HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 569, 26 July 1909, Page 9

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(From Our Special Eeportor) PETONE ESPLANADE. 1 The committee of the Potono Recreation ' Preservation Society has drawn up tho following circular, with « view of conserving 1 the Petono Beach as a pleasure resort, and asking for subscriptions.— "Tho Petone Esplanade and foresioro between the railway crossing at Cuba Street is undoubtedly tho finest and most beautiful marine parado m Now Zealand, next to tho Napier Esplarado A number of the Potono residents view with ajarm proposals recently discussed to devoto part of it to other purposes, thus tending to injure the great and unique attraction which Petono offers to the inhabitants of tho valley and district Tbo Hutt River Board has recently set forth a soh-emo which, by projecting a training wall to re-1 strain the Hutt River deposits, and by cut-. tmg a canal east of Cuba Street into the now closed western branch of the river, and by dredging would givo vvator basins capable of future development to tako the largest ocean steamers now entering tho harbour, and to allow of most extensive shipping accommodation in the old western nveroliannel, .bounded by Gear Island, and tho western Tbranoh of the old river-bod If th«re is present need for such WoTKS, the Rivor Board scheme could bo mado effective for a quarter of the amount nMrn the scheme recently , discussed 'by tho Wel- ' luigton Harbour Board is estimated to roit. Thexo is therefore no, need to encroach on tho beach and foreshore between tho KoroKoto railway crossing and Cuba Street, and the Petono Recreation Preservation Association now desires to approach the Petone Borough Council, tho Hutt River Board, and the member for the district, with a view to enlisting their efforts, to secure for_ Petone the beach and foreshoro by getting it mado 1 a public recreation reserve with power for the controlling body to grant licensee for its nso. for bathing, boating, and yachting purposes. In other places the public rights for preserving such natural features are carefully guarded Petone beach, in its present natural condition, is a most attractive feature, and will, if preserved and beautified in the near future, bo a source of pleasure and recreation to all the inhabitants of tho Hutt Valley, as it now is to a verj large proportion of the letone residents" , . , Tho first signature on the petition is that of tho Mayor of Petone (Mr -M'Ewaa). The secrotarVi Mr. Griffiths, has been instructed to write to the River Board, inviting tho support of that body,. • i JOTTINGS. A debato will take place between tho Rev." A' Thomson and Mr W. G. D. Evans, at a meeting of the Potone Literary and Debating Society, on "Is the Centralisation of Educational Authority Desirable?" * The Petono West School Committee has decided to snpport the candidature of the Rev. A. Thomson fona seat on the Education Board. The new school will bo opened about September 1. •