HUTT VALLEY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 91, 12 January 1932, Page 3

HUTT VALLEY NEWS

REQUEST DECLINED Length of Bus Sections PLEA FOR EXTENSION Application was recently made by the Petone Borough Council to the bus department of the New Zealand Railways for tjie bus sections to be extended to as near the boundaries of the Petone borough as possible. The bus manager of the department, replying in a letter which was before the Petone Council last night, regretted that the request could not be acceded to. “The experience of this department,” stated the letter, “showed that the bulk of the Petone traffic emanated from Jackson Street, and it was considered that the fixing of the terminus at the corner of Cuba and Jackson Streets would be a reasonable point so far as the Petone area is concerned. To meet the requirements of residents living in the vicinity of the western boundary of the town the end of the section was arranged at the corner of Hector Street and Main Hutt Road, where there are suitable bus stops in both directions. “I think your council will appreciate the fact that our service has experienced abnormal opposition for a period of six months, and consequently has a considerable deficit to recover before the question of' further concessions can be considered. “So far as the bus route to Koro Koro is concerned, the Railway Bus Department has already commenced a trial service, one of the smaller buses being used. The single fare from Koro Koro School to Petone Post Office is 6d.” The council decided to inform the Department it considered the fares excessive. DECREASE IN BUILDING Petone Figures Compared Compared with 1930, the figures for buildings erected in Petone showed a big decline for the year ending December 31, 1931. In 1930 building permits to the total value of £56,126 were issued, while for 1931 the figures had decreased to £33,779. The following are the detailed figures for each month, the 1930 figures being given in parentheses:— January, £7890 (£6820) ; February, £l6BO (£2790); March, £253 (£8516) ; April, £836 (£2230) ; May, £1065 (£9435); June, £lllO (£10,210); July, £3528 . (£741); August, £l9O (£1310); September, £14,685 (£3000) ; October, £750 (£5432) ; November, £B3O (£4286) ; December, £312 (£1356). RAILWAY AMBULANCE Hutt Valley Division Thirty-eight members attended the last meeting of the Hutt Valley Railway Ambulance Division. Superintendent R. C. Horwell presided. It was decided, on Dr. J. T. Harding’s request to lend F.A. books to the Petone Sea Scouts. Dr. Harding is to be thanked for acting as judge at the divisional competitions. The winning team in the competitions, Privates V. G. Rainsay (4), W. E. Tynan, P. A. Maunder and W. M. Stephenson, was presented with the “Self-Help” Cup. The “Kempthomc and Prosser” Trophy for individual competition was presented to Private W. H. Boadle. The winners were congratulated by Superintendent Horwell and Ambulance Officer A. McPherson on their performances.

Sergeant A. B. Gray, on behalf of the division, thanked Superintendent Horwell. Ambulance Officer McPherson and Divisional Secretary Sergeant A. J. Ross for their efforts toward promoting the welfare of the division.

Throughout the winter season nine sports grounds were manned by members of the division. Members had also done duty at the Wellington Winter Show, at various public functions, and also at Wellington and in Hawke’s Bay during the earthquake. The annual report stated that the membership of the division was 47, an increase of 15 over the previous year. Cases attended not on public duty totalled 7149, and cases attended on public duty 165. In ambulance examinations the division obtained 100 per cent, passes. Appreciation was recorded of the assistance rendered by the general manager of the New Zealand Railways, the works manager, officer and staff of the Hutt Valley Railway Workshops, the District Corps and Association of St. John, and also Mr. B. Sutherland, of the Self-Help Co-op. Ltd., and Messrs. Kempthorne and Prosser Ltd. for donating trophies for competition. It was decided to commence the 1932 season on February 11 with roller bandage instruction. PETONE COURT RETURNS The returns from the Petone Magistrate's Court for 1931 show a decrease over 1930. In 1931 £1238/3/9 was sued for, against £2609/12/7 in 1930. There were issued in 1931 60 plaints compared with 150 in 1930. Fines totalled £46 15/- in 1931, against £122/16/- in 1930. LOWER HUTT RATES For the year ending December 31, 1931, the Lower Hutt Borough Council collected rates to the total value of £14,435/8/7. out of the total struck of £52,450. There is therefore £38,014/11/5 outstanding.

