HUTT VALLEY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 32, 1 November 1933, Page 4

HUTT VALLEY NEWS

District Notes of Current Interest

Three building permits to the value of £176 were issued by tbe Eastbourne Borough Council during September. Fees collected amounted to £l. Mr. G. Burdan, of Muritai, and his sons.' Arthur, Harold, Oliver, and Trevor, have been appointed honorary forest rangers by the Eastbourne Borough Council. For the fortnight ended October 26, the Upper Hutt borough inspector, Mr. J. Lerwill, has inspected all building, plumbing, and drainage work in the borough. No cases of infectious disease were notified, and the health of the district remuined satisfactory. HUTT VALLEY TENNIS Draw for Saturday The following is the draw for tbe Hutt Valley Lawn Tennis sub-association’s inter-club tournament, which is to commence on Saturday next: — . Senior.—Hutt Bowling v. Muritai, at Muritai; Upper Hutt v. Taita, at Upper Hutt; Petone v. Lower IHutt, at Lower Hutt. „ . Junior, South. —Koro Koro v. Western, at Western; St. Stephens v, Muritai, at St. Stephens; St. Augustine v. Petone, at Petone. Junior, North. —Upper Hutt v. Lower Hutt, at Lower Hutt; Eastern v. Hutt Bowling, at Hutt Bowling; Waiwhetu v. Trentham, at Trentham. , Third, South.—Central v. St. Augustine, at Central; Waiwhetu v. St. James, at Waiwhetu; Pononga v. Western, at Pononga. _ Third, North.—Eastern r. Lower Hutt, at Eastern; Taita v. Trentham, at Taita ; Fairfield v. Central, at Fairfield. Fourth, South. —Randwick v. Pononga, at Randwick; Wilford v. Koro Koro, at Koro Koro; St. Augustine v. Central, at St. Augustine;' St. Stephens v. Western, at Western. Fourth, North.—Lower Hutt v. Epum, at Epum"; Methodist v. Wilford, at Wilford; Fairfield v. Knox. at. Knox; Upper •Hutt v. Waiwhetu, at Waiwhetu. Fifth, South. —'St. Pauls v. Pononga, at Pononga; Wilford. v. St. Augustine, at St. Augustine; Waione v. Central, at Central. • , . , . T Fifth, North. —Randwick v. St. James, at St. James; St.Pauls v. Western at St. Pauls; Methodist v. Knox, at Methodist LOWER HUTT W.C.T.U. Address on Temperance

The monthly meeting of the Lower Hutt W.C.T.U. was held on Wednesday, with only a small attendance. The thought of the month was: “We grow by overcoming; we rise on difficulties we surmount” A brief report of the annual district convention was given, and members were reminded that the next meeting was the annual meeting. Mrs. Lopdell introduced Mrs Wood, M.A., who gave an interesting account of temperance work among the Maoris. Special mention was made of the work of Miss Powell in the days before the general use of the motor-car, when roads were scarcely formed, and schools very few. A hearty vote of thanks was extended to Mrs. Wood for her most helpful and interesting address. HALF-YEARLY MEETING Returned Soldiers at Upper Hutt The half-yearly meeting of the Upper Hutt branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association was held in the Record Hall, Upper Hutt, on Friday, the president, Mr. W. Woffinden, presiding over a good attendance. The report and balance-sheet, which showed a credit, balance, was read and adopted, the president remarking that in view of the present difficult times the branch was to be congratulated on its good condition. The new subsidy scheme was explained to members by Mr. Donaldson, who urged all unemployed returned soldiers to make an endeavour to obtain work under the scheme. An appeal was made to all ex-ser-vice men to join the branch. A hearty vote of thanks to the chairman and executive concluded the meeting. . FOUR RECORDS BROKEN Preliminary Events for High School Sports Four records have been broken in the preliminary events for the annual athletic sports of the Hutt Valley High School, which are to be held on Thursdajn the senior girls’ long jump, Phyllis Barton jumped 15ft 4Jin, and in the junior girls’ long jump, Gwen Gostelow covered 14ft. 7in. A record in the senior boys long jump was established by G. Phillips, who jumped 20ft. 3in., and in the intermediate boys’ long jump A. Phillips covered ISft. lOin. From the results of the preliminary events and the general consistency of competitors, it is- anticipated that the annual sports will be of an exceptionally high standard. RIFLE-SHOOTING Stokes Valley Club The Stokes Valley Defence Rifle Club held their fourth practise shoot at Trentham on Saturday, under , the worst conditions experienced since its inception. Several of the members retired’with unfinished shoots. The following are the results of those who completed their j

