HUTT AND PETONE NEWS,

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 582, 10 August 1909, Page 2

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(From Our, Special Heportor.) 1 — «—;— • ;

THE HUTT PAKE. I The financial position of the Hutt Park Committee was discussed by tlio Hutt Borough Council last night. , j Jho matter was' brought, up by a letter 'J™ 1 ™ 10 committee requesting payment of , ; remaining portion of a grant of £.2o Riven by the council. Councillor Clere: Who has tho monoy? Iho Mayor: Wo liavo. Councillor Clcro: Where? V ' A councillor: In tho overdraft (Laughter.) Jho Mayor; What about tho' l £40 owing to us in rates? Councillor Baldwin, chairman of tho committee, explained that it was impossible to pay them owing to law expenses. Councillor Kempthnrne: It would bo a good thing if wo withdrew our- representatives and surrendered tho park. . . Councillor Baldwin: If we could get clear of these expenses and get rid of our nino acres of leasehold, wo could pay our way. Councillor Kempthomo: I think we are only throwing away £20. The debtors will only seizo it. The Mayor: The position is very unsatisfactory. . Councillor Kempthomo: I move that the payment of this money be deferred until the end of the financial year. Councillor Baldwin: That is uncomplimentary to your representatives on tho commit- . tee. The Mayor:, At.present you aro not .abio to show us that you would be any further forward if we pay tho £20, but we should, not defer the payment altogether. Councillor Baldwin explained that a con-' fcrenccwas being, held in a few days. In view of tho conference, thq question was held over. ; PETONE BANDS. _. It sooms_ that the existing state of affairs in connection with the two brass bands at. Petone is to continue. Amalgamation haß beeii discussed, and meetings to further that object have been holcf At a recent conference, the Mayor, Mr. J. W. M'Ewan, was deputed to interview Mr. Jones, conductor of tho Petone Band, but it is understood that not even a "modus vivendi" was arrived at. Amalgamation is, therefore,• considered to be out of the question. The Citizens'. Band has decided to go to tho Blenheim Second-class Band Contest in November under the baton of Mr. Gruar.Tho band will depart with high hopes of achieving success. JOTTINGS. 'An anonymous letter in reference to the' condition of tho roadway, and footpaths in Cuba Street, due to the carrying out of tho drainago works, was before last night's meeting of tho Hutt Borough Counoil.' Councillor, Pearoe: I do not think that wo should deal with anonymous -correspondence. I move that tho tetter be received. ' This was agreed to. • The ministers of tho Wellington Presbytery 'commenced a week's mission at St.- David's Church, Petone, last night. .Tho Rev. Mr.,. Xnglis officiated.' Tho other ministers tafing part are:—The Rev. W. J. Comrie, to-night; the Rev. W. Douglas, to-morrow night; tho R«v. J. K. Elliott, Thursday night;-and the Rev. W. Shirer, Pridoj; sight. . . ... Tho Lower Hutt Firo Brigado requested the Borough Council last night to have the ringing apparatus of the firebell'attended to, as the brigade had not the necessary funds. It was decided to do the work. Tho Waiwetu Cricket Club has been given permission to' commonca tho top-dressing of their pitch on tho Lower Hutt Recreation • ■ Ground. _ ' Mr. Leo. S. Ourtis, has forwarded his re* agnation from the Hutt Borough staff, as ho lias secured an appointment with tlio Petone Counoil. The resignation was accepted at last night's meeting'of the ooiwcil, and. it waa decided to call for applications.• The ordinary meeting 'of tho Petono Borough' Council was held last evening, and wafeiattonded by Mr; J; W. M'Ewan (Mayor), tind Councillors Southgate, Piper, Young, Jones, Lost, and- Truenian. Tho business transacted was chiefly-of a' routine character. ; j Shopkeepers''! hours aro-:being( fixed * piece- ' nieal in Petone.'i It appears that under tho • law a decision of one section of shopkeeporß can override, in its own section, a decision of shopkeepers as a whole. Petone shopkeopors as . a whole have' requisitioned and had tho hours of closing fixed as Wednesday, 1 o'clock;' Saturday, 9■ o'clock; other days 6 o'clock.' But requisitions wire before the Borough Council last evening from majorities of : four sections of the shopkeepers—namely, two jewellers, : three dairy produce shopkeepers, two pork butchery small-goods shopkeepers,' and two- second- , hand dealers—asking for different .hours in : their particular trades. Tho i requisitions) which we're all passed as bojng in order, pro- . vided' for closing at one o'clock oil Wednesdays, ton o'clock on Saturdays for tho ■ 1 jewellery and dairy produce (10.30 for the . other two trades), and -fl o'clock .on other nights of tlio week. , Borough finanoo was the'theme of a speech of the Mayor of Petone last evening. He' • stated that thero had been no increase in tho debit balance of the general acoount since ho became Mayor two years'ago,'when the debit balance was £335,7 16s. 6d. Bu't transfer items for the year ended on March 31 had amounted, to £199?'145., and included - eastern drainage £1168 16s. Bd.; Nelson Street extension and Percy Creek di- - version works, £631 os. Id.; licensing fees re-' • fundi £105 7s. 7d.; refund of amount paid on ■ preliminary work in connection with the ■ • formation of the Tramway Board> £94 99. 9d. Deducting these from the debit balance of £5309 18s. 7d., gave a net balance of £3310 4s. 7d. —a deduction of £47 lis. from the debt which existed two years ago. Tho assets of the borough had been increased . during that time- by tho acquisition of seotions near tho entiranco to tno Domain and Nelson Street. As to the cost of supervision. and engineering, this amounted to £631, and ' was 'mado up of the salaries, of the engineer £350, clerk £125, and foreman £156. • This . woe equivalent to. £4 4s._ 7d. per cent, on tlio total amount spoilt, which would bear com- ' parison with tho percentage in any otlior borough in New Zealand. . ', Tho Mayor of, Petone last night expressed an opinion that an amendment of tho bylaws which practically restricted the main ' road to shops .would be advisable to enablo residences to be erected along parts, of tho main road that were not yet ripe for trada buildings. . Other councillors dissented from this view. Tlio question will bo discussed .&fc Inter meetings. Thero aro. sixty-four applicants for the of caretaker of the Petone recreation ground.