James Clarke died in New Zealand's second fatal air crash while in office; when the three occupants of the plane he was in were killed on 11 November 1920. Clarke had foreshadowed that he intended to resign from the mayoralty that evening. Frank Edwin Wilson died in office on 14 November 1927; the cause of death was believed to be
cerebral meningitis. The deputy mayor, Victor Griffiths, was subsequently elected unopposed to the position of mayor on 6 December 1927. James Bellringer died in 1901 whilst in the position of deputy mayor. Bellringer was not present at the
Borough Council meeting on 10 June 1901 and, in his absence, was elected deputy mayor, due to his
seniority. He died roughly a week later. ==References==