The club will hold its fourth practice shoot next Saturday at SOO and 900 yards ranges. -

READY IN JANUARY Hutt Recreation Ground PROGRESS OF LEVELLING Assurance that the Hutt Recreation Ground will be available for cricket in January was given by the Mayor of Lower Hutt, Mr. J. W. Andrews, to “The Dominion” yesterday. ’ The opinion has been expressed by some residents that little hope can be entertained that the ground will be ready for the cricket season, but the mayor considers that such views are unduly pessimistic, and is of the firm opinion that, given favourable weather,- the ground will be available early in the New Year. In this view he is supported by the borough council’s director of reserves, Mr. E. Hutt, under whose supervision the work is being carried out. A few weeks ago the ground appeared to be in shambles, but within the last few days order has begun to emerge from the chaos. The ground is being levelled in preparation of the sowing of grass, and the i>romiscuous mounds of earth are fast disappearing. Although the work was 14 days late in starting, and a complete week was lost at the commencement through wet weather, the reconstruction is well up to schedule, and unless unprecedented weather is encountered it is expected that the work will finish on time. It is hoped to have the levelling work completed by Saturday week, when the ground will be sown and treated with 10 tons of lime. Mr. Andrews is particularly pleased with the manner in which the men have carried out. the job, and the spirit in which they have worked. There had been no attempt at driving, he said, and the men had taken a great interest in the work. They had put their best 'into it, and the work they had done stood as a credit to them. .Some indication of the amount of work involved may be gained when it is realised that 21 inches of earth were removed from the highest point in the park and 14 inches added at the lowest. More than 11 acres are being reconstructed, and the number of men employed vary from 50 to 20, with an average of 35; Under the new conditions, the ground falls one foot in a thousand from north to south. The levelling work was handicapped by the fact that none of the old levels coincided with the new. With the completion of the work, a total of 28,000 yards will have been shifted.

Special soil is being put on the cricket pitches, which, the mayor considers, will be unsurpassed in the district. The pitches have been constructed in two halves. One half has been laid down in turf and the other has been built up from 18 inches. The width of each pitch is 36 feet to allow for the movement of the wickets, and the yoiing grass is already sprouting. One difficulty which was encountered was the excavating of the shingle near the surface, and the subsequent building up. The pitches were excavated early in the undertaking to expedite the work. Special attention has been given to the drainage, some of which has been operating for 30 years. All this has been taken up and systematically relaid with a packing of shingle. It is anticipated that no trouble will be experienced during the winter months in the future through the ground being too wet. Previously, the bottom ground had often to be closed on this account. A three-inch main has been installed joining the water supply from Woburn Road and Bellevue Road. Hydrants will be available for fire brigade practice, from which leads may be taken off, and it will be possible to use the maximum pressure. Criticism was levelled recently by the council at the practice of some spectators at the foptball matches of using the cenotaph as a grandstand. Steps have been taken to obviate this custom, and the cenotaph has been moved back by 54 feet into the avenue of trees at the Bellevue Road entrance to the ground. Proposals are being advanced by the mayor for a grandstand, which will be situated at a site exactly central between the north and south gates of the park, and which will face a special cricket pitch and the main Rugby ground. It is also hoped to have a terraced bank on the opposite side of the ground.

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