HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 306, 19 September 1908, Page 14

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

At the fortnightly meeting of the Upper Hutt Town Board, held on Thursday, it was decided to notify the manager of the Bank of New Zealand that tho board had struck a rate of Id. in the £ on £194,563, and •to request that arrangements be mado to bring the board's finances under Section 40 of the Town Boards Act, 1908, if possible, A complaint was made at the meeting stating that tho men omployed by tho contractors for the new post office had dug up the original boundary survey peg between the New Zealand ; Company's sections 127 and 128, and requesting that as this peg was needed to define the boundaries of surrounding properties, not yet under land transfer title, action bo taken in the matter by the board. ,It was resolved to:ask the contractor to have tho peg replaced .by 'a licensed surveyor' without delay. It was also rosolved to ask the member for the district to'try and,'arrange for the provision of a structure in the new post office, suitable for the accommodation of a public clock later on. A report made by tho clerk stated .that the contractors for tho removal of the old school had-got ..the Main Road clear .of. tho sections of tfie building, and the permit 'to use tho road lm'd now ex. pirod. • On inspecting the buildings on September 7. ho had, lie stated, refused to per-., mit the use of worm-eaten timber for roof, ■' ceiling;., lining, or ■ doors, the contract not providing for tho replacing of unsound tim-,. ber. A meeting of brigadosmen was held at Petone on Thursday evening to draw up a programme of events to bo compoted for on Labour Day, October 12. Superintendent Lepperwas .elected chairman, and Fireman Flowers, secretary. Four men from each brigade—Petone, Gear Company, and Workshops—were appointed. a committee. Seven • events are to'be competed for. A fire alarm has been patented by Mr. Allen of the Workshops ; Petone. It consists of copper balls filled with air connecting .by tubiny with'" a/ '.U-shaped tube nearly full of mercury, and from the top of the tube of mercury a wire connocts with an electric bell worked by a dry battery. The. following is tho principle on which it-Works. , As soon as the air in, tho' copper bulb is heated to--140 degrees, it expands along the tubing and forces tho morcury up to tho electric wiro at tho top, and thus establishes a' connection setting the bell ringing. A match was lit and "hold beneath one of tho bulbs, and in about 20 seconds the boll began .toring. Mr. Allen has already been asked to fit up a warohouso in Wellington with his, patent. J The annual general mooting of the Waiwetu Cricket Club was held at Young's Hotel,: Lower Hutt, on Monday last. Mr. E. P. ; Bunny presided. It was decided to enter' a team for the senior championship, the club having won the junior championship in the last season. The following officers for tho ensuing year wore elected:—Patron, his Wor-. ship tho Mayor; President, ,Mr. J. .Young; rice-presidonts: Messrs. E. P. Bunny, C. 11. Trcadwell, It. Abbott, G. W. M'Donald, C. Bollard, H. E. Kempthorne, and C. -H. Osmond; captain, G. F. Judd; vice-captain, J. •' Rodgcrs; hon. secretary, C. A. L. Treadwell; hon. treasurer, G. F. Jndd; /lion, auditor, W. P. Pringle. Messrs. T. 11. Wilson, G. Fi. Burton, and T. H; Jones were elected delegates to the association. In tho course of the evening tho trophies won during tho past season wero presented.