HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 555, 9 July 1909, Page 2

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(From Our Special Reporter.) ' :— * •. ■ PETONE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE. As stated in a former issue, the necessary stops liavo been taken to securo a telephone oxcliango for Petono, and the following firms and private individuals have already agreed to become subscribers-:—Messrs. King Bros., Wobley and Co., "Chronicle" Company, A. Colquhoun, A. Coles, R. 0. Clark, Ltd., and the Working Men's Club. It is expected that many moro subscribers will como forward when the system is inaugurated. It is by no moans certain, however, whon the exchange will bo instituted. A good deal of preliminary work in tho way of connect Hihg subscribers' premises with the post offico has to,-bo ■ done, but some timo will olapso before a commencement is made owing to the fact that tho Telegraph Department has an "extensive job in hand at present in arranging tho deviation of tho wireSj necessitated by tho Hutt Road improvement and tho duplication of tho railway line, and, therefore, they are not quite ready to proceed with tho erection of the exchange. When-a commencement has-been made, the motallic circuit will be used for every subscriber. This is rendered essential byv tho fact that, the ordinary earth circuit might not work in conjunction'with the metallic circuit (which is in operation in Wellington) whon a through communication to the city was taking place. The first provision for Petone will bo the ordinary metallic switchboard capablo of connecting fifty subscribers. This will probably be sufficient to begin with. DELIGHTF'DLLYriNDEPINI.TE.' . V The.Hutt River Boards meets—sometimes. There is a delightful air of indefiniteness in the "sometimes," but -tho -1 word . represents the procedure adopted during recent, times, at all 'events,/ It' has on so many occasions that the meetings lapse for want of a quorum; and clearly there is something wrong in the arrangement of the meetings.i If, on a: meeting night, a; quorum is not available, then it is only fair that the available members and attendant officials—to say. nothing of tho unfortunate :prcssmen— shouldbe advised, and not compelled to cycle ' a couple;of miles through the driving rain, and mud, and slush on tho roads, and got wet through for nothing, as happened .last night. Mr. E. P. Bunny and Mr. G.,LaingMcason, the: board's solicitor and consulting engineer: respectively, took the' trouble -to brave the in addition ; to'four re-. . porters, only find ; that there .was - to be no, meeting. Surely some more'.suitable ar- , rangoment could be made. w ;,-.;f WEST PETONE SCHOOL. (-. ■ ■', At the election of, the committee to manage the affairs of the West Potone School, it was made apparent that there was a possibility/of the validity of the poll being questioned.'This step has been'taken, and the following petition has been forwarded to the Education Board:— ' ''.•>- : "We,J tho undersigned, 'being candidates for election as committeemen of the '■ Western Petpne School, pray that you ■.•declare''tho' election of,the-'present;com-' mitteo null and void on;' account of the ■-. following; irregularities' in the conduct of - .■■ tho poll :—(1) Some ballot-papers were':-, ..stamped with the: stamp mark ..(Petpne .' State, school) and; some had no/stamp. mark at all; (2) a ballot-piper had ten' . names; on, it;. one "nama 1 - was erased by '■ one of the scrutineers: (3) a' torn;ballot paporwasalso used; (4). there being two, candidates of one name (Mr. and Mrs. , ; M'Crackett) standing, a ballot-paper con- ... ; taining the name M'Crackett, (Mr;, or ; Mrs. not specified) was counted; (5) a .'-" ballot-paper with, five names, .on..' it; two names able .to■'.bo read,! and three names ' ■ unable to.be readj; was counted'; and (6)/ '\ ,' a ballot-paper witn ten names on it, one, '.< candidate's name appearing. twice,'. was ;'■ counted.";■■ ;■■ /:..'■.,•' V-v ''-"■■-'••iv; '-■^'■'\ "[■- Supper mm^omimß^^r y The fortnightly meetingof-tlie''Upper Hutt . . Beige'; presided.'" ■"-.; '■ ' . ',* f: v v ;', l ;. "'' ; - • -.'•'. ,-;A'; bdmmunicatioiirbm -the' XJpper Hutt • Township Land' Company was considered • in committee,, and it-was-'.reported-that' ah : amicable understanding 'had -been arrived .at with.' regard to the southward of' Cairo .Street. 'The area' between'.Cairo Streetj'and Park' Street is the only portion now to ;be arranged.' ,; ;■■';':'''■'.'- v. 'The?application of the Wellington Centre of. the New Zealand ' Amateur Athleticv Association to utilise the town. district main road in connection with a proiected Marathon race from the Pakuratahi'(Kaitbki)\to Wellington, was granted. ■ _ ■ ■;.-•': ■' It was decided to appoint J. .Phillips.per- • manent,roadman. ■'.•:" ...'''-'. .'•-'•lt. was" resolved• to .forward ;a letter.-of ■ thanks to.Countyißoad Inspector Cudby,■for. his services in putting in the level marks near the Anglican Church,. ,■■ ■;' .*.;.'. The; Works Committee reported' that the river protection works had sustained no damage during the floods of the past two months. Tho low: place in; the groyne (to permit ,of overflow pending scounng of a channel at the northernmost end of the crates) had boon filled in since last meeting, there being now no need for providing for overflow, as tho new channel was 6ft. deep.' wing, designed to prevent "creeping," .had been placed at tho end of the main groyne as soon as the new channel had; scoured deep.; enough to carry the main body of water. It was decided to put <n a'short'length'of low crate to' prevent';any, by-wash' • from' the. .lower'wing crates. '' ,v !.,..,:' Complaints were received as to persistent riding' of bicycles oii footpaths,' and . the Clerk was directed to summons such offenders as might be caught.'-.,- , '..-..'. Tho , Lighting Committee reported \ adversely, relative- to a; sample kerosene lamp, and it was decided to obtain- special information: as 'to the. .relative costs of gas (coal or acetylene) and electric.'lighting. ;.Tbo rate's for 1909-1910 will bo formally struck' at a special meeting of' the board on Tuesday next. , ■' .....,.->•'.■.. '"' ■:V'/ ; , ':. ,; : JOTTINGS.;; ;}/ •^■jy.'':' It is reported that an unemployed deputation will.wait on the Mayor of Potone at 9.30 this morning. '.*'■>''].■!. !A sitting of tho.Petone Police Court was held yesterday morning; before Messrs. W. • Inglis and, R. ; Mothes,'' J.P.'s.. Upon a . charge pi trespass, AM.-'M'Auliffe was fined .: 205., with costs 95., in default seven days' : imprisonment. For leaving a vehicle unattended in a public street,' A. Webley was } fihedSs., with costs 75., in default 48 hours' . imprisonment, \y . '■', ■ Great interest is being taken; in the meeting of the Hutt Borough Council to-night, . when consideration will be given to the Ve- J plies of the town clerk; and borough engineer to the reports of Messrs. ;G. Lamg-Meason and F. W._ Marcliant on tho administration ' of the. engineering department. In all probability, proceedings, will'be in committee.'. There was a good attendance at the Hutt Presbyterian Church last 'night, when; tho . Rov.-James M[Caw, late of Martinborotigh, was inducted into his; now charge at-the Hutt. The Rev. J. J. Gibb, who presided, preached and inducted, and the Rev. A. ,-• Thompson, of Potone, addressed the minister- j and congregation. . , i ~- _ -.. ■ - -■■ ,'.. - '-■ <