qualified to be Councillors, four Aldermen, two to remain in office for six years, and two for three years. No Councillor could vote for himself. Every Councillor, elected as Alderman, continued a Councillor until the ist of November next after he ceased to be an Alderman. The Mayoral election was fixed for the same day, and in the same manner, but to take place after the Aldermanic one; no candidate's vote for himself to be allowed; the Mayor to be chosen from amongst the Council, his tenure of office to be for one year, and to remain a Councillor till the ist of November next after ceasing to be Mayor. The qualification for Councillors, Aldermen, Auditors, and Assessors excluded "Holy Orders" and ministers of religion. If a Councillor or an Alderman should be possessed of real or personal estate, or both, amounting to £1000, either in his own or his wife's right, or be rated on the annual value of not less than £50. No person in the Council, or an Auditor, or Assessor, could be, by himself or partner, directly or indirectly interested in Corporation contracts or employment (except as a shareholder in a company), contracting for lighting, the supply of water, or insurance, nor hold any office of profit under the Council, except as Mayor; and neither Auditor nor Assessor could be elected to the Council, nor any Judge, Chairman, Officer or Clerk of any Court of Justice, or Ministerial Law Officer of the Crown. The offices of Town Clerk and Treasurer could not be held by the same person, and "no mace-bearers or other officers, merely for parade or show, could be appointed." It was optional to vote as salary or allowance to the Mayor, such sum "as shall seem reasonable and proper;" but it should be fixed (if any) within ten days after acceptance of office. The town rate was not to exceed 1s. in the £ per year. The Council was empowered to make a rate for police purposes half-yearly, not exceeding 6d. in the £ for a whole year; both funds to be kept separate and distinct. A lighting rate was also leviable, but not to exceed 4d. in the £ per annum; property situated in any unlit part of the toyvn to be exempt. At the first election three Councillors were chosen for each of the four Wards, one of which retired annually by rotation. Sewerage, water-works, and various sanitary and municipal powers were conferred, and insolvency was specified as disqualifying a member of the Council.
Between the passing of the Act and its coming into operation, there was much agitation over the selection of candidates; turbulent Ward meetings were held, frothy, insincere speeches made, and much bad blood stirred up. The newspapers rushed like furies into the fray, with an indiscriminate zeal, and one of them (the Gazette) was brought over the coals by a libel action and an adverse judgment.
Until the machinery provided-by the Act could be regularly set going, the Executive was authorised to appoint an interim Mayor, Aldermen, Assessors, and Collectors to compile and revise the first Burgess Roll, and hold the maiden election under it. The town was subdivided into Wards, of the same number and dimensions as those under the Markets Act, and the following appointments were made:—
Mayor.—Captain William Lonsdale (Sub-Treasurer).
Town Clerk.—Mr. H. F. Gurner (Crown Solicitor).
Lonsdale Ward.
Alderman.—Major F. B. St. John.
Assessors.—Messrs. A. Cunninghame, and J. S. Griffin.
Roll Collector.—Mr. W. R. Belcher.
Latrobe Ward.
Alderman.—Mr. J. D. Pinnock.
Assessors.—Messrs. G. S. Airey, and W. B. Wilmot.
Roll Collector.—Mr. D. F. Lang.
Gipps Ward.
Alderman.—Mr. Samuel Raymond.
Assessors.—Dr. P. Cussen, and Mr. R. S. Webb.
Roll Collector.—Mr. J. J. Mouritz.
