CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3033, 22 December 1891, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

INSTALLATION OF MAYOR. The statutory meeting of the above Council was held at noon, on Wednesday last, and in the absence of the Mayor, Cr. Hally was voted to the chair, and he installed the Mayor-elect, Mr Jas Webber, The Mayor briefly thanked the Council for the honour conferred upon him, and trusted that during the time he occupied the chair matters would continue to progress as smoothly as they had done during the past year. He then read trie following letter he had just received from the ex-Mayor:— To the Mayor .»nd Bur.iueh Councillors, Cambridge. Gentlemen, -In retiriug from the position which I have had the honour to occupy during the |jasi two years, and in the occupancy of which I have met with unvarying kindness uud loyal co-operation on the part of the Council. I may be allowed to congratulate you and the tnwn generally on the improved financial state which has been urought about during that period. At the time of the installation two years ago the ivordraft at the bank amounted to £, r >2U 19s 3d and men live of toe ten annual £70 instalments of the Karipiro Bridge loan still remaining to be,paid. The overdraft today amounts to £312 8s lOd, and but three of the above mentioned instalments now remain due. Thus die overdraft has been reduced by a sum of £214 whilst at the same lime £140 of debt have been paid off in the other direction a cloar improvement of £354. Such a condition of things must be admitted to be very satisfactory and to find any parallel to it we must go back nearly 10 years in the history of the town. I find from the financial records that at the annual audit of the Town Board accounts in May, 1882, the overdraft was £240, Then came, in the next two years, the enormous cost of the Karapiro Bridge, and the following year the indebtness was £635, and in 1884 £731. The last accounts of the Town Board (18SG) showed a debit of £057, and the first accounts of its successor the Borough Council (in March 1887) a debit of £603. This increased to £670 in 1888. and to £704 in March 1889, from vhich date it has gone steadily down, linking to £347 in the annual audit in

vlarch last, and, as above stated, being 11312 at the present time. This improved and welome state of affairs has no doubt

oeen largely brought about by a more earnest application on the part of the Council of the principle of the strictest economy consistent with thorough efficiency and, in relinquishing office, I would strongly advise you to continue working on these lines which have proved so successful, with the hope that by the tiino the last Karapiro Bridge instalment falls due in February 1894, the bank overdraft also may be almost, if not altogether, wiped off.—l am, gentlemen, yours respectfully, John H. PnißsrLY, Cambridge, 16th December, 1891, Thb kx-Mayob.—Cr. Bond thought the Council should place upon its records the appreciation it felt of the services rendered to it and to the Borough by the ex-Mayo* during the past two years. In that period the overdraft had been reduced by £200, and the whole of the business had been admirably managed by Mr Priestley, who had never tried to give undue prominence to his own opinions, but had acted justly >ind with strict impartiality. Me then

•nnved a hearty vote of thanks to the exHayor.— In seconding the resolution Cr. Kirkwood spoke of the pleasure it had been tn work under the ruling of the ex-Mayor. The Council could ill attoid to lose such * irmo as the ex-Mayor and he trusted Mr Priestly would allow himself to be nominated for tlia vacancy caused by Cr. VYebbPr being raised to the Chair.—The •tuition was then unanimously agreed to, as was also a resolution asking Mr Priestly to consent to allow himself be nominated for the office <>f Councillor.

Maistrnancb ok Bridge.*.— The Legal and Finance Cemmittee af'.er considering ■he letter from the Waipa County Council, agree with that body that it would be right to have the Waikato and Piako County Councils made contributory bodies if practicable.

Whitakkr Tbrbacb.—A hitch had occurred in the inati-r of closing this road, about which tha Council |a solicitor had sent a very exhaustive opinion. The Domain Board will be consulted, and then the Legal and Finance Committee will deal with the question. Footpaths.—Tho Inspector of Nuisances is tu<be anked to look after the vendors of truit in the Borough, as most of them sweep the refuso from their shops into the waterahannols, where it decomposes and becomes offensive. Dog Collars.—Mr R. Davis' tender for the supply of dog collars at 8W each, was accepted. Hbsignation.— Ci. Robinson tendered his resignation as a member of thn Council. —It was accepted with regrot.—The Returning Officer was instructed to take the necessary steps to fill the two extraordinary vacancies, caused by the abeve resignation and by Cr. Wnbbor becoming Mayor. This concluded the business.