HUTT COUNTY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 112, 17 November 1928, Page 11

HUTT COUNTY

RATES IN ABREAR The Hutt County Council met lust evening, .Mr. D. R. Hoggart presiding. There wero also present Councillors S. G. Nathan, J. M. Whiteman, F. Bradey, S. Blackley, W. V. Dyer, and Mildenhall; tho acting-clerk, Mr. A. Young, Mr. H. Dyer, overseer, and Mr. Sladden, engineer to the county. At a special meeting prior to the ordinary business, it was decided to raise, a loan of £1700 for a water supply at Epuni. At : Councillor Bradoy's request the clerk was instructed! to apply to tho Power -Board for another light at Paremata Cutting. Oa the chairman's motion it was agreed to hand £150. to the City Ambulince. Mr. Hoggard said that he felt the ambulance was a very excellent service, arid his remarks wore endorsed by the seconder of the motion, Councillor Nathan, and by Councillor Whiteman.' ■ " Regarding unpaid rates, tho following motion was, carried: "That proceedings bo not taken to recover 1928----29 rates at present, except in cases of ratepayers in arrears with earlier rates." A further deputation was received regarding the Pukerua overbridge authorised by a poll of ratepayers in 1924. Mr. Hoggard remarked that a deputation at tho last mooting asked • the council not to proceed with number 19 loan for the overbridge north of the station,, but-the council declined to deal with the matter while hearing only ono side of the question. Mr. Ames, first speaker for. the deputation, said he thought the council should feel morally obliged to go on with the bridge, which had been-sanctioned by ratepayers, .and which was absolutely necessary for those on the south side of the Hue. His remarks were endorsed and elaborated by Mr. Mulhern. .Representations wore then made on behalf of members of tho Pukerua Cricket and Social Club, who asked the council to consider favourably their Application for a piece of land on which to build a club houso. The council later considered both matters, and decided- to inform Mr. Mulhern that tiie council would not proceed with the number-19 loan, but that it was quite prepared to facilitate the resubmission of the mattor to'the ratepayers if they so desired it. As the council had not the power- to grant the Cricket Club's application,; it was declined. - The Plimmorton -Progressive Association wrote requesting the council's assistance in the matter of securing a resident constable at Plimmorton. A Councillor:."They Want it, too!" The clerk was instructed to write to the.Justice Department asking for a resident constable; failing that, a constable for the months of December, January, and February. Regarding a road only 12ft wide' in a subdivision at Pukerua, it was stated that the owner would havo been quite pleased to have widened that part of the road under discussion, but the road was now metalled, aud his plant removed, and to do anything now would be quite a hardship. The council decided to take no further action, and to inform the Plimmerton. Ratepayers' Association that as tho council had previously agreed to this formation, under'

special circumstances, it was unable to reopen the matter, but that it did not intend, as a general rule, to permit formations of less than 1^ feet. Reviewing the arrangement made with Mr. J. N. Strand, concerning the maintenance of, Belmont and Western \ Hutt roads whiio intensivo carting was being carried out, Councillor W. V. Dyer said that he would like a letter to bo sent to Mr. Strand pointing out that several complaints had been received about the way the road had been maintained, and unless something was done the councl would hftve to take action in tho matter. The motion was carried. It. was decided to issue a warrant to the Health Inspector to facilitate the execution of his duties. Tho overseer reported that a largb pipe culvert at the junction of the main Wainui-o-mata Toad and Fitzhorbert road had subsided during the recent storm, and was dangerous to traffic. 'It was agreed to carry out ropair work immediately. Tho heavy raiii had alio brought down a few slips on the Moonshine road, but these had not delayed traffic and had. been attended to, and the culverts and water tables cleaned. Similar slips had also ,epmo down in the Mungaroa riding, but the road was now in fairly good order. On the northern boundary tho damage was more severe, but substantial assistance had been given by the Public Works gang working in tho locality. Considerable damage to roads and culverts was.done by tho storm in the Wainui-o-mata district. Many small slips had occurred and a, bridge on the swamp road was lifted^with the flood and shifted somewhat from its proper position. The approximate cost of a now bridge at. Keiwiorangi was estimated by the engineer to bo £500 without piles and £100 for approaches. The old structure, which was built about two years ago, ■ was absolutely wrecked, and would have to be blasted out with gelignite. It was left to tho engineer and chairman to confer with tho Public Works Department on the matter.