HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 472, 2 April 1909, Page 7

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(FROM OUR BPEOIAL BEPORTEE.), —4 - PETONE POLICE COURT. A sitting of the Police Court was held at Petone yesterday morning, when Robert Gray Newell was brought before Messrs. J. W. M'Ewan, R. W, Short,, and S. R. Johnson! J.P.'s, on a charge of indecency. Mr. W. J. Cracroft Wilson appeared for accused. After evidence by Sergeant Forster, Mr. Wilson stated that accused was a respected citizen of Petone. 'At ,this time (March 25), when under tho influence of an overdose of brandy, he had committed the offence. In asking that accused should be treated under the First O(Tenders' Probation Act, ",BSG, Mr. Wilson pointed out to the Court what the case meant to accused. Jle had lost his position, would havo to resign ■ .from his lodge, and would be ostracised by his fellows. That was surely sufficient punishment. Evidence, of the (.ood character hitherto borne by accused was given by Bichard Henry Wilson (of the firm of Messrs. Bonthorne and Wilson), George Smith (inspector of the Public AVorks Department, in which Department accused had been employed at intervals for ten years), Alexander Simpson (accountant), and E. ,T. Kurehev •(of tho D.1.C.). The Court expressed the opinion that this should be a lesson to accused. Ho wiis convicted and ordered to come tip for eentence when called opon. (, EASTER FOOTBALL. The matches to bo played by the Petone Rugby Football Club during the Easter holidays are now announced. The fifth grade team will play Weraroa Club, and mixed teams have been chosen for. matches at Hastings, "Carter- ' *? n ' a ?,d. Nelson.-, At: Nelson the team will play the_Albions on Good-Friday, and the Rivals on Easter Monday. UPPER HUTT POST OFFICE. Tho Prirae Jfi'msfer (Sir Joseph Ward) will officially open the Upper Hutt Post Office this afternoon, i r tipper Hutfc Town Hall, a social (Which the Prime Minister will attend) is being tendered by the residents to Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P. The fnnctiott had to be postponed l month ago, owing to Air. Wilford's illness. HUTT. METHODIST CIRCUIT. _The. quarterly: meeting of Hutt .Methodist Circuit was held on Wednesday evening in' the lower Hutt parsonage, the Rev. B. F. Rothwell presiding. • The chairman intimated that the Rev. W. R. Poole, of Fiji, would shortly pay a visit to Petone district. , Reporting on the last conference, the Chairman announced officially that the Rev. S. J. Seamer had been appointed to succeed the Rev. R ; \Vilson as second minister of the circuit. Circuit officials bade farewell to Mr. Wilson, who leaves next week for Auckland. Arrangements were made for the holding of a church social at Upper Hntt at an early date. The circnit passed a resolution' of condolence trith the relatives of the late Mr. William Burt, i valued officer of the church. The circuit membership returns-were shown to bo the same as for last quarter, but increases were reported in the Sunday schools. The income for the quarter had amounted to .£154 9s. .3d., and the expenditure had been £155 lis. Id. . ADDRESS BY MR. J. T. HAWTHOWI. In the pursuance of his candidature for the coming mayoral election, Mr. J. T. Hawthorn addressed a crowded meeting of ratepayers in the lower Hutt Town Hall last evening. 'T «iT e T stated/', said Mr. Hawthoni, tnat I am not a fit man to be yonr mayor, because I want to sell ray'house afid'clealr out. Now, I will make it known that the reason I wish to dispose of my property is that I want sovereigns to complete this Town Hall." The . candidate continued that he was not now nor had ever been a member of a syndicate in the Hutt Valley. The vacant land which he,, held would be developed as soon • as the money market improved, and he could obtain an- advance at a low rate of interest. "You are in favour of tramways,, and will insist on their being established," was . another statement which he had heard about himself. "My reply," said, the candidate, "is this: It is not for. me or for the Tramway Board to dccide whether we are going to have tramways in this: valley or not. It is for you to say." ' Mr. Hawthorn urged again the necessity for economy in the management of . the borough. It was not desirable, in his opinion,-to increase the rates, in fact, they could not stand it. Dealing at length with the borough finances, the candidate, stated that "Mr. Russell/ in his recent,speech,..had. taken,the year 1907 for purposes of comparison. During that period the rates had been,decreased, and the revenue,was, small. He himself proposed to take two years of ' the'previous administration, and coinparo them with two years of tho present administration. . He (Mr.