BOROUGH COUNCILS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25, 30 January 1912, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCILS.

LOWER HUTT. USE OF RECREATION GROUNDS. EASTERN DRAINAGE SCHEME. The fortnightly meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council was held last evening. Those present were — The Mayor (Mr. E. P. Bunny) and Councillors Ball, Root 3, Hodginß, Hawthorn, Kempthorne, Hobbs, Clendon and' Stevenson. Prior to the general meeting, a special meeting of the council was held in order to pass a bylaw regulating the sale of icecream etc within the borough. General business was then taken. The secretary of the Municipal Association wrote Stating that the case in relerenoe to diminishing 'the width of King'sroad Miramar, had cost the association £50. The council's share of this was 10s 2d, which sum was passed for payment. The State Guaranteed Advances Office forwarded a voucher for £1990, being a further instalment on £10,000 loan. The Wellington Rugby Union applied for the use of the Recreation ground for, next football season, on similar terms to those existing for the past two seasons. The Town Clerk explained that the previous agreement provided for a rental of £25 for the two grounds, and gave the Union the right to charge on seven Saturdays, a third of the receipts to go to the council. It. was mentioned that last year the union played very few senior matches on the ground, therefore there were practically no receipts. Councillor Hodgins said that he was not Btirprieed that the takings were very small because the union played all the good matches in town. At any rate, tho union should only be given one ground, the other to be reserved for hockey or some other game. Other councillors thought that if the rent was increased the council could forego any conditions regarding charges. It was therefore agreed to fix the rent at £35, the -lease to be until the end of July only, aa the grounds are to be top-dressed in August. The Hutfc Valley Tramway Board forwarded a cheque for; '£39 Is- in full settlement of the council's account, amounting to £97 11s 9d. This was a composition of 8s in the £. "I suppose we inu6t accept this," said the Mayor. Councillor Hawthorn (a member of the board): "We have done our best for you." The council decided to give a full receipt. A renewal of a public hall license was granted in respect of the King s George Theatre. On the recommendation of the Library Committee the conucil decided to send letters of thanks to an anonymous donor of a number 'of books, and U> Councillor Ball, who had consented to give a lecture on "Practical Bee-keeping" in the library next Monday evening. Reporting on the eastern drainage scheme, tho Engineer stated that the laying of mains in section 3 was now complete, but there were still a few house connections to be made. The complete cost of the work would be made known at, next meeting. Good progress was being made with the next section of the work, also with the olearing of RossiteravenUe. Other works were progressing favourably. The Engineer reported that he was in _ communication with the Borough Engineer at Petone in reference to the installation of automatic lamp* lighters. He Would make further enquiries, however, and the council agreed to discuss the proposal at a later date. It was mentioned that the lighters would save the borough about £150 per annum. The number of connections made to the water mains since last report was six, making the total to date 830. Under the draindge and sanitary bylaws 430 permits had been issued, to date. PETONE. At last evening's meeting of the Petone 'Borough Council there were present — The Mayor (Mr. J; W. M'Ewan), Councillors J. Piper, W. Truemau, S. T. Burridge, W. G. .Lodder, W. Cox, J. Wakeham, J. List, R. W. Short, and C. P. Broqklebank. " v Mr. Hopkins tendered his resignation as foreman of the fitting department of the gasworks. This was accepted, and the Mayor took ocoasion to congratulate the retiring employee of the council on his passing his examinations as sanitary inspector. The resignation was accepted with regret. The Mayor and Councillors List and Trueman were appointed as the council's representatives on the Technical School Board. A letter was received from the Wellington Rugby Union applying for the use of the three grounds for next football season. This was referred to the Re-< serves Committee. Councillor _ Trueman moved a motion previously given notice of, which read as follows: — "That no increase of wages be entertained from any employee of the council, exospt when the estimates are being framed for the year, and that then each applicant apply in writing through his executive officer, and that no other application be recognised by the council, each executive offioer to advise for or against the increase." With an addition to the effect that under special oircumstanoes applications could be considered by the executive offioer in charge, this was passed. The 1 St. David's Association Football Club wrote asking for the use of No. 4 ground for the ensuing season, and this communication was also referred to the Reserves Committee.