Windsor & Richmond Gazette, Saturday, February 24. 1900 - page 8 RICHMOND BOROUGH COUNCIL ELECTION OF MAYOR. A special meeting was held on Wednesday, 14th last, for the purpose of electing the Mayor for the current year. Present ; Ald. Hill (Mayor), Allen, Whitwell, Cobcroft, Campbell, Kelly, Watson, and Bailey. An apology was read from Ald. Skuthorp for his absence through illness. He asked the Council to elect Ald. Cobcroft as Mayor, and, failing that, Ald. Hill. It was resolved to decide the voting by a show of hands. The Mayor said he wished to thank all the ratepayers for the courtesy shown to him during his term as Mayor, and the Aldermen and Council Clerk, for their ready assistance. Alderman Cobcroft, in rising to nominate Ald. Watson as Mayor, said that years ago it was decided by the Council to elect the Mayor according to seniority, and that it was Ald. Watson's turn now. He (the speaker) had been asked several times to allow himself to be nominated but had refused, but sincerely thanked the Aldermen for their kindness. He had much pleasure in nominating Ald. Watson for the position of Mayor. As there was no seconder, Ald. Watson said he seconded his nomination himself. It placed him in an awkward position, but he would not lose the opportunity of explaining himself. It was understood that the aldermen were to be elected as Mayor according to seniority. He came next to Ald. Cobcroft, and it was his turn. He would not have seconded his nomination but for nasty rumours that had been circulated. He had had a conversation with Ald. Campbell, and that gentleman coincided on the question of seniority. Alderman Campbell rose to a point of order. The Mayor said that many rumors had been going about and he would give the aldermen a chance of hearing them. Alderman Watson said that Alderman Campbell subsequently said : "You will have to propose Hill as Mayor, because no one here can afford to offend Mr. Guest." He was asked by another gentleman if he was going to be nominated as Mayor, and was told that, if selected, the Council Clerk would let so conduct things that the Council would be involved in litigation. He knew that Mr. Guest was possessed of more common sense than to do a thing like that. Rumours had also gone round to the effect that several of the aldermen would retire if he was elected as Mayor. If it came to personal matters he was sure Ald. Hill didn't want the chair. Unfortunately he and Mr. Guest had some words at a recent meeting, but he could not see why that should debar him from sitting in the chair. Ald. Whitwell told him before last election that he would have to vote for Hill, but would vote for him (the speaker) next year. Another alderman came to him the other day and said "I will vote for you o! n Wednesday, there's my hand on it." Alderman Whitwell denied having promised Alderman Watson his vote. He had promised a vote for Ald. Hill, and had much pleasure in nominating him as Mayor. Ald. Hill had proved a worthy Mayor. Ald. Allen seconded Ald. Hill's nomination, and said the Mayor had carried out his duties with credit to the Borough and honor to himself. Ald. Bailey supported the nomination of Ald. Hill. Ald. Campbell supported the nomination of Ald. Hill. Ald. Watson asked him publicly to vote for him and he told him he would not. Ald. Watson was pugnacious and his remarks were objectionable. When the Minister for Works came up recently he (the speaker) happened to be present at the meeting, when the Mayor gave way to allow another gentleman to take the chair, and Ald. Watson said that he never heard of such a damnable insult. He couldn't support Ald. Watson because he had trailed the honor of the Mayoral chair in the dirt. A dirty little paragraph appeared recently in a Windsor paper about himself which was inspired by one of the alderman. Two Windsor men came over to Richmond last week and tried to persuade him to vote for Ald. Watson, whom they said was the only man who could put the Council-clerk down. The insinuations made about the Council -clerk were insulting. Mr. Guest had controlled the Council for 30 years without ever making a slip, and the Council were ! proud of him. Ald. Watson spoke of a paragraph in the "Advocate" - but who was running Dr. Watson but the other paper ; and he was surprised to see a paper, which he had supported for years being made a fool of by Ald. Watson. Ald. Kelly said that if the Mayor was elected by the ratepayers, although Mr. Campbell topped the poll as an alderman, he was sure he would not as the Mayor. If Ald. Watson behaved himself he would get his vote some day. The Mayor called for a show of hands for Ald. Watson, when two hands were held up (Aldermen Cobcroft and Watson). A show of hands for Alderman Hill resulted in an unanimous vote, Aldermen Cobcroft and Watson voting. Alderman Watson complimented the Mayor on his election and said he would not have opposed him only for the rumors that had been circulated about his candidature. He also thanked Alderman Cobcroft for his support. He gave the lie direct to Ald, Campbell, and was sorry to think that he had gone so far. The Mayor thanked the aldermen for re-electing him to the Mayoral chair, and he regretted that Ald. Cobcroft was not occupying the chair. Special meeting on Friday, 16th February, 1900. Present : The Mayor (Ald. Hill) in the chair, Aldermen Allen, Bailey, Campbell, Cobcroft, and Kelly. The Mayor drew attention to the report in the Gazette stating he was elected by 7 to 5. He was elected unanimously, the previous motion being lost by 5 to 2. He also said the report in the "Advocate" about his entertaining the Aldermen was not correct, as only some of the Aldermen were present, and he went invited by them. Ald. Cobcroft said the Mayor was quite correct. A few aldermen met at his house. The Mayor had never arranged anything beforehand. It was left in the Council-clerk's hands to put matters right. The Council then (then) chose the committees, treasurer, &c., as follows : - Works-Committee - Aldermen Cobcroft, Kelly, Bailey, and Allen. Finance-Committee - The Mayor, Ald. Campbell, and Whitwell. By-laws and Park-Committees - The whole council. Honorary Treasurer - The Council-clerk. Alderman to sign cheques with Mayor and Treasurer - Ald. Cobcroft. Resolution "That the Finance-Committee be instructed to prepare and submit to this Council as estimate in accordance with section 141 of the Act of 1897 for providing funds for the coming year." Balance-sheet The Balance-sheet, audited and found correct, was laid on the table, showing that the year begun with an overdraft of £46. The present year begins with only £22 overdraft. £50 was added to the sinking fund. As the mortgage was falling due in September this year, the Mayor said the Council-clerk suggested the issuing of £700 worth of debentures at 4 per cent, which would readily be taken up locally. The money from them with sinking fund to be used in paying off existing mortgage,. It was resolved to communicate with the Municipal Association as to necessary procedure for issuing debentures. The Council then rose.