PETONE AND HUTT. NEW WATER SUPPLY STARTED

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 46, 24 February 1908, Page 3

PETONE AND HUTT. NEW WATER SUPPLY STARTED

INTERESTING SPEECHES. In th° presence of some two or three hundred spectators, the official opening of iho Lower llutt waterworks took place on f-aturday afternoon. Amongst those who w ilnbssed the- ceremony performed ! by the Mayoress (Mrs. Petrrkin) veto the Hoii, T. W. Hislop, (Mayor of Wellington), Mr. T. M. Wilford.' M.P., Mr. F. (J. Bolton (Mayor of Eastbourne), Mr. J. W. M'F.wan (Mayor ot Tetone), Mr. Harkness (Mayor of Ouslou). Councillor Luke (Wellington); Mr. Laing Meason (of Mcason and Maroliaut), consulting engineers for the scheme), Dr. Mason (Chief Health Officer), and representatives of the Hutt and Petone Borough Councils. The local fire brigade, with a lull muster, formed a guard of hunour. Mr. T. A. Feterkin (Mayor of Hutt} g?nc an interesting account of the. waterwerks. and congratulated the council and ratepayers on the successful completion of what he considered to be the finest water supply in the Dominion. An immense amount of credit, 'he said, was dv« to Mt. Rix-Trolt (Borough Engineer), who had supervised the whole work. Now they had the water service thort> was nothing to prevent them — as fast as funds would, allow them — going on v ith the drainage system. With a sysi tern of tramways for both boroughs, Lower Hutt and Petono would go moro ahead in one year than they would in several years '■without it. \ Mrs. Peterkin opened the deqr of tho power-house with a silver key, suitably inscribed, which the Town Clerk (MrPurser), on behalf of the borough. Lad previously presented h?r with. The official' in charge of the works (Mr. Ingraini then set the duplicated median Urn in motion, and 'the building M - as thronged with sightFjCeis, whoso interest scomod 10 centie on tho revolutions of the lauge fly-wheels. Subsequently the party adjourned to Father Lane's grounds, whore a few selections were rendered by the Hutt Brass Braid, and\ light refreshments wero partaken of by the general public. The next procedure was to put the water to a practical test, columns of water being obtained from five leads of hose connected up with the mains. Tho highest stream, it is estimated, went over 70ft. GUESTS 'ENTERTAINED. The representatives ot the various boroughs "were afterwards entertained at a banquet in the rucently-crected Town Hall. In proposing the toast of tho Hutt Borough, Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., stated 1 that the Hutt Valley had a great future before it. he lepeated his prophecy made in the year 1G93, to trieeffect that in twenty -fivo years from sea beach to tho upper end of the valley there would bo a population of 25,00 U. With the completion oi" the duplication of thft'Hutt-Wolfington railway hue he consideied that tht: borough would makb such strides that it would surprise itself. ,He congratulated tho council, the Mayor, Mr. Rix-Trott, and Messrs. Meason and Marchant Upon the sucressfu' carrying out of th^ important work of water su]> ply. In works liko tiamways'and other ■large undertakings he looked forward to amalgamation. ; ■ In reply the Mayor pnid' a tribute to Messrs. Sleason and Mnrchant, who in conjunction with Mr. Rix-Trott had devised the plans of the water system. Replying to the toast of "The Adjacent. Boroughs" (proposed by Councillor Russell), Mr. «J. W. Mi/wan (Mayor ,pf Petorie) s.aid amalgamation would bo good in > several ways— notably <in tbc matter of. a tramway system run on municipal lines. Touching on water supply ami drainage, in his opinion il would Unvo bo':n a i~ise'act hod thn two 1 boroughs gone in for a joint scheme some years ;igo. If tho friendly relations at present existing were continued 'he considered 'j th.it in time it would lead to amalgamation. ■ , Mr. Harkncss also responded, a3>d m?n> tionrd that his borough had the previous j day adopted --a water scheme. , j ■ Other toasts honouiod wove :— "The j Engineers," proposed by Cminei!lor>J. P Luke, and responded»to by Mehsrs. Lajng.Meason and Rix-Trotl ; "Hutt Waterworks Ccn^mittc-e," proposed by Mr. F. (j. Boltnn, responded to , by Councillors Baldwin and Judd ;t; t "'ParJinm^nt," proposed by Mr, Peterkin, resnond-vl to by j Mr. Wilford ; '"Ilie Mayer and Mayor- j ers," proposed by M"r. Bunny ; "Vu-it- i ore,"' proposed by the Mayor, 'rctponded j to by Mr, Bolton and htx. Msishail; ! "The ' Staff;" proposed by Councillor Hodgins, responded to by Mr. P. 11. Purs°r ment," proposed by Councillor Ko;s, j responded to by Dr. Mason ; ami "Old Settlors." coupled with tha name of Mr. John Ludv.i^. MISCELLAE'OUS ITEMS. It wan during Ihp Mayoralty of Mr. : T. W.'M'Donald that the Hutt water supply scheme was initiated. At ihe celebration 9f the opening on Saturday a congratulatory cablegrom was received from Mr. M. 'Donald, \."ho is at prpsent on holiday leave in Hobart. Apologies for unavoidable absent 11 * 1 , were al?o received from Mr. Orton Stevens, another ex-Mayor, and Mr. A. C. Pearee, Major ! of Kavori. I The speakers, at a succrs.-itu! cpen-air r.ieofing held by th? No-License .League at Lower Hutt on Saturday nig]|t v,cu-<? A. E. Wright and T. lov.nscnd. both of Petonp. The annucl picnic 'of the scholar.", attending'the Sunday Schools conuectni v. ith St. Augustine s Church, uhichi\as held at Bclinont on Saturday, was a gieat success, on which tha i\*cv. J. 1). liiu.scll and his willing- assistants h?r>e to be congratulated. In the sports first prises hcip won as follow': — Main school (boys).— Class \, E. Mnthes ? 2, J. Ihwin; 3, K. Stanford 1 ; 4, E. 1 Cowio : 5, W. Stewnrl; 6, H. Snell ; 7. F. Johncon. Main school (girls). — Class 1, E. Arrowsmith; 2, X .Tirnatbatrh ; 3. K. Garner ; 4, A. Hal For d: 5, D. CoudiiDan ; 6. J. Couclinum : 7, <]. Burton, 3, Q. Mulhr.s; 9, M. Soroiuen ; 10, G. Burton; 11, M. Smith; 12, B. Mnllinr. East E-irl school. —Chr-c 1, W. Smith i 2, A. Wvfeth; 3. L. Spinks : 4, A. Chandlpr; 5," R. Trtbolc; 6, L. SpiuJn. Wcr-t End School.— Class 1, W. Hayoman ; 2, K. S-.nith: 3, W. Sn-ifh ; 4, E. Wsrd. Maungomki ccbool. — Class 1, B. i'omfrey: 2, £. M'Millan; 3, N. Smith; 4, J. M'Millan. The teachers' races were won by Messrs. J. Emicll, R. Hour.?, and G. Castle, and Midscs I>. Slierwin, D. Avrowsraith, and I!. Riddler. "Evoryouc wlio has the iuterests of .(.hs Valley at heart muit vole for a tramway scheme," says tho Mayor of Lower Hutt. It is satisfactory to learn on tho authority of tho Chief Health Offirer — himself a resident of the Hutt Borough — that the artesian water supply of the Vallpy could not bo bettered in the Dominion. Repeated examinations of, the water hiivo b?en i made by the authorities. Thii'k smoke and light fiio ashes in tiK 1 .iir irtado things vny unplensant fcr Pt-tone anrl ji«tt rehidrnts on Saturday. In thp evening n bright glare in (be sky above the lulls between the two boroughs told of further damage to the fine bush up the Korokoro stioani. The prer.put town ileik of Lo*\rr Hutt (Mr. P. R. Purser) has been in office during those years in which ibe boiough lias niade'the most lapid strides in

