HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1130, 18 May 1911, Page 7

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) OPINIONS ON TEAM QUESTION. The important decision arrived at this week by the Hutt Tramway Board with referenco to entering into negotiations with a syndicate regarding trams for the Hutt Valley, has created a good deal of interest and discussion. A number of opinions on tho matter aro given as iol°Mr J T Hawthorn, a member of the Hntt' Valley Board, ») discussing the latest proposnl of tfe : 't/flard' i to , allow- a syndicate to nut in trams in tho valley, said: "I am opposed to tho proposal, which, to my mind, is unbusinesslike. In a few years' tiniq the. Government will have electric energy from tho Hutt Kiver, and this will greatly benefit the syndicate. That is a stats, of things that should not be. I voted against the proposal wnen the mutter was before the hoard, but do not imagine that I am not in favour of trams. I want them, but I am opposed to a lnrgei amount of capita! being spent on a power-house and plant. Steam or petrol power would suffice at tho present time. . Tho. board should not liavo cancelled its public meetings, but should have placed this now venture before them. I intend to call a public meeting at an early date, and put the wholo position before tho ratepayers.'" . ■' "I am sorry," said Mr. Austin (another member of the board), "that the ratepayers rejected two loan proposals priced before, them by tho .beard, but we had no other alternative. ' Personally I will conserve the interest of the community in the dealings with the syndicate." Mr. J. W. M'Ewan (chairman of the board) preferred not to say anything at this stage, ftut he would like it made clear that tho board had no reason to doubt the bona fides of the firm with whom they were dealing. Legal effect would be given to- tho negotiations, which had been made at the board's meeting. In reference to the mileage sot down in the conditions, Mr. M'Ewan stated that there was every possibility of minimum being increased Tn eight miles.

Mr. J. Piper; an antagonist to trams, stated that ho was opposed to tho scheme. Ho was not in favour of any private company putting in a tramway service. 'He failed to see how the board or a syndicate would be able to havo trams running in nine months (the remaining time for the board to hold office according to the Act), and, therefore, tho scheme would fall through.

THE HUTT CO OUT. A sitting of. tho Lower Hutt Police Court w;as conducted before Messrs. Chapman, Peterkin, Cudby, and Wilkins, J.P.'s, yesterday morning. 'A middle-aged man was charged with stealing a bicycle lamp. Constable Holmes deposed that, on the night of May 10 he saw accused with a lamp, which had a private mark on it. When questioned as to where ho got it, accused gave an unsatisfactory answer. Mr. Ayson (for accused) asked for leniency, on the ground that it was a first offence. A fine of 40s. was imposed, in default fourteen clays' imprisonment. A civil case Peter Dic.ksou v. Pethcrick and M'Grath (claim £'1 Is., and counterclaim oC2 Is. Gd.) was adjourned till June o. ■