PETONE AND HUTT. HUTT VALLEY NEWS ITEMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 108, 3 November 1908, Page 2

PETONE AND HUTT. HUTT VALLEY NEWS ITEMS.

COURT CASES. In additior to the cases reported In last night's Post, the following were also dealt with at yesterday's sitting of the Hutt Court, before Dr. M 'Arthur, ; S.M., and Messrs. J. Cudby and John j Wilkin, Justices of the Peace. ! Four men, Joseph Pritcbard, John i Cmlby, Robert Fitzmorris, and Robert Hancox, were each charged with being found on licensed premises, to wit, the Central Hotel, i after the legal closing hour. Three o&j the defendants entered pleas of guilty, /while the other, George Cudby, failed 'to put in an appearance. A fine of 20s, with costs 7s, was recorded in each case. The Hutt Borough Council proceeded against J. J. K. Powell for permitting a steam motor wagon to be driven in. tho borough, contrary to the borough by laws. Mr. Hindmarsh, who appeared for the defendant, submitted that the case should be dismissed, as the information did not set out any particular offence. The magistrate upheld this contention, and acted accordingly. Mary Ann Duggan, a young woman, applied for a summary separation order against her husband, James Francis Duggan, on the ground of persistent cruelty. Plaintiff, for whom Mr. Wilford appeared, in her evidence deposed that she had been married 12 months, and during that time she had been for some time working for her own living, earning 30s per week, which money went towards the upkeep of the home. During the last six months her husband had on different occasions ill-treated her as described in detail. Several witnosses called swore that on at least two occasions they had seen, and in some cases examined, wounds about the person of Mrs. Duggan. For the defence, Mr. Ayson submitted that plaintiff had not proved the alleged acts of cruelty, and further, that the wife had in each case been the aggressor. The Bench dismissed the case. CIVIL JURISDICTION. Judgment for the plaintiff was given in the following cases: — John M'Grath v. James Brocklehurst, £1 9s and costs ss. James Stenhouse v. W. A. Sammons, £19 13s 6d and 15s; E. Feist and Co. v. Wm. Aubrey, £1 17s 4d an' l ss. In the judgment summons case Mary J. Kennedy v. Norman Phelps, claim £4 15s, defendant was ordered to pay on or before 17th November, or in default undergo seven days' imprisonment. THE HUTT GAS QUESTION. "THAT CIRCULAR" ANSWERED. , La6t evening there was another unexpected phase in the /controversy over the gas question in the Hutt Borough, when a public meeting, convened at short notice, was held in the Town Hall building. The meeting wae to have originally been an open-air one, but through the courtesy of the No j License 'League, who had previously engaged the hall, Mr. F. W. M'Donald, convener, was able to address those assembled in tho hall. The meeting was called, as Mr. M'Donald explained, by reason of the extraordinary procedure on the part of the Borough Council in issuing a circular the day before the gas loans proposal poll, so as not to give anybody a chance of contradicting any statements it contained. "Can any ratepayer here," asked Mr. M'Donald, "tell me that it is a proper procedure for a local authority representing .the people of this district to attempt?" (Cries of "No! No!") It therefore, added the speaker, behoved somebody to come forward and refute the mis-statements, which if un contradicted might possibly influence the- poll. The circular made out that in 1906 he, then Mayor, favoured the erection of gas works. This was incorrect and misleading, as at the time of the taking of the poll in 1906 he had made it perfectly clear that he was opposed to the erection of gasworks, though he favoured the council obtaining permission to borrow money, which at any time, upon obtaining the ratepayers' sanction, it might usa for the purpose indicated.. The speaker also refuted certain, statements made in the circular in connection with Mr. London's expression of opinion on gas matters in 1906. Statements regarding cost of the gas were also dealt with by Mr. M'Donald on the lines published in the brief interview with him in last night's Post. HUTT PARK. The Hutt Park Commitleo met last evening, when there were present, Mr. Russell (in the chair), and Messrs. M'Ewan, Hodgins, Southgate, Baldwin, and Colquhoun. The Golf Club forwarded a cheque for £48 in discharge of its total liability to the committee. Permission was granted Mr.' Charles Thorns to remove a cottage from the old native reserve. Accounts amounting to £8 14s lOd were passed for payment. CHURCH OF ENGLAND MEN'S SOCIETY. The fortnightly meeting of the C.E.M.S., Petone Branch, was held in St. Augustine's Young Men's Clubroom, Petone, last night. The attendance was good, including some visitors, ! which the management is always glad to see. Mr. H. G. D. Evans presided. The subject for discussion was "The Church and the Family," a paper being read by Mr. A. A. T. Hope. The speaker gave a good all-round exposition of his subject. He treated the present facilities for divorce, the present system of militarism, and the declining birth-rate as all leading to the destruction of the real home-life. Messrs. Wilkinson, Palmer, Longfellow, House, Rodgers, Castle, Richards, Andrews, Baxter, Rev. J. D. Russell, and the chairman took up the discussion. It was stated by Mr. Wilford at his Silverstream meeting last night that the average number travelling by the re-cently-installed midnight train from Lower to Upper Hutt exceeded 80. He said he had been informed that the train did not pay, but he could not see how that could be. On more than one occasion extra carriages had had to bo put on. , He undertook to try and get a late ti'ain on Wednesday night also, to connect with the last train from the city In reply to some questions, Mr. Wilford expressed his intention of getting improvements effected in the local mail arrangements to do away with existing roundabout methods. The annual picnic of the Petono Catholic Club will be held next Monday at a pretty spot at the Upper Hutt. Silverstream distinguished itself last evening by holding no less than four meetings : Air. Wilford's election address, a business meeting oi' the local Liberal Club, an elecfion committee campaign meeting, and another to make arrangements regarding a proposed ball. The Petono Oddfellows' Hall was crowded last evening when " The Kilties" gave a most enjoyable "Highland entertainment under the auspices of the Wellington Pipe Band and Dancers' Club. Practically every item on the programme was encored. The contributors were : Pipe Band — Misses V. Walsh and M'Millan, Mrs. Collins, Messrs. Chapman, T. H. Jaffray, J. M'Loan, H. Liardet, B. Brett, G. A. Watkins, Pipe-major Baillie, Professor Boyd, ' and the members of Turner's

Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar Club. After the concert dancing was indulged in. Mr. J. Cairns, a valuable member of the Petone Football Club for some years, j in four of which he was captain of the j Juniors, has been transferred to the ' Auckland Railway Workshops, and before leaving he was entertained by the club and presented with an inscribed dressing-case. Mr. J. Lynskey, Mr. W. Hardham, and Mr. Welch all bore testimony to the sterling qualities of Mr. Cairns, who has also received a presentation from his fellow employees at the workshops. Another fighter for the No-Licenp& cause in tho, Hutt district, Mr. A. J. Black, started a week's campaign on Satr urday nighfc at Petone. On Sunday afternoon he spoke to an open-air meeting at Lower Hutt, and in the evening to a crowded audience in the local Town Hall. At noon yesterday he addressed some three hundred t-f the railway workshops' employees. He was given a splendid hearing, and at the conclusion of his remarks was honoured with three hearty cheers. Last night Mr. Black had a crowded audience in the Hutt Town Hall, where he delivered a forcible no-license address, and dealt in telling style with the interjections to which he was liberally treated. The interjections, however, were not of a rowdy character. x\fr. T. Waugh presided. Mr. Black addressed the Woollen Mill employees to-day, and speaks in the Petone Oddfellows' Hall this -evening. The cricket match Upper Hutt v. Catholic Club was commenced on Saturday. Catholic Club made 116 (Hunt 49, M'Grath 22, and M'Clusker 11). Upper Hutt made 98 for six wickets (Paul 26, Davis 20, and .Keys 14). M'Grath and M'Kenzie bowled well with' the slippery ball for Catholic Club, as did Jowett, Keys, and Ailingham for Upper Hutt. The match will be concluded on 14th November. Mr. A. J. M'Curdy, clerk to tho Upper Hutt Town Board, intends to stand for a seat on the Hntt County Council as a representative of the Mungaroa Riding.