HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 477, 8 April 1909, Page 8

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(FROM OUR SPECIAL nErOIITEB.) 4 __- LOAN EXPENDITURE INQUIRY. COUNCIL TAKE NO ACTION. A special meeting of Lower Hutt Borough Council, called by the Mayor (Mr. T. A. Peterkin), was held last evening to consider a letter from four ratepayers asking that an inquiry should Iμ held into the manner in which loan moneys had been spent by tho council. There wcro present: The Mayor, Councillors Russell, Ward, O'Sullivan, Hodgins, Wildsmilh, Rt-ss, Judd, and Baldwin. Tho town clerk head the following letter (dated March 31) from Jjrnest J. Harrison, H. K Kcmpthorno, F. W. Brodrick, and C. B. Trimnell :— At Mr. Russell's meeting last week Captain M'Donald asked that a coinmitteo might be set up to investigate tho ■ expenditure of the loan money, and Mr. Kussell .was understood to express himself in favour of such a step being taken. We, the undersigned ratepayers, are of the opinion that much good would bo uono vere Captain M'Donald's request given effect to, and suggest that the committee should bo elected by the ratepayers at a j'liblic meeting, and further that it »et io vcik at once, so that tho result of the investigations may, in the interests of all, be made public before the coming elections take place.

A second letter was read, in wlich the writers declined the invitation to attend the special council meeting on the ground that no good would result, and urged that the inquiry committee should be elected by ratepayers at a public meeting. In reply to Councillor Russell, the town clerk stated that only /Messrs. Brodrick and Harrison were old. residents of the borough. Councillor AVard considered the letters were simply "a piece of cheek," and he hoped tho council! would go no further in the matter. Tho Mayor stated that it was not his intention to bo a party to tho spending of ratepayers' money on such a foolish research as was proposed. To go into tho matter fully it would be necessary to examine the books for the past six years. If the ratepayers wished to form a committee and would pay their own expenses they were quite at liberty to do so. The commission, if any, should not consist of Hutt residents or ratepayers at all. These ratepayers wanted to make the Auditor-General a party to what thoy- termed the "thieving" or the council.

Councillor Ross> I do not think that is suggested. ■ ■

The Mayor: Mr. Hawthorn said we "cribbed" from certain things. When I was a boy at school if I "cribbed" another boy's marbles they called it "stealing." (Laughter.) If they like to spend their own money, well and good, and we will give the town clerk instructions to give them any information they require on the matter.

Councillor Ward pointed out that all ratepayers had the privilege of inspecting the books of the council, and, if they discovered anything wrong, thoy had their remedy through tho Auditor-General.

