HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 434, 17 February 1909, Page 9

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(FIIOSI ooit SPECIAL : nEt'Olrtliß.) HUTT VALLEY TRAMWAYS. : FIRST MEETING OF THE BOARD. The first Ineeting of th') newly-elected Ilufet Valley Tramway Board was held, last, evening at I'etonc. Thero wero present: The 'Maj'Or,. of Potono (.Mr. J. ,W. M'Ewan), Messrs.. R. J, fjouthgato, R. Stephens; H. Fiiidlay, J. I'. Hawthorne, J. Austin, and H. Baldwin. • '■ ■ Taking the chair formally, tlio clerk, Mr. Percy 'R. Purser, reported the election of the nlombers to the board, and called upon them 10 nppoint a chairman,. Mr. Baldwin ~ proposed Mr. M'Ewan. "I do that," Iks said, "with tho full opinion that lie will do justico to it, not for Hutt or Petoiie, but for the whole of tho Valley." ; : Mr.: Finulay Seconded the ..-motion! wdiich Was, , carried , '~ ' In taking his; seat, Mr. M'Ewan thanked the members.'/He trusted that the board's deliberations, would bo carried out on such lines that success would result in, their administration "of the empowering Act. • Ho .Would not refer to the past hoyond remarking that this meeting was the logical btitoome of a meeting held twenty .months ago betWoo'i t Hutt. and I'etone Borough Councils, when it. was decided that a joint committee should he set Up. It got to,work and .'sueettded in getting the councils to approve the Bill,-which resulted in the. setting up of the present boitrd. . He hoped.-thdt members w'olild work together. , . , Oh the motion of Mr. Stephens, seconded by_ Mr. A.ustin, Mr.' Hawlhorno: was pointed deputy-chairman. .: The chairman remarked , that the engineers o/ tile tfi'o boroughs had. pre'ipared a report oh tho tramways, and the meeting/would have to decide whether .they would obtain, a report [from Px'fierts ill Constrticlioii and management,. What they wanted was an up-to-date. Service that Would be economical in rtinniiig and of tho greatest advantage to.the, district, blit also ftt a liiinimilrn cost. They; ifnist. however,, bj certain of efficiency.. Tho,v would have, to'appoint a clefk nild treasurer; | accounts, iiihirred, in cohnection with the election, would qome before/ thorn, and thoy would have tft[settle the mooting "place anil hours of meeting. / Mr. Purser/was appointed , clerk for 'tho first, meeting. ' : • .'/• : Mr. Hawthorne moved . thftt the board ob■ttiha suitable pormaiient office for the transaction of, business'-and -as;a .mating place. They ..wore going' to. make a success of the tramways, and it should be;'doalt with : pnw perlv. - '■ Mr, Fiiidlay ehid that economy should be studied. It was'decided to meet alternately at Hutt and Potonp. ' . Mr. D. Jones was appointed .clerk, subject •to the apptoval of; the I'etone Borough Council. , . • .The chairman was elected treasurer.' . "Until such time as' we have a scheme to I place before the public, let Us meet weekly," moved Mr. Findlay, when the question was raised. This was decided upon, and Friday night ivas[ chosen. • The chairman referred'to' the question of the accounts. Tho two councils had paid out £151 Is. 6d. for the preparation of the Bill, and £42 for tlio joint engineers' report Tho expenses in .connection/with tho election amounted to £97 12s. 4d., . : Mr. Baldwin moved that . the tv.-o councils be" asked to meet ,this sum on the understanding that it would bo refunded if the loan was. carried. He thought that in doing this, tlißy would bo acting; rightly./ -, A member put an inquiry regarding future funds. •: • .. Aiiother member: Wo have power to levy a rate. ... >■, ' The. Chairman: Not until March 31. Mr. Findlay: What would bo tho probable oxpchso .for tlie first six'months after these accounts are paid? '/ , The Chairman: £50 ought to cover it. Mr. Findlay: Would the two ooiincils be willing to 'leiid.us the nionoyp ; 1 ;Mr, Southgate: I think wo have power to get an overdraft. ■' Mr.'Stephens: Yes, and I think without a personal, guarantee. , ;. '.[[/'.'. Tllb chairman said that they could'prepare an estimate"-of-receipts and expenditure, and then - ask the bank for a iloan. Il'o felt certain that the colilicils could not do'it. . . The chairman and Mr. Hawthorne wcro'deputed to meet the manager of tlie Bank of .New'Zoahind and arrange for an advanco up to £200. ' , : Mr. Hawthorne: ! presume that members are willing to sign a personal 'guarantee?. . Mr. Findlay":-1 am quite willihg under this Bill. '-.[•■ • ~ ... It was agreed that ifc wiis not a. question of personal liability, v .' It was,decided to pay the. accounts when funds wero available. ; Tho chairman remarked, that- opinions as to the.question of finance could .be/obtained from l?ngland;as to tbcjiccuring of sufficient money to cover tho cost of the service. Ho thought that tho rate Would.bo less than 5 per cent. . - A proposal was made by. Mr. Baldwin that ■the. ; cleric be instructed to get a copy of the engineer's report, - , A _ discussion Oh the question of system, suction'gas versus steam, was raised. Mr. Hawthorne said, that'ho had a report .on tho Wanpanui system, which, he submitted, was on . similar lines to the requirements of ,this district. The chairman remarked-that the Wanganui/systom was worked by suction .gas, which ho thought'a mistake. The board gonerally agreed that steam generation'was better than a suction mis plant. Mr.'. Stephens spoke in favour of tho joint report, ; He. thought that it would be the one commended to the ratepayers. [The motion ivas carried.

