HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 338, 27 October 1908, Page 8

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Cfhom our special reporter.) I 9 PETONE MAGISTRATE'S COURT. A short sitting of the Potone Magistrate's Court was held at tho Oddfellows' Hall yesterday morning, the Bench being occupied by Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., and Mr. 11. Mothes, J.P. Senior-Constable Cox represented tho police.

A charge of crossing the railway line at tho Petono station was preferred against a man named Kenny. Defendant did not appear, and was fined ss. and 7s. costs. A young man named Charles Drain was brought forward on a charge of using obsceno languago in Jackson Street on October 26. Evidence as to the language used was given by Robert Nankivell, and accused was fined 405., Court costs 95., in default 14 days' imprisonment.

The folldwing cases were also dealt with: — Webley and Co. (Mr. Smith) v. John W. Coopor, claim £7 4s. od., application • for judgment summons. No order was made. French and_ Co. (Mr. Wilson) v. F. E. A. Gordon, claim £19 15s. 9d., application for judgment summons. No order was made. . The Registrar of Electors (Mr. R. Mothes) asked that thirty-two electors be struck off , the roll, as ho could not find them. Tho Magistrate refused to grant the application 3 on the ground that the only evidence ten- ! dered_ was that letters to the individuals' in question were not delivered. They might 1 have • shifted, and that was no reason why they should bo disfranchised. LOWER HUTT COURT HOUSE. - . The contractors for the Lower Hutt Courtt house (Messrs. Adams and Smart) have tho i work very well forward, and are considerably - ahead of the time specified. The building is ! practically covered in and it should bo ready for .occupation by tho end of November. All that remains to be done is the plastering, the ceilings, and general finishing touches. A fine, commodious courtroom is provided, tho dimensions being 36ft. by 20ft., and efficient ventilation and lighting will be 1 supplied by six large windows, so that tho ' convenience of the Court officials, etc., will be well looked after. A magistrate's room, witnesses' room, and spacious public offioe aro also provided. The building will show a front of buff stone, and tho presence of four gothic columns will lend it an imposing appearance. The contract price was £1344. PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL. The regular fortnightly meeting of the Petone Borough-Council was held last evening, when there were present, his Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan), Councillors Cole, Short, Loddor, Southgate, Castle, Colquhoun, Young, Smith, and Dr. Harding. Correspondence was received from the Petone Workingmen's Club thanking tho council for the use of the Recreation Ground for a cricket match with the Junior Club, with ponnission to charge for admission. By means of the football match and an entertainment tho sum of £28 16s. 3d. was raised and handed over to Airs. Henwood, whose husband had been laid up in the hospital for some time. The letter was received. Messrs. Bunny, Pethrick and Ayson wrote advising the council that as the Hutt Valley Tramway Bill had passed both Houses, it would be necessary to obtain an Order-in-Council under section 6 providing for the first election of members of the board, and appointing a returning officer and a person to draw up a roll of electors. The Order should I also fix the day, timo and place of first meeting of tho board. When the Board has ! been elected, the consent of the ratepayers must be obtained and another Ordor-in-Coun- 1 cil made authorising tho construction of the tramways. A letter was received from the Welling- 1 ton Benevolent Institution asking the council to appoint a delegate to attend election of six trustees. Councillor Lodder moved that .Councillor Short be 'appointed to look after , the council's interests. This was carried. A petition was received from the free- ; holders and ratepayers of King Street, Pe- ' tone, praying that the council put the street in proper repair, and that a separate rate, be struck to cover the cost. The total number of ratepayers in the street was thirteen, nine having signed the petition. His Worship gave notice to. move at next meeting to .get an order to carry out the above re-

