PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1206, 15 August 1911, Page 7

PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of tho Petono Borough Council was held at Petone last evening, I here • being present: Tho Mayor '(Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) and Councillors Short, List, Wakcham, Broeklebnnk. Cox, Burridge, Trueman, Piper, aud Lodder. A letter was received from the District Railway Engineer, Wellington, submitting a plan in connection with the scheme of improving the drainage of the Petono Railway Workshops. It was decided to grant permission to the department to carry out the work, subject to tho approval of tho borough engineer. An applicatiou was received from the secretary of the Petone Cricket Club for the use of the Recreation Ground during the coining season, on the same conditions as last year. Tho club also asked tho council not to proceed with the drainage of the lower portion of tho ground until next March. It was. decided to grant tho uso of tho ground on the same conditions as last year, but it ivas resolved to proceed with the drainage in February. Mr. C. S. Jenkins and also Mr." J. A. Richardson wrote calling tho attention of councillors to tho state of the drains at tho south end of Islington Street.—Referred to th,? engineer. A communication was received from the Controller aud Auditor-General stating that the secretary of the Wellington Harbour Board had submitted to the Audit Office the Petono Borough Council's account in regard to the cost incurred during tho recent election of members of the Harbour Board. The board considered that it was not a reasonable charge, and asked that, the cost lie determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 11 of tho Harbour Amendment Act, 1910. —Referred to the Town Clerk for reply. 'I tie borough sanitary inspector (Mr. W. B. Gough) reported that during the month lie had made an inspection of 110 premises. Nine written notices were sent to repair various sanitary defects, and the work was now being dealt with. There were two butchers in tho borough who had no shops, but kept meat in sheds, and he had boon challenged as to the right, of allowing these men to continue. He would liko to hav3 the District Health Officer's report on tho matter. Councillor Piper also moved that. the drainago and sanitary by-Taw Ire amended by the addition of the following clause:— That, subject to tho approval of the engineer, thrco-inch drain pipes and fittings may be used in the construction of branch drains for the carrying off of waste water other than from kitchen sinks.

The Mayor, Mr. J. W. il'ijiran, moved : "That tho following rates be made for tho year ending March 31, 1912: —(1) A general rate of 2 7-8(1. in tho £ on tho unimproved value. (2) A waterworks rate of 21 per cent, on land? and buildings used as dwelling-houses to which water is supplied, nnd one-half of the above rate on alt lands and buildings within 100 yards of waterworks, including stores, warehouses, etc. (3) A drainage , and street improvement rate of 3-16 th of a penny in the X on tho unimproved value, (i) A special rato of 2-1-Gfth of a penny in the X on tho unimproved value, in part payment of tho interest and pinking fund on the loan of .£20.200." In moving the above resolutions tho Mayor, stated that the net capital value for rating purposes in 1911-1912 was <£1,206,410, n decrease when compared with last year of .£38,261. Tho increase when compared with the first valuation under tho Land Valuation Act, made in 1905, showed a decrease of ,£102,083. Tho capital value of non-rateable property in tho borough in 1005 was ,£t7,76(i, and the value in 1011-12 was ,£131,532, being an increase of .SSG.Tfifi. Th? unimproved value of nonrateable property in 1005 was X 30.662, while tho unimproved value on the same class of propsrty in 1011 was ,£88,345. The gross capital value of land ill the borough in 1911 was 1,340.951. being an increase since 1005 of .£152,100. Tho gross unimproved value in 1005 was -£735.803, as compared with .£691,103 now, this being a decrease of Xtl.tOO. Councillor' Short moved as an amendment to the first clauso of tho Mayor's proposal, "That a pan rate of 15s. be established, and a general rate of 2Jd. be struck; iils> that .£SOO be taken from tlio gas works account." The amendment was seconded by Councillor J.odder, but was lost. The Mayor said that lie wished lo make a statement. It had been freely stated that tlio I'etono Borough Council was responsible for the delay which had been occasioned in connection with tho work of duplicating tho Waiimi-o-mata water mains, but this was absolutely untrue. On Jnno 27 this council wrote to the Minuter for I'ublic Works objecting to the Wellington City Council's proposals. Tlio Minister, in reply, had stated that the council's objections would receive full consideration. Workmen had come to him —men who wanted work —and had asked him why the council were holding up tho work. The whole matter rested entirely with tlio luiniste- for Public Works.