Councillor Russell explained the circumstances which had led to the application for an inquiry. At his meeting ho had dealt exhaustively with the l)oroTifrh accounts, arid, at the close, Captain M'Donald had agreed to give itf.to the library fund if, at the conclusion of the drainage works, they did not find themselves at least ,£SOOO out. Then he (Councillor Russell) had proposed an .investigation; the suegestion had not come from Capt. M'Donald. , Personally, he did not fear an inquiry at all, and the council ■ need not shirk the fullest investigation. There were one or two matters _ which had occurred prior , ' to 1907 which might be looked into at the same time. During their last.year in office the present council had spent .£11,163, as against .£23.000 spent by Captain M'Donald's council. The previous council had spent in about fifteen months double what the present council had spent in twelve. The excessive expenditure had taken place in 1907, and that was why he (Councillor Russell) favoured an inquiry. He suggested that the council should appoint two comimtteemen.,' and the ratepayers should be allowed to elect an outside auditor as chairman to conduct the inquiry. ■ .-. , After further discussion Councillor Ross moved that no action be taken. J Councillor Hodgins moved an amendment— That the request for. an inquiry bo acceded to conditionally oh (1) the' evidence being taken on oath; (2) the commission consisting ■ of, four^'irtdepehHeh't 1 ' persons, two to be nominated by the council ana two by the ratepayers interested, the commission to, choose their, chairman, who shall be a qualified auditor; and (3) those asking . for the inquiry forwarding the) sum of. ■£50 to cover the cost of the inquiry. The amendment was lost by five , ' votes' to four, the voting being :—For: Councillors Hodgins, Russell, O'Sullivan, and Wildsimth; against: The Mayor, Councillors Wurd, Ross, Judd, and Baldwin. - » The motion was then carried. HUTT COUNTY COUNCIL!" A meeting of the Hutt County Council was held, yesterday, and was attended by Mr; M.' Welch (chairman), and Councillors J : ; Wakekm, W. Galloway, T. Edwaxds, J. ; Whiteman, and M. J. Lynch. i 1 ' Messrs. Cederholm and A. Wackrow oaine before tlie council and asked that portion of tho Akatarawa Road should be deviated for a distance of 27 chains.. The former, .stated that he desired to put up a woolshed, and'sheepyard on his property, but could not do so at present, because he had not room 'alongside the river. The council resolved to apply for a Government grant of .£2OO to carry out the proposed road formation. The inspector reported that the roads generally were in good order, and ■ metalling was being carried out in some of the ridings. The main road through Taita and the Akatarawa Road were now being' attended to. A balance of .£49 had remained from the Thomas Creek bridge grant, and he recommended that application should be made to have the amount transferred towards the erection of another bridge over Narrow Neck Stream. i Mr. James Walker, Wellington, objected to tlie taking of part of Taupo No. 1 block.VPaekakariki Survey District, for the a public road. The board arranged to hold a special meeting on Saturday, April 17, to consider the objections. ; Seven ratepayers petitioned against any widening of the road from Mitchell's Gully <Ao Haywards. .The council decided that tliey had no power to prevent the widening of any road less than 40ft. in width. Intimation was given by Haywards Land Company, Ltd., that they would hold the council' liable for any land lost through the cutting" away of the bark at the ford. The council held that no damage had been done to the' land through the forming of the road. The Railway Department wrote that the levelcrossing at Plimmcrton was being put in order, and the council were asked to pay the cost of transfer. It was intimated that the road board had paid £50 towards the construction cost. Mr. John Barton, Trentham, requested the council to take over as a public road 18 chains of new formation, which extended from the ro.id leading to Trentham Golf Links. Consideration was deferred.. A communication was received from the Railway Department, notifying that the council would be required to contribute towards the erection of an infectious diseases hospital. Mr. Tudor Atkinson, Wellington, asked-that tho council should improve tho access ro May Morn Estate (18,758 acres). The inspector was instructed to report. In declining to fence a portion of road near Mungaroa Station, about which the council had complained, the General Manager, for Railways wrote that the road was not considered dangerous. The secretary of the late Plimmerton Road Board forwarded documents of the board, instructions having been given that these should be handed to the council on the merging of Plimmerton Road District in tho Hutt County. . BOWLING AT LOWER HUTT. A couple of friendly games of bowls were played on the Lower Hutt Green yesterday afternoon. Two rinks came out from Wellington Central Club, and another game was played with a rink from Petone. ' The results were:— Hutt—Hollard, Eliotr, Mowbray, and Hendry (s.), 18; Central Club-Haybittle, Flavell, Hickson, and M'Kerrow (s.), 14. Hutt—Stevens, Henry, Eddie, and Pole (s.), 18; Central Club-Hon. Carroll, Roach, Blake, and M'Lean (s.), 12. Hutt—Cudby, Howdcn, Davidson, and Trevethick (s.), 25; Petone-Smith, Palmer, Judd, and Wylio (s.), 21. JOTTINGS. Permission has been granted by tho Hutt County Council to holding a motor reliability trial (under the auspices of tho New Zealand Motor Cycle Club) from Wellington to Waikanae, returning on Saturday, April 24. An extensive grass fire, which lit up tho sido of Korokoro Hill at about 7.30 o'Ylock last evening, attracted considerable attention in Pctono. Tho damago done, however, was not great. Mr. John Cudby, J.P., presided at a sitting of Lower Hutt Police Court yesterday nintiiing. A first offender for drunkenness was convicted and discharged.

Operations have been resumed on the Geal Company's tallow works, the roof {riming ol which fell a fortnight ago. The adjoining building, to be used at manure works, is also being pushed ahead rapidly. A stranger to Petono will appenr at tho Police Court this morning on a charge of theft. It is alleged that he obtained a pair of shears from a tailor's shop yesterday afternoon, and sold them ugaiiv in tho (.own for eighteenpencc. Petono Salvation Army Hand held air openair concert on tho Recreation Ground last evening in aid of tho uniform fund. A concert in connection with tho Church of Christ Sunday School was held in St. Augustino's Hall, Pertnc, last evening. Members of the choir and. the teachers assisted the scholars in, a lengthy programme, which included drills; marches, and dialogues. The offer of tho Petone Borough Council ol threo football grounds on the Recreation Reservo will "come before tho Wellington Rugby Union at its next meeting. Tho' council asks a rental for tho season of JCI6S for grounds Noe. 1, 2, and 3, the W.R.F.U. to havo the whole of tho gate receipts. No. i ground has been re-, served for tho use of tho Football Association. Inasmuch as the council is not likely to reconsider the decision o{ tho Kugbj Union is awiutcd with interest.