- Hawthorn) was of opinion that ■ things / were kept back' from the ratepayers in this connection by -someone who knew nil about them. 1 , Turning to. tho .£52,000 loan, Mr. Hawthorn entered minutely into the items of expenditure, and recommended that a strong committee of ratepayers should inquire into the manner in which the moneys had been disbursed. Mr. Russell had said that his council had not increased the indebtedness of the borough by one penny. And why not? Because they had i£52,000 of l'.-Aii te crib 'from for any purpose they wished. (Applause.) According to the estimates of three efficient engineers, the deficit on the'drainage works,, when they were completed, would be £1500. Mr. Russell had informed his meeting that, in' the end,, only ,£.IOO more would be required. He suggested that, as a. solution of the gas question, an agreement for a torm of seven years should be drawn up with Petone, and Lower Hutt snonld be granted the right to pjirchase a half interest in the gasworks at any tilne during the seven years, the purchase figure to ho arrived at by valuation and arbitration. It was fair to Petone that there should be no more 'fooling." Petone Council wished to spend money on gasworks, and if they did make improvements better gas would be supplied, to residents of the Hutt.' In regard to Mr. Russell's proposal that a Hoyal Commit- : sion- should be set up to inquire into the question'of amalgamation of the two boroughs he did not'support such a step. Why should amalgamation .be thrust on those who did not desire it? Many .people, thought as he did ! that amalgamation was necessary, and that it would , come. But it could not be forced. At present the votes tin Petone .could swamp ' lower Hutt; therefore, he urged them to wait . nntu the population of Lower Hutt was almost as, great as that of Petone. This would come , about - more - quickly than wns generally supposed. The purchase of h'alf. interest in tho , gasworks and the combined undertaking of tramways would be influences towards amalsamation. - b h ? 7 a , nt led1 ed a tramway system in' the , valloy, he wished to wait a while, until tlio time was npe. He . would oppose anything i scheme Ure ry over " lis Projected , Replying to criticisms of his action as tho ! council s landlord, Mr. Hawthorn asserted thut the counc! was getting all that it Was paying ( • d M , al i that I™. entitled to in conncc- ; °n "th- the municipal buildings. He .would it as soon as mohey was avail- , ■ ,? ou , ncl ' could not force him. i The clause in his lease dealing with these nil- c ditions was absolutely valueless. Ho proposed ; hall into a company. -> After a number of questions, the meetine 1 closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman. 1 JOTTINGS. 1 All but about .£2OO of the past year's rates I of Lower Hutt borough have' been collected ! the amount being over LOOO. ' ' . The Provincial i'otel. Uppor butt, <s chan*- ' «g hands. The new landlord, Mr. Campbell, ! of Wanganui, will tak6 over tho management s £J? Nr.C. H. Williams in a week's time. 1 Ine ladies of St. Augustine's Church (P,.. [ tone) Choir have now been provided with white surplices and col ego caps. This new departure * has been received with satisfaction by the min- c ister, the Rev. J. D. Enssell. 1 A full-sized billiard table is part of the ennin- • ment decided upon by tho Lower Hutt Social ? Se T^^alfSlSnf iOK itS ra ° Dl3 in I Upper Hutt Football Club lias decided this E season to become affiliated to the Rugby Union, 1 and will take part in third grade mat'rhes. s n f tL u"YYe\ e J c s , m | otl . n ? ° f 'ho l'etone. Church f Dt England Men s Society, a paper on '' Chris- f tian Socialism was read bv Mr, W. G. Evans 0 It was agreed to postpone the meeting which f was to hnvß been held on Eastor Monday. J I. socml is to be held in about a fortnight's f ■ Cricket 0 Club° ,he Seas ° n ° f th ° Upper H,lit -S Three members of the Petone Fire Board will 1 Be elected by the insurance companies on Mav r 1 ' I!