PETONE AND HUTT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 84, 6 October 1909, Page 2

PETONE AND HUTT.

PETONE TECHNICAL SCHOOL BOARD. Last evening's meeting of the Petone Technical School Board was attended by the chairman (the Rev. A. Thomson) and Messrs. Duncan, M'Kenzie, M'Ewan, Mothes, Findlay, Coles, Castle, and Baldwin. On behalf of the board, the chairman formally welcomed Mr. J. W. , M'Ewan, who attended for the first time- as representative of the Education Board. Application was received from the Main School Committee for permission to erect a miniature riflo range at the rear of tho Technical School. After discussing the matter for some considerable time, the board resolved to recommend the committee to endeavour to arrange for the use of the Morris-tube range in the Drillshed, instead of utilising the suggested site. Reporting to the board, the director (Mr. E. King) advised that no attempt would be made until the beginning of next year to inaugurate the cookery class. The chairman remarked upon the fact that pupil teachers not able to obtain free tuition at Petone Technical School were in a habit of journeying (on a free railway pass) to the Wellington Technical School, where the necessary instruction was imparted free of charge. That being the case, he failed to see why they should be forced to go out of Petone for instruction. — The director was requested to go into the matter, and report to the board. On the motion of Mr. Findlay, it was decided to write to the Borough Council, pointing out the fact that the street leading ' up to the school was in need of repair, and that an additional lamp was required. The parishioners of the Anglican Church at the Upper Hutt are at present engaged in arranging for a bazaar to be held in aid of the new building fund. A meeting is to be held for the purpose of inspecting the plans of the proposed building, which have been prepared by Mr. Charlcsworth. It is understood that alternate tenders will be called for an erection in brick, and in wood. The church is to be erected on a site adjacent to Mr. Goodman's plumbing establishment, generously given by Mr. ]f. Davis. It is reported that the potato blight has again affected the crops in the lower part of the Hutt Valley. Tho blight has made its appearance a month or two earlier than usual, and fafmers fear that they will lose their early crop, for which the best prices are usually obtained. Yesterday afternoon, a small outbreak of fire 'occurred in a shed at tho corner of Udy-street, Petone, in which a mo-tor-bus, belonging to Mr. A. Cometti, was stored. While Mr. Cometti was handling a tin of benzine, an explosion took place, thus giving rise to the fire. The outbreak was suppressed by Udy's mill employees, prior to the prompt arrival of the Fir© Brigade in response to a call from the electric fire-alarm box. Maidstone Park, Upper Hutt's popular public pleasure resort, is at present being subjected to further improvements, with a view to making it still more attractive. It is the owners' intention, either this summer or the next, to extend the sports green out a further distance.