quest. A report .was received from the borough inspector regarding artesian water on premises occupied by Mr. Lopper, stating that he hatl found the water discoloured and with an unpleasant smell. It was decided to serve a notice on the owner asking him to connect bis premises with the borough mains. The land offered to the council at last meeting at the entrance to the Domain, owned by Mr. Lee, .was 'again submitted to the council, and Councillor Loddor pointed out that the proper time to get metal out of tho quarry was the summer, and the time to spread same the winter. As the engineei had reported that he needed somo place to store metal, and the land offered was suitable, he moved that the section- be purchased for the sum of £140. This was carried. The borough engineer submitted a plan of the Nelson Street extension, and pointed out that sundry alterations needed to be made before the council could take over the street. He had sent Mr. Percy a letter pointing out the alterations necessary, and since that date Mr. Percy had put men on to complete the work. On his Worship's motion, it was resolved that the seal of tho council be affixed as soon as the work was done to the satisfaction of the engineer. Tho head office of the New Zealand Railway Department wrote in answer to a letter from the council as to the water supply to the Petone workshops, stating that the Department was willing to pay at the rate of £200 per annum for the supply, providing a term of five years was agreed to. The council went into committee to consider the

matter. PETONE COMMERCIAL CLUB. Tho committee who are in chargc of the arrangements in connection with the erection of the Petoiic Commercial Club, in Nelson Street)' are determined*tc put up a fine structure. The plans have •been prepared and the building should soon be under way. There aro to be two card rooms, measuring 14ft. x loft., which can be converted into one largo social hall at short notice by means of folding doors ; and there aro to be two well appointed reading rooms, measuring 12ft. x 12ft., and a billiard-room (30ft., x 34ft.) for two tables, with the usual settees. The section of land has a frontage of 45ft., and is 123 ft. deep. The building will be 3oft. wide and 56ft. long. <It is provided in tho specifications that 'tho building is to bo ready in February. The members of tho committee of tho Hutt Golf Club paid a visit to the recentlypiurchased grounds at Black Bridge oil Saturday afternoon. ■The architect, Mr. Natusch was met on tho ground, and it was decided that the golf house will be close to the gate, off tho old military road, between 200 and 300 yards from the Main Hutt Road, thus giving a view up the whole valley. LOWER HUTT BOROUGH COUNCIL. FORTNIGHTLY MEETING. The fortnightly meeting of tho Lower Hutt Borough Council was hold last evening, there being present: The Mayor (Mr. T. A. Peterkin) in tho chair, and Councillors Russell, Baldwin, Ross, Ward, Ilodgins, Wildsmith, O'Sullivan, Hughes, and Judd. Tho following correspondence was dealt with: — The Benovolcnt Institution notified the annual meeting for tho election of six trustees to the board. Councillor Baldwin was appointed the council's representative. The Department of Roads intimated that an authority would bo issued to tho council for tho expenditure of tho £200 towards the construction of the approaches to Moiling Bridge. t In reply to Councillor Russell, the Mayor said that almost all tho money had come in. Tho sum of £50 bad also boon forwarded for tho Normandale Road. Tho clerk stated that the authority had boon received. It was decided that tho engineer proceed with the work.

