HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 671, 23 November 1909, Page 6

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(Prom Our Special Reporter.)

' .■ ———* ft — ■ A YACHTING CHALLENGE CUP. As a result of a conference between the Heretaunga Boating' Club CPetone) and the Te 'Aro Sailing Club it has been decided to procure a challenge cup for competition between the two clubs. The main'points in the draft rules,. which will; be submitted to th,o respective clubs for. approval, are:—That the size of boats be limited to 14-footers, halfdecked ; the cup can never be won ontright; the cnp. to be called "The Heretauriga-Te Aro Inter-Club Challenge Cup," and-to bear the name of the winner and the club represented on a shield at the base.of the cup; the race' to' be sailed over the course of the club that for the time being holds the cup. ■ The representatives of the Te- Aro Club stated their willingness to allow the first race to be sailed at. Pctone on New Year's Day. With the. e wnts already decided on, a good day's yachting sport 1 on' New Tear's "Day is assured, and should bo made doubly sure by the challenge cup race, which will'no doubt attract a large number of entrants. '

MEETING OF HUTT EATEPAtEES, •The Town Hall at Lower Hutt was . well filled last night for the statutory meeting in connection with the proposed loan of X1U,000 : for the completion of the drainage'scheme. The Mayor of Lower.Hutt (Mr. E. P. Bunny) presided. . ■;- The Mayor stated that it was proposed to borrow the money under the Local Bodies Loans Act, at the rate 'of, 3J per cent. There was a, great difference in the estimates in'regard to ■ the cost of the work to be done. Their own engineer stated that the work could be done for ,£SOOO, but the. consulting engineer said .£12,000. Of.the work to be done on the eastern side it was thought that the cost would bo about JSISOO, and this sum yet remained in hand. He regretted that some members of the council had thought fit', to postpone tho. settlemerit of the question of\ supervision. He held that they should have settled it before the statutory meeting.., (Voices: They should.) He had brought down'a motion to settle the question at once, but it had been defeated by councillors who had thought fit to postpone the matter till they .'.knew, whether the loan were approved. There was also the question as to whether the work was to be carried out by contract 'or • by day ■; • labour, and he hoped, .that .the meeting would give some direction to the council since councillors had not', thought: fit to take the responsibility upon themselves. In.March last, when he.had stood for the Mayoralty, he had given certain' pledges'; to the ratepayers, and it would be a gross dereliction of duty on his part if he had not abided ,by those promises. First of all he had promised to. ascertain tho position of the finances of the borough and- the result, of the' fulfilment of that-promise was a report which they had seen. He had received a great ; deal of unpleasant attention and a great deal, of personal criticism in the courso' of his work, from. men who had thought to thwart him, by. personalities/ But ho was quite ready to • stand to his' guns as he had done in the past. (Applause.) He would, read them .the-report which had been prepared by, a committee and approved by.the whole council, and: after, hearing it they would be able to ; judge: whether a change should• not'be made m the administration. His Worship then proceeded to read .extracts from the report.;' ' ; . '/;■ ■ ■ ; '■•.'■;

Mr. Gosse asked what were the , motives of those councillors who hatL. desired not to \discnss .the.question ;of supervision. , ,■■■.'■, His Worship replied that he could not account for, an attitude of which he entirely disapproved; ' - ■ , . ..,. Mr. Russell asked if the Mayor or either of the consulting engineers had found anything wrong'with the work done in'the past by the borough engineer. - :;■ ... His Worship replied :that Mr. Rix-Trott had had very little to do with .the work beyond watching it being carried, out from the plans and specifications of the consulting engineers. Another gentleman asked if it were not an excessive amount to pay for engineering if they paid .£l5O for supervision and .£350 to the' borough-engineer.. ..-..' ■' ,>■ *,;.•■■. .'' Mr. Bunny replied that if the work were done by contract there would be no need for n borough engineer at a salary of,-.£350. Mr.. Adams then rose, and .defended Mr. Rix-Trott. After speaking for some time, he read a motion to the'effect that the meeting approved of the expenditure in excess of the .£52,000 as having been urgently necessary., 1 Mr. T. Waugh seconded the motion, ■ which was also spoken to by Major Macdonald; and Mr. Russell. .",' , ':■'< ' This- motion was' carried without dissent. Mr. R. .Stevens then moved:—"That this meeting .of- ratepayers approves of the proposal to borrow. ; .£IO,OOO for completion of. the on condition that the work is car'-' ried out by contract-under the supervision, of Mr., Maing-Measori." ■'■ This, motion was seconded: by Mr. .Elliot. ~ . ■ .\ .-..■■;.. • 'An:'amendment 'was.'moved by Mr. Ball:— "That the meeting of ratepayer's is of-the opinion that the remainder of the drainage should v be continued and ' finished by, day labour, and undorx the supervision. of theptesent .engineer." Mr.■'. Adams seconded tho : motion;. V:' ••-■ , ,-■• '.' :.....

It being ■ pointed .pirt : that the. amendment was a direct negative of. the motion so far as thb principles of the loan work: were concerned; it was decided 'to put themotion in sections. -. The. first section:—"That.this meeting approves of the proposal to./takoia poll, for a loan of ■£10,000" / was then put, and. car-!-ried unanimously.' .• ';'•..'"

;: ~on the question as to whether the council, would be_ bound by. any resolution passed -by the meeting-in favour of either, contract or day labour, Councillors Clere, ,-Macaskill, and Baldwin took' occasion, to' speak/ They all ; touched on' their -positions' in the council, 'ex-' -plaining-' the attitudes : they had' taken up.- ■ The other motions were not-put, and the proceedings closed, with a. vote of .thanks to the. Mayor. : \ .-'■ :