NEEDS OF UPPER HUTT

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 119, 12 February 1908, Page 9

NEEDS OF UPPER HUTT

.. THE'MMS'TER ' INTERVIEWED. ' Certain matters affecting tho Upper Hutt wero brought 'under the liotico'of the Minister lor. Public ' Works (the Hon. : W. HallJones).,;yo.sterday; by /Mr. T. M. .Wilford, M.P.Mrvij.W'iiford.. asked ' tho- Minister for. ! h 'grant of'£lso : for -tho Hutt County Council . towsirds ;thc! construction of a : ford at Silverstream, below tho Silverstream Bridge, to -join Western,'and .'Eastern: Hutt. Ar-rangements-had. been iiiado as to a right-of-,' way, to tho'proposed ford, and the appHcatiott j-'ivis'really 'for V'rd-'grant of 'money',' that ffcjd^been: 'promised but' notexpended; 'Tho .ford ..would ,bo ,of use, to, the residents of. Stoke's Valley, Silversi.ream, Haywards/I and cPahautanui. The Minister was also'urged to .'proceed without delay with ■tho, crectipn.of, the Upper, Hutt. .Ppsi; Office, 'upoiV-a section of .ground pw - ned by the 'Govr eriimerit in Main Street. A sum "of £600 was allotted Tor this, purpose in last.,year's titimatps.;: .A further, matter brought under o Minister's attention was the securing of: tho Hutt recreation, grounds..Tho Gpvernment; lease,,ms.now running, oiit,, and,.a,syndicatq .were moving : in : , the.;; direction "'of - '{securing' them for subdivision,and settlement.,, It was urged jthat the Government., should tjiko'them under..tho. Public . Works Act. ; In: presenting, a'^ request;from the: Muiigaroa. settlers,: Mr., Wilford, said .that, the mail; train at.' ; present, passed ,tho ■ Muiigaroa station without; pulling .lip,' and .settlers/living.,there had to, proceed to Upper Hutt and then rotrace tho 'journey,, by road, a distance of, nine miles. "The settlors asked that a-.stoppage; bo : made'at.Mungarda,.'. jV further i desire of ..the settlers- was. that, a inilk' vari/bo-placed at their, disposal-, to rail milk to : tbo> Uppor .Hutt .either oil Saturday night or, oh; Sunday; tho van to be left overnight and.picked[up by itlie, first convenient, train;r ; :The question of railway .'fares to the Upper Hutt and ■ intorvehirtg was touched upon, and also the- matton of a, more convonient time-table between tho city and the Lower Hutt. ■ , : : : i

:f .THE MINISTER'S REPLY.. -i.'-Thb -Minister said,', regarding, the'- .Silver--stroaili matter,' that, 1 .as no, voto'had booh placed'on, the Estimates last year, and as'.'it was contrary to : his practice; to .mako any .promise, ho could only say thatj iafter tho' strong representations: that • had,, been made to liini, lio would lay tho matter before his colleagues ,for : favourablo consideration when tho wero compiled for nest year. As to the erection, of .the Upper Htitt post-office, ho-.was-just picking il'p tho -items of tho,Estimates,- and if there had been any delay, through tho architectural staff being' particularly busy, ' ho: would-' look into the matter; and see that tho work was !/ carried out. Tho fact that a vote had ; bccitplaned oti tho' ..Estimates : was.evidence > that the' G.ovcrnm<?rit\inteiHicd to do, tho work. 1 - Regarding ■ tho ■ purchase : of. 1 tho 'Recreation grounds,, he-,said . that ; a\fr; : "SVilford's ; ir<H' 'presentation was: tho< first that lie' had heard of' ,-their j purchase by- a. ,syndicate. The Government lease, howover, still had some time to run, and in tho ; meantimo ho would bring tho matter beforo Cabinet. He would consult with s tho,.General Manager of ;tho Railways > regarding.'tho request' l'or a milk Van for Sundays -at-, MungarOa. It would, however, bo impossible to grant the other request of, the Miingaroa; settlers—tho stopping of'tho .mail train thpro. . Tho mail trains had' to; bo , run ,to> : .time,,; andi.another stoppage could .not bo mado, so closo to tho/Hutt. / Re - thought.that',tho inconvenioneo of tho settlers would bo lessened.-when the road was completed to- Mungaroa' via' Maori Rank, towards' which - work the -Government. granted - last year £200. : : "'-

'Mr. -AVilford also'suggested thot- it' would be a great cpnveniou.co to .peo'plo , spending a day iu .tho. country ■if tho. tram'which left the .Upp'or" Hutt at 4.45 p.m. could bo. delayed until 7 or 7.15 o'clock. Tho Minister promised to .consult his, officers and; seo if the 'alteration could bo mado.;