Iho Hufcfc County Council intimated that the council approves of tlio Borough Council's proposals and conditions regarding the Pretoria Street - Epuni connection. —Received. Messrs. Bunny, Petherick, and Ayson reported that tlio Tramway Bill having now passed both Houses, it would become necessary to obtain an Order-in-Council under Section 6, providing for the first election of members to the board, and appointing a returning officer, etc. The firm also forwarded their account for £108 16s. 6d. Councillor Ross: Was there any agreement with Petone as to the cost? The Mayor: Not that I know. Councillor Russell remarked that tho Act providod that the board should bear the cost. The mattor was referred to the Tramways Committee. Tho Potone Borough Council, replying to the letter of September 29 regarding "A Mayoral Challenge," stated that it was not competent for them to receive or deal with a voto of censure passed by an outside body on tho Mayor. Councillor Baldwin: I move that the letter bo received. Wo can afford to accept it. This was agreed to. The Petone Brass Band was given permission to play on the Lower Hutt Recreation Ground on Sunday, November 8. A petition was received from a number of Alicetown ratepayers asking that Buckley Street be given, a footpath with kerb and channel without delay. The matter was referred to the Works Committee. A letter was received from Mr. E. J. Riddjford offering the Council the right to use an open drain at Middlemarch on certain conditions. The matter was referred to tho Works Committee. Councillor Russell reported verbally for No. 1 Committee that it had visited the quarry reserve, and was highly impressed with the quality of the metal there. Thoy thought that if the Council could secure the quarry at a reasonable cost it should be done. _ But before recommending this the, committee desired further information. The committee was given an extension of time to bring down a report. No. 2 Committee reported as follows:— Regarding Mr. Hall's application for refund of gas deposit.—That Mr. Hall be informed that the lighting by-law must be adhered to in this respect. Regarding discount slot meters. —That the discount is properly allowed to consumers of gas using slot meters. The committee recommend, however, that the fact of the meters being set to register 120 feet for Is. should bo indicated on the accounts by a rubber stamp impression.

Several Councillors took exception to ratepayers having to pay the 10s. for the installation of the service, and the matter was referred back to • the committee to report as to the advisability of altering the by-law. The Engineer reported that good progress has been made during the past- fortnight with the • Wakefield Street septic tank and outfall. Two hundred and ninety-five house connections have been made with the water mains up to date. The main authorised to the Rccreation Ground is in hand. Three new gas connections have been made during the past fortnight. The street-widening of the Wesleyan Cemetery will be completed within a day or so, with the exception of the small fence. The creeks are being cleaned out, and the streets cleaned up and patched in turn. The amount expended during the p:\st fortnight was £148 Bs. Id. on the district fund account and £8S Bs. Bd. on the £52,000 loan account. The next meeting was fixed for November 11, instead of the previous day. .Councillor Russell suggested the continuation of the cycle track from White's line to the railway station, and that the Engineer be asked to report on the question with a view of dealing with it in next year's estimates. This was agreed to. Accounts amounting to £304 2s. lOd. were passed for payment.

THE KING'S ROAD SCHOOL,

A meeting of householders was held in tho Town Hall, Lower Hutt, last evening. Tue meeting was convened by the local School Committee to place before the parents of the district the resolution passed by the committee at their last meeting. This resolution was the outcome of correspondence between the Education Board and the School Committee, having reference to the necessity of providing additional accommodation for the increasing attendance at the district school, and unanimously recommended the immediate erection of a schdol on tho site' in King's Road, which was recently acquired for that purpose a 'few months back.

Mr. T. H. Wilson, chairman of the committee, presided, and the members of the committee were all present. Considering the notice given, there was a' very fair attendance. The Chairman in his remarks contended that the erection of tho new school was an absolute necessity. The present school was not sufficiently central to provide for the large district which it was supposed to serve. • Mr. A. Macaskill contended that the eastern portion of the borough had been neglected as far as educational matters were conccrned. Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., read some cor- I respondence with reference to the school, and declared that the meeting would bo futile without a strenuous protest against any postponement of the building of the King's Road' School. (Applauso.) Captain T. W. M'Donald and Mr. E. T. Evans also spoke. , .Mr. E. P. Richworth moved:—"That thismeeting of householders and parents of Lower Hutt strongly urges the Education Department to immediately allocate a sufficient sum for the erection of a school on the Eastern Hutt site, already acquired for the purpose, and heartily endorses the action of tho Education Board and the local School Committee." This was seconded by Mr. Thos. Waugh. The motion was then put, and carried unanimously. Councillor M. W. Welch, of the Hutt County Council, will be nominated by Messrs. John Duthie' and 6. Hooper for the Epuni Riding at tho county elections, which take place on November 11. On account of tho proximity of the elections, ,the last meeting of the present council will be held on November 6.