HUTT BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1898, Page 2

HUTT BOROUGH COUNCIL.

qr An ordinary meeting of the Lower Unit Borough Council was held last evening. Present— The Mayor (Mr. W. A. Fitzherbert) Councillors Cudby, J)e Rosa, Waugh, Jones, Eglinton, and Burridge. The circular from the Greylown Council as to urging upon the Government the advisability of opeuing up new markets was ordered to lie upon the table. In answer to a letter from the Acetylene Gas Company as to the lighting of the Borough, a reply was ordered to be sent that the Council does not see its way to go further into the matter. The Petone Borough Council wrote asking for co-operation in the matter of a public cemetery. It was decided not to entertain the proposal. An anonymous letter was received complaining of the Petone nightsoil contractor for depositing filth on land abutting on White's Line. The Mayor said the contractor had applied to him privately for, permission to make the deposit, and lie had reFused it. The Inspector was instructed to take immediate proceeding on all occasions of the kind. The Petone Borough Council asked for the co-operation of the Hutt Council in urging upon the Government the necessity of widening the main road, straightening the rail'vay line, and granting an anuual subsidy towards the cost of maintaining the road. It was decided to accede to the request,- and to ask the Petone Council to convene" the meeting of deputies from the local bodies interested, and to make arrangements for an interview with Ministers. Mr. John M'Gowan, Valuer - General, notified that he had been requested to revalue certain properties in the "Borough in consequence of the recent flood. He asked for information as to thesft properties. Councillor Waugh moved — " That in the opinion of this Council those properties :iffoo(ed by the flood should receive a reduction in valuation, and that the information requested be supplied." Councillor Jones denied that any properties in the borough had been depreciated in value by the flood. All properly in the borough was valued with the full knowledge of what laud was liable to be flooded atid what land was not. He moved tlint no action be taken. The Mayor supported the amendment. The Council ihad made certain arrangements based upon its revenue. If this was reduced they must break faith with the ratepayers, On being put the amendment was carried. The Clerk reported that he had notified local slaughtermen of the necessity of forwarding weekly returns. In one case one return had been sent in ; in another no notice whatever had been taken. The Clerk was instructed to enforce the provisions of the Act. Councillor Jones quoted the complaint made by the Acclimatisation Society with respect to an alleged pollution of the Hutt River! If the Council did not intend moving in this matter it should, he said, at least keep a vigilant eye on matters ,of the sort, or in the near future there would be a number of objectionable businesses established in the Borough. Messrs. U. Jackson, Moore, and Treadwell waited upon the Council and asked that a pipe drain might bo cut from Aglionby«treet to the crock. Councillors Cudby, Waugh, Burridge, and Jones were appointed a committee to inspect tho locality, with power to act. For filling in a waterhole at Alicetown the lender of T. Coffey at £39 was accepted, as was that of J. Turner's for painting the tool shed at £2 15s. The committee which had been appointed reported that it could not recommend the formation of a footpath in front of the Railway Hotel as requested by the licensee, and that the footpath from Bridge-street to the hotel should remain in abeyance at nresent.

The report was adopted, and the committee expressed satisfaction with the manner in which the building of the "Waiwetu Bridge had been executed, but took exception to the finish of the filling in and metalling of the approaches, and recommended that the contractor be called upon to carry out the specifications with regard to the tilling in. The recommendation was adopted. The Mayor reported that at the conference with tho Petone Council respecting gas lighting, that Council had agreed to the suggestions niado by tho ilutt Council, and had promised to forward a draft of a proposed Hill to bo put before Parliament. The. Mayor and Town Clerk of Peloue waited upon the Council, which went into committee to further consider tho question. The Petone representatives submitted a draft contract between the Petone and Hutt boroughs for the supply of either gas or electricity to the Uutt from Petone. This was approved by the Hutt Council and formally adopted and executed. The Treasurer reported the debit balance at the Bank to be £472. Accounts were passed for payment to the amount of £208 9s Sd. The total cost of improvements at Western Hutt for the past six months was stated at £375 6s Gd.