HUTT NO-LICENSE LEAGUE. The Oddfellows'- Hall, Petone, was comfortably filled'on Jtoiiday night, the occasion being the third anniversary of tho Hutt No-License Leaguo. Tho Mayor, Mr. J. W. M'Ewan. occiipiod; the chair. A telegram was received from,, this Roy. J. -Dawson, chairman of- the Now Zealand Alliance, and tho IRev; F; W. Isitt, gonerar secretary,of tho allianco, regretting, thdir inability to be,; present: 1 After several/; musical ; items had , been'.-given, the chairman intimated that,; he .would invito 'Mh- T.' Towttsend to Hake a place'on tho platform. . I H6 also intimated that the ReV.\ T, A. Williams, tho newly-elected president of the league, would make tt presentation .to Mr. Tqwnsend.onbehalf of tne No-' Ljcen'se fforkors . and sympathisers 'of the Hutt electorate. Tho presentation consisted of an illuminatcdVaddress and a -purse of Sovereigns. Mr. Townsend, in acknowledging the gift, referred briefly to tho.late campaign, the- spleiidid work 'of : the ox-president, thp R-ov. J. 1). Russell, and of many: others who had supported him .in his work. Ili conclusion, 'he thanked all present' for their appreciation of his efforts. The. following ladies, and gentlemen .contributed -to the ovening's- entertainment:—Misses V. Kirk W.' ; Castle, D. M'Ewen, Miller, Messrs. w! G. Evans, J. Craigio, Connor, and Gray. ; ' ; JOTTINCS. The fwtbightly meoting of the Board of Managers of the Pet-one > Technical School Was held last night, there bmng present:— iEov. A. Thomson (in the chair); and Messrs. J. G. C.istle, R. Mothesj D. M'Kciurio,' B< Loo, and A. Coles. Arrangomonts for tho official '''opening of the new technical school l)y the -Minister for Education on Friday : \Veok were decided Upon, and a sub-committee • was set up to deal with the matter. Judging by the, motion, the Tramway Board intends leaving 110 step unturned to obtain full . informationoll the question of iliotjvo-.prtwer for tramways:— " ! 'That. thii .clerk bo instructed to write to Mr, Edison direct; asking-him what his latost invention meant, in connection with, which it was' stii ted- -that he' had perfected a'• battiry rtapab]o:of "proponing a car for a wholo day without-recharging." , Mr. .H&wthorno was tho movor, and tlio ' motion was carried. .I'hoNpicnic of St.. Augustine's (I'etoliej Sunday School', -which had to bo postponed dn Saturday last.-ok account of-the bad Weather, , will, take place on' Saturday week.' Tho Rev. J-. ,]). .Russell's .'many friends will bo- ploased to learn that his health' is improving. Coilstablo Stuart, of Lower Hutt, who has received notice or his transfer and promotion to Lyell (West Coast), has been presented with a. purso of sovereigns by his Hutt friends. The Deputy-Mayor (Mr, VY, Hi Russell) niAde the presents tio}i_ .

■liitf following crows have been chosen to represent the Petono Rowing Club at the isapior regatta*.—Junior double sculls, J.. Bonner (str.), C. 11. Burridge; maiden double sculls, J. Bonner and C. H. Burridgo) maiden single sculls, J. Bonner; junior single sculls, .J. Bonner. ; I "Mr. T. J. Bolaiul, who has been relieving Mr. fcoyniotir, postmaster at Lower Hutt, I wl lL^i UVl> fof.l'oxtoJi next Monday. ; . presiding formally at tho-first meet- , nig of the frannvay Board last night, for the I purposo of electing a chairman, Hfr. P. 11. Purser remarked that he was thus placed in I tho position of presidihg similnrlv at three Ttrst meeting of important local bodies. I ahoy wore tho Hutt River Board. Hutt Park . Committee aild Tramway Board. On tho motion .of Mr. Baldwin .at tho Tramway Board meeting Inst night, ft vote of thanks was accorded Mr. P. R. Purser, the Returning Officer, in recognition of the ablo manner in which ho carried out his duties, and it was to remunerate him to tho extent of. tell guineas, and to give .two guineas to Mr. A; Webster,.,tho Deputy .Returning Officer. . The Potono Citizens' Band, which has been practising lately for. tho Hastines Band contest, will probably leave for that town'on Saturday morning. ' Tho band will be under | the CBliduetorship of Lieutenant T. Herd, and tho men' have hopes of securing , first honours in tho test selection (B grade). Tho presentation of a handsome ■ portmanteau to _Mr. George Fraser, ft striker in t.he blacksmiths' department of tho -Petone Railway Workshops, who has been transferred to Nenier, waanlado on Monday afternoon by .Mr, K. Hoskin, on behalf qf his fellow-' •omployees. In doing so, ho wished tho recinioiit every success in his netv sphere. Sir. FraSer leaves this morning to take up his now duties. :. ■