UNEMPLOYED RELIEF Petone and Lower Hutt POSITION OF SINGLE MEN Of the 656 men in Petone registered as unemployed 617 are on relief work, either with the Public Works Department in the construction of the new Koro Koro Road, or with the Petone Borough Council. Those working comprise 385 married men and 232 single men. Last week six men went off the register and 29 others came on. The funds allocated by the. Unemployment Board are insufficient to give every man his full measure of relief. There are 794 registrations at Lower Hutt, of whom 754 are working. The total of those working comprise 218 single men, 403 married men with up to two children, and 133 married men with more than two children. Last week the Lower Hutt Unemployment Committee was allocated £694 by the Unemployment Board, the same amount for this week, and an equal amount for next week. ■’ The construction of the new road to Koro Koro is now well under way. This week 174 unemployed men are engaged on relief work in its construction —84 from Petone and 90 from Lower Hutt. Concern Among Single Men. There has been great consternation among the single men in the Hutt Valley concerning statements that after a certain date they would not be given any relief work at all. It was made to appear that this was a definite instruction from the Unemployment Board. It was stated yesterday by an authority, that no such instruction was ever issued by the Unemployment Board. What, however, would probably happen was that local committees, in order to husband their resources, apd at the same time do justice to marfied men, particularly those with families, would more closely examine into the circumstances of the single men. Each case would be treated on its merits. ARTESIAN WATER SUPPLY Position in the Hutt Valley Recently representatives from the Petone and Lower Hutt Borough Councils discussed with the Hutt River Board the question of'allowing thq Wellington City Council to sink artesian bores on Gear Island. The Petone representatives reported the result of the discussions to the Petone Borough Council at last night’s meeting, stating that the decision was to take steps to safeguard the Hutt Valley supply. “I think,” said the mayor, Mr. D. McKenzie, “the city of Wellington should be content with its own domain. I don’t want the city to take our birth right. It has no right to come into our territory. In the future there will be a big draw-oft of water in Petone by its industries.” Councillor Longmore said the Hutt Valley should insist on its rights being safeguarded. In the event of Wellington taking a supply it should be made to cease pumping as soon as it was found the Hutt Valley supply was being affected. Councillor Scholefield stressed the bad position the Hutt Valley would be in if an earthquake broke the strata of rock which kept the artesian water. DIZZINESS VANISHES. Mrs. L. Tracy, 21 France Street, Newton, Auckland, writes: —“In dispelling biliousness I used Dr. Morse’s Indian Root Pills, and after taking a couple of doses of these pills I feel very much better, and the dizziness vanishes. I might add that they do not gripe nor purge as some remedies do. I can recommend this medicine to any bilious sufferers.” —Advt.

UPPER HUTT BOROUGH Business at Council Meeting The Upper Hutt Borough Council held its fortnightly meeting last week, the mayor, Mr. A. J. McCurdy, presiding. In reply to a request that the scenic ■ attractions of Maidstone Park be mentioned in broadcasting lectures, the rail- 1 ways district traffic manager wrote stating that under the terms of broadcasting he would not be able to comply. The council was of opinion that as a new board had taken control further reference should be made. The council agreed to Messrs. P. Godber, H. Cleaver and J. P. Goodland being elected fire police auxiliary to the Silverstream brigade. In connection with the proposed river protective works at the foot of Henry Street, the town clerk, Mr. J. W. Harbord, was instructed to inform the residents of the estimated rates- they would have to pay if they were constituted a special rating area. As the estimated cost of the protective works is £6OO and the unimproved value of the properties affected £4730, the land- ; owners will have to decide whether or not the expense is justified. Together with a report from the chief traffic inspector, the Wellington City ' Council sent an application from a carrying company to drive a horse-float at a higher speed than regulations allow in No. 9 omnibus district. The Wellington City Council intimated that ' it had not granted permission. The request was to drive at 30 miles an hour. • It was agreed to permit them to travel at 25 miles an hour instead of the legal 21 miles an hour. THE PIPE BRIDGE ’ Control of Traffic The Petone Borough Council, at its meeting last night, approved a by-law proposed by the Wellington City Council to control traffic on the Hutt River pipe bridge. Under the by-law vehicles of more than ten tons weight are prohibited ‘ from using the bridge. The minimum • speed is fixed at four miles an hour, and the maximum 15 miles, and vehicles are prevented from overtaking one another. Fishing from the bridge is not allowed, owing to the danger of lines becoming entangled in electric power lines. CONDITION OF STREET Complaint to Council A petition signed by 31 residents of High Street was considered by the Petone Borough Council at last night’s' meeting. The exceptionally bad condition of the street was stressed in the petition, and a request made that it be tarsealed. It was pointed out that High 'Street was a direct outlet from Cuba Street to William and Tennyson Streets, and the amount of traffic caused considerable dust nuisance; also that the large stones in the middle made it unsafe for crossing. The council referred the petition to the works committee to deal with when the estimates were being framed. WORKERS’ RAIL TICKETS Price Reduction Urged , A request for support in addressing a petition .to the chairman of the New Zealand Railways Board that the price of workers’ tickets be reduced was received from the Belmont Progressive Association at the last meeting of the ; Upper Hutt Borough Council. It was pointed out in the letter that in the present economic conditions workers were finding it difficult to meet the existing fares. At all times the tendency was to gravitate toward the nearest city, and heavy railway fares offered a further inducement. The Upper Hutt Borough Council gave its full support to the petition.