HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 533, 14 June 1909, Page 10

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

V .: (irohodr special reporteb.). .J,- ;,y. v ' .:%; ■ ■':',"' ~.* •''. , :';■■■■ : yN ; ''?''■■ THE COKE QUESTION.- '.'■'' *'['■■' " There is always some grievance in Petone. Why,..rio one. seems, to know, but it can, never be said that, peace ever reigns supreme in, that hive of industry. :The'latest question at issue is'coke. The 'Borough Council has a quantity pi coke of dispose of, and, asthe local rcqufre.ments are neither large nor regular, tie council has • come to an agresment with the Railway. Department for a regular supply. This is a.pauso,pf heartburning to. a certain section, who'on occasions, cannot get the quantity they 'require.';-. A' little' fricaoh. has been caused. by this of; affairs, and a day or two ago two -men'were, loading coke in the council yards;''and' : tKey/were. told by the man in charge -that.-the coke they 'were , taking belonged to :the Government. It is" stated, however, that this did not .deter them, and the -;Government, whioh ; was"to .have ; received a truck load that,day had to put up with'half that, quantity.' _:. _An .extremely "illuminating" .discussion on the matter'took place at i Friday 'night's meeting.: of tl;e,'council in" committee, and a request for'an apology ;was not complied with. A councillor; ; 'who.;is interesting himself :in the question;.expresses his intention, of calling a public-meeting to - discuss the matter.-■ N ;';The.Mayor; (Mr./ J. TV. MT3wan) told a* reporter, m reply.to a query, that about 360 tons of coko per annum were sold- to the Bnilway Department at 225.. Gd. per tonj' and if this ,Wer6,knocked:off,the.council would lose about '.£4OO a year, and, moreover, the council would have to.stack'theicoko, which would depredate through exposure to'the, air, and turn into light. rtriil worth 1 not'half ' the. amount. At present; the council has .150 tons of the latter variety in stock,; and would be glad to get rid of.it. _The Mayor invited.the coal dealers and those interested: to, attend a. public meeting just previous" to the election, with a view of entering into an arrangement with the council to ;take; the 'whole ofvtho coko. If that had been done, all the grievances, they, are now labouring under; would bo entirely removed., .;,.";■; JOTTINGS. ' ;- '.' ■ ": O'Brien, of tho Wellington Fire Brigade, paid a visit to -Petone on Saturday morning to inspect the local fire alarm system, which has: only, lately been installed, .and which is claimed .to be : the most up-to-date : in .theiAustralasian ;colo'ni«s: " , , ;-'. : A- special sitting-of-the jtMone Magistrate's .Court will bo held on -Thursday to deal with a number of by-law cases.,,,, ",-,■'. ; -The Petone,Brass. Band'played' a number of selection's : ;at' thb.'Becreatiori '.Ground yesterday lafternoon ,in< the'presence of a fair attendance of .the .public : ..,.'.'. '!'•.-; :; . . The magistrate will president sittings of the Court";at'Upper Hutt and lower Hutt to-day. ", A.series of winter'entertainments, in aid of ■ the church funds', are '.being initiated by the .St. James's Church, Lower Hutt.. '. .' '■■ '. ■ >