i!s history, and has always shown himhelf well-litted Tor tha ever-increasing responsibilities of his position. In replying to a toast at Saturday's banquet, he recalled the interestinrr f.iot that when ho took office in 1892 then were about 300 ratepayers, and under 1000 rateablo properties in the borough. To-day them aro between 600 and 700 ratepayers, and 2600 rateablo properties. Residents of the Hutt have been availing themselves of the docision of the Borpucjh Council to allow the firo brigado to fill house water-tanks. A charge of 2s 6d is mad? in each ens?. When reloaGpfl from camp-duty many of the rarlcts under canvas at the Hiitt Park hive been spend ; no; ,1 good deal of their time in Petone. Their conduct has been auch an io reflect civclit upon themselves and their officers. Mr. T. A. Peterkin (Mp.yor of Hutt) experts to lay the foundation stone of the Camp-road Bridge in a few weeks. This, _ afternoon tho "dominion Baz.iar, ' inaugurated in aid of tho Hutt Convent Infant ScJiool, was opened. It will remain open every afternoon and evening for a week. Many special attractions have been arranged, and there ace numerous side-shows, museums, and so on. Opportunity was taken at thp opening of tho Lower Hutt waterworks on Saturday afternoon to present several members of tho local fire brigade with the diploma of the St. John Ambulance Association. The certificates were gained in a local examination, conducted by Dr. Purely.- In making the presentation, Mr. Peterkin eulogistically referred to the services of tlip brigade, specially mentioning Messrs. Slinn and Baldwin.