PETONE COUNCIL

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 91, 17 April 1923, Page 10

PETONE COUNCIL

The fortnightly meeting of the Petone Borough Council was held last evening. Present: Mr. J. W. M'Ewan (Mayor), and Councillors C. P. Brocklebank, A. Pere, R. H. Jones, W. Hay, A. Anderson, G. Cook, and A. R. Hartley.

The Wellington Football Association asked if the council could improve in any way the ground offered to the association over the stop bank. The engineer reported that the ground could not be improved this year. Mr. Pawson, who was present on behalf of the association, said the ground was too small and too rough. If no improvement could be made, the association desired to surrender the ground. The surrender was accepted. The Rugby Union was granted the use of the ground on the same terms as it was offered tp the association.. The Gas Lighting Board advised that in accordance with the recommendation of Mr. Kennedy twelve special meters had been obtained at a cost of £68 9s in order to test the consumption of gas in the street lamps of each borough. The board suggested that the Lower Hutt and Petone Councils should each pay half the cost, the board to install the meters on lamps chosen by the engineers of the respective boroughs. It was decided that as the council was satisfied with the present tests of gas used in street lamps, it could not see its way to purchase the meters.

The Gas Lighting Board suggested that in order to serve the tar requirements of the two boroughs each should bo entitled to a maximum quantity of 1000 gallons per month, to be taken monthly and paid for monthly on a 20 per cent, discount basis.

After some discussion, ■which, mainly centred round the expense of providing storage for the tar which would not be required during the winter months, it was decided to refer the matter back to the Gas.Boardi to see if some better method of conserving supplies of tar could be arrived at.

A deputation representing the three school committees of Petone waited on the council and put before it a scheme for providing a schools' library. The principal. speaker was. Mt. Steffensen, who said that the Wellington City Council had offered to supply sufficient books for 650 scholars for a payment by the Petone committees of £60 per annum. Councillors generally expressed themselves as favourable to the scheme, but it was pointed out that the meeting being the last of the present council it would not be fair to attempt to tie the hands of the incoming council. On the motion of Councillor Hay, it was decided to strongly recommend the incoming council to take into serious consideration making a £1 for £1 subsidy to the scheme. An amendment that a straight-out grant of £30 be made was lost, the only supporters being Councillors Brockelbank and Pere.

The Mayor pointed out that the estimates for the year had been exceeded by £2000, being the cost of finding work for unemployed and carrying out certain necessary improvements. The revenue had been short by £1314, but this, was covered by arrears of rates for the year and the amount of the accrued sinking funds.

Tha borough engineer, Mr. A. Cowie, reported that the Hutt road tarring had been completed from the railway crossing to Jackson street end from 1 White's line to Udy street, a distance of 58 chains. Small places in the surface would probably break during the winter, but these would be immediately patched. The Koro Koro roads had been, repaired. It would help to keep the roads in good repair if vehicles were kept out of the water tables when turning the corners. The lamps in the Koro Koro district were put in order a fortnight ago, but since then three panes of glass had been stolen. Good work would be done if Koro Koro residents would assist in securing a conviction against such offenders. Levels had been taken and sections prepared for the diversion of Percy's creek. There would be no fall for the water from John street to the outlet, and the. good working of the culvert would depend on the head of nearly 8 feet to be got from the Hutt road. The distance would be 62 chains, and the cost estimated at £4625 10s. This estimate included the laying of two 12-inch pipes alongside the culvert, and in this connection, considering Moran's creek had been closed by Gazette notice, the neighbouring owners who use the creek for surface drainage should contribute half the cost. Consideration of the matter was held over for discussion by the incoming council, as was also the estimates of suggested necessary works.