaments of the English bar, as well as several Lord Chancellors. In fact, there was not now a foot of British soil which a person need be ashamed to own as his birth-place. With regard to his knowledge of municipal institutions, he might state that he had been through New Zealand, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania, and he had seen and studied the working of municipal institutions in those colonies. Ho did not wish to boast of his connections, but this he would say, that he felt gratified at being returned at the head of the poll, as his father was on the first introduction of municipalinstitutions at Lauuceston, in Tasmania, had been twice returned at the head of the poll, and his uncle had been thrice Mayor of that town. After disclaiming any wish to disparage tho other candidates, Mr Button said that if they considered that he with his legal knowledge, particularly in examining contracts would be qualified to , act as Mayor, he trusted that they would vote for him as deserving of their confidence. After Mr Button had answered several questions, one of which answers was, that in the present state of the finances of the Council, he did not think that a salary should he voted to the Mayor. A vote of confidence was, on the motion of Mr Humphrey, seconded by Mr Edgar, recorded in th-j candidate's favor.

Mr Peossee then addressed the electors, answered several questions, and also' received a vote of confidence.

, The meeting terminated with a rote of thanks to the chairman.