The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-11-15 00:00:00

DORCHESTER TOWN COUNCIL.

ILECTION OF MATOR.

A quarterly meeting of the Council was held on
Wednesday morning for the pnrpose of electing a
Mayor ter the en-uing year and for the transaction of
the other business of the Council. All the members
were present—viz , the Mayor (W. Durden Kari )
Mr. Aid. Galpin, Mr. All. Davw, Mr. Ald.*CorMe,
Mr. Aid. Gregory. Councillors A. Pope, Dr. Aldridge,
R. Thornton, A. BOUM, A. H. Lock, F. Lock, }IL
Durden, T. Coombs, R. Hunt, W. Tilley, and G*
Davis; Mr. G. Symonde, Town Clerk ,• Mr. H. Symonds,
Deputy-Town Clerk; and Mr. Thames, Borough
Surveyor.
The blaYou said the first business of the Council
was to appoint a Mayor for the ensuing year.
Mr. Alderman Comer., in rising to propose • gentle-
man for the offiffir, remarked there was a great deal to
be attended to during the year, and there were a great
many things wanting to be set to rights. As regards
the drainage, it was • subject requiring persons with
some little experience in the way of managing the
business relating to that subject. He had very much
pleasure in proposing Mr. Emma for the chair during
the ensuing year. (Applause.)
Mr. ALVES° POPE said he had very greet pleasure
In seconding Mr. Alderman Curme's motion, for he
felt that in Mr. Emson they had a tried man, and one
who had already successfully filled the chair, and done
honour and dignity to the office of chief magistrate
of the county town. They had all had some knowledge
and experience of Mr. Emscon, and from that they had
all formed the idea that he was a gentleman of
very sound judgment, great enyrgy, and he might say
determination ; and he was quite sure that everythiog
he took in hand he would carry through with an
amount of zest and earnestness which could not fail
to secure success. And, besides, he was quite sure
that the vexed question of the drainage under his able
administration would be disposed of, they hoped,
mooessfully, during the course of the next year. They
must congratulate Shammies' on having secured the
service* of No able a successor to their present Mayor.
tether, would doubtless find in Mr. Rmson. ( Applause.)
Mr. F.. Hoerr added his testimony to that already
borne by those gentlemen who had preceded him,
with regard to the genternan who had been proposed
as Mayor for the year ensuing. It had been truly said
that Mr. Ilmson had ably filled the office before, and
was no stranger to the duties. He had filled it, Ks
they all knew, with very great honour and very great
distinction. 'he year 1875, when hs filled the office,
was a period' of • retai'r stormy character, and there
were strong conflicting opinion' with regard to the
subject matte's at that time. But time had proved,
and they could not fail to recognise the soundness of
Mr. Ilmoon's judgment and of his colleagues and those
with whom he worked at that time. He trusted that
morning they would be unanimous in their selection of
Me. Emmen as their leader, for he had every reason to
feel he would fulfil the duties of the office to their
satisfaction, and in every way possible fill the offies
with honour and distinction. He had carried them
through difficult crises in the past, and he was sure he
we, oply speaking the opinions of everybody at that
table when be said they had every confidence in him
in regard to the future. (Applause.)
The Mayor then declared Mr. Burma duly elected.
The Waive ELECT, on rising, was received with
souse. He gala— Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen—l
adeeply the compliment you have paid me 111 elect-
ing me t 3 fill the office of Mayor for a• ensuing year,
an I hope, with the help, the advice, and the counsel
of the older members of this Board, and I may say with
the help of the younger members, we may get pretty
wen through the work that lies before OE. I accept
the office with the feeling that there is very much leas
basin's' on our agenda paper than there used to be.
During the last five or six year' we have got
through an enormous amount of work. When I
accepted the office on the first occasion Ifsl surprised
with the enormous amount of work, which I saw loom.
leg in the distance. There was the condition of
the Waterworks, which were in • very unsatisfactory
and la a very unsafe stets, because at time we
alight have been left at any moment without • drop of
water for the town. We can now look at our
Waierworks with • feeling, if not of pride, at lead
of • great deal of satisfaction. We have • condition
A things there now which is • source of very great
and very conducive to the health of the whole
Then there was the roads question. The
reads at that period were in anything but • a olitable
cooditioo, and they were I think, almost indictable at
any point We have bad a very great improvement
effected in that respect. There is still more t) he done,
and if we go on in the prune good course we shall have •
condition of things in the borough, and ths approaches
win he eg, good that we shall he trcon4 to nonn in the
county. Thep. again, there was the Fair and Market
Ground —which was• source of a good deal of anxiety
and a good deal of labour; but that difficulty has
been got through and we have now • condition of
thing, ham which is most satisfactory, and if we are not
proud of it now we shall he another day. So much for
the past, gentlemen. With regard to the future. I see
on the agena• paper now and then • subj ect, which looks
veer? significant and very trifling, hut we cannot very
Well peas it by without taking notics of it. When,
however, we come to take notic- of it. it is found to he
of vast importance, and of great significance. I allude
to the consideration of the Drainage Question, and
the provision of • site for our future works. It mews
to me that is nearly the only thing which will require
our serious attention. We chill not, I think be dis-
tracted by any other matters, and we shall be able to
devote our whole attention, and the energies of our
minds and bodies to the consideration of that subject.
I don't look rime the matter with much apprehension
because I feel therein that unanimity of thought and feel-
ing in the county, that there is very little to be done in
the way of training men's minds for one particular
aim and object. We all agree a site must be obtained
for the purpose, and we shall I think have very little
or no discuwion in the Council on that point. I can-
not help thinking we may make • good &al of progress
towards completion in the ensuing year. I can only
promise you I will do all I cao, end do my very beat
when in that chair, with the help of older members
and the younger ones, and I hope we may be able to
give a good account of the year when it is ended, and
trust we may meet here again at the close of the year
pretty much as we are n ow. I will not detain you
longer gentlemen. but will thank you very sincerely
for the compliment you pay me,and the very kind way in
which my name has been mentioned by the two Of
three gentlemen who have spoken in my favour.
Gentlemen. I thank you very much for the horour
you have done me. (Applause.)
A vote of thanks to the late Mayor was proposed
by Dr. At.oairoz There was one duty, he said, which
he was sure they should not allow to pass by, and that
was that thry should pars a vote of thanks and grill'
test, to their very excellent Mayor for the kind and
coestant way in which he had attended to the duties
of the office during the paid year. (Hear, hoar). He
lad had • troublesome year, and there had been • good
fled requiring all his attention. As in
uzzonyears
previous there was • project before the Co t the
easzsearereeet of the year, and they bad all hoped