PETONE'S POSSIBILITIES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 23, 28 January 1908, Page 2

PETONE'S POSSIBILITIES.

WANTED— MORE INDUSTRIES. After the ordinary business of last night's meeting of the Petone Borough Council had been disposed of ifc iras decided, on the motion of Councillor Nicholson, <>ocond?d by Councillor snort, "That in view of the failure of tho Miramar reclamation scheme, a committee consisting of the Mayor, Councillors Shoit, Lodder, and the mover be set up with the object of formulating a scheme so ns to induce industries to come to Petone, and ihat the commuwse repoit at next council meeting." In amplification. of this motion Councillor Nicholson informed a Post representative this morning that in his opinion, Petone, having so many natural facilities for accommodation of industries, it should be easy to show to ■various manufacturers and heads of industries the advisability of making Petone the centre of their operations. Possessed of a sea frontage and foreshore, Petone lent itself readily to reclamation ; it had a railway running right through the town, which might easily be utilised, and sidings for various factories, and workshops would not entail much trouble or expense. The town had, within easy distance, a great quantity of unoccupied land, which would make admirable sites for industries. Thi<? land, would be shortly brought into easier communication with the Wainui district and adjacent bays by the construction of a new bridge racross the Hutt River. In addition to this. Councillor Nicholson is of tho opinion that the Hutt River might be harnessed to supply the power for generation of electrical energy. Outside of its own limits the borough had the whole valley behind it lying ready for occupation. Ho mentioned that the wharf now in course of oroc'tion could, when finished, accommodate irter-colonial steamers, and could easily b°. extended to accommodate larger boats. Nor, he added, should the manufacturers lose sight of the (Straightening and duplicating of the Hutt-Wol-lington railway line, and the possibilities of tramways in the district.