Extravagance and incapacity were imputed to the Board. In their favour something may be advanced. To form the streets, after reducing or filling up to the permanent levels, was a herculean task, and looking back now the wonder is how it was so well accomplished in the abnormal circumstances. The Provincial Government were certainly liberal in their assistance. For in addition to the continued maintenance of the main line, a loan of £30,000 was made, which was afterwards converted into a gift. The engineer, Millar, F.S.A., was one of the new introductions, and so were most of the members of the Board before its dissolution. One great blame cast on the Engineer was designing extravagant lamp-posts with the motto "secundo curo" (I prosper, I take care) impressed thereon, and which he had also added to and engraved on the public seal of the Board, which had borne hitherto neither device nor motto, but only the plain shield, and name.
There were differences of opinion among the public as to the wisdom of the Government action, one meeting having been held at which, the Provincial Council was denounced for executing the Board, by old identities particularly, who had a fondness for the title.
To fill the interregnum between the old state of affairs and the intended new order, a Board of three Commissioners was appointed to take charge of town affairs, and for the first time in its existence by this dissolution ordinance, Dunedin was called a city. It cannot be said that the dignity was due to any ecclesiastical position, as the first bishop was not designated for months afterwards. And it is furthermore a strange fact that in all the acts passed by the Supreme Legislature of the colony dealing with municipal corporations, Dunedin for long was the only one called a city, all the others ranking as towns or boroughs.
The ordinance having been passed by the Provincial Council, the citizens were called on to elect their first mayor, which was done on 21st July, 1865, when there were five candidates. The city was divided into four wards, for councillors, each having two members, who were chosen on 1st August. The election of mayor is annual, and is made by the ratepayers of the city. The number of councillors was some years subsequently increased to twelve. Aldermanic days have not yet, however, arrived.
