HUTT COUNTY AFFAIRS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 58, 9 March 1926, Page 8

HUTT COUNTY AFFAIRS

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL.

The monthly ,meetiiig of the Hutt County Council was held to-day, Councillor A. L M*Kay presiding. There were also present: Councillors D. R. Hoggard, J. Whiteman, J. Mulhern, S. Blackley, and A. Campbell, and the County Engineer (Mr. A. H. Benham). The report of the County Engineer, which was adopted, stated that surfacemen were still engaged on portions of the Main West road. Since the Paekaka-riki-Waikanae road was not to be widened this season, arrangements had been made fpr stone from the Paekakariki quarry for patching this length in readiness for the winter traffic. Nothing in the way- of maintenance had been carried out on the Day's Bay road during the month, as the Suburban Highways Board had taken it over for paving operations. Materials had been ordered for the roadman's cottage at Wainui, and everything was in readiness for the carpenter to start on the work. A bathing shelter was being erected at Point Howard, and would be completed before Easter. A survey had been made in connection with the proposed re-alignment of the Silverstream section of the Main East road, and the plans for the replacement of the bridges were in readiness for submission to the Highways Board immediately after the conference between the board's officers and the Hutt Council. General maintenance and construction work had been carried out in all the ridings in the county. The resignation of the Temporary Assistant--Engineer, Mr. O. Douglas, had been accepted, owing to his having been appointed Assistant Borough Engineer to Lower Hutt. It was decided, on the Engineer's recommendation, to set aside the old road cutting at Point Howard as a parking-place for cars, in view of the large number of visitors likely to take advantage of the bathing shelter and picnic ground there. The Engineer was instructed to report to the next meeting on the advisability of closing the Main West road to heavy traffic during the winter months. Approval was given the Engineer's recommendation that the, location of the proposed bus shelter in York Bay be, determined in conjunction with the member for the riding and a representative of the York Bay Progressive Association. The bricks and timber for the shelter are estimated to cost £135. Following upon a request from the Secretary of the Treasury that the Hutt road loan debentures issued by the council be consolidated, Councillor Hoggard moved, and it was decided, "that a consolidated debenture of £4800 be executed by the council to replace the debentures of £4800 issued by the council in respect of the county's proportion of the cost of construction of the Hutt road." It was decided to write to the Wellington Suburban Highways Board requesting it to proceed as soon as possible with the laying of a bitumen surface on that portion of the Main East road north of the Lower Hutt boundary which is not affected by the question of road alignment. The portion which needs alignment was the subject of another resolution as follows: "That a letter be written Jo the Wellington Suburban Highways Board offering one-quarter of the cost (not exceeding £500) of the construction necessitated by the adjustment of the -new alignment of the Main East road, as insisted upon by the Main Highways Board, from the Lower Hutt boundary to the | Taita Church." I