NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 49, 26 August 1930, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

The Melling Bridge.

Tho Lower Hutt Borough Council laßt night decided to spend £120 on repairs to tho suspension bridge over tho Hutt Eiver at Melling. Tho engineer said that the bridge was neariug the end of its useful life, but that the proposed repairs would make it safe for a year if heavy traffic would abstain from using it. Loss on Music Week, iv Cliristcburcli. A loss of over £100 was suffered by the Music Week organisers, stated Mr. Sidney Williamson at the concert in tho Civic Theatro on Saturday evening, reports 'the "Christchurch ■ Times." The houses had not been tip to expectation and the organisers. were out of pocket. He made an appeal to all li3teners-in who- had received the benefit of the concerts to make a donation to help to extinguish the loss. Arrangements had feeen made with tho prominent music establishments of the city by which subscriptions could be left there. Mr. Williamson hoped that the fact that Music Week had been run at a loss would not make an adverse impression on tho public. ,In spite of tho deficit, he felt f.hat the festival had been a success..' According to the Cloth. "The tramways are paying, but the buses have never paid," said the Mayor, Mr. G. A. Troup, in reply to tho deputation of Karaka Bay residents* who asked for improved bus services yesterday. "Tramway revenue is, however, going down, and at the same time wo are faced with the new tax on petrol, which is going to cost us £1500 a year an addition to that decrease in revenue. So, if we have to do something it is not with the trams but with the buses. Every deputation I have received on transport considers that its district 1b being especially hit, and I have to admit that the feeling is a natural one, but a saving has to ,bo effected and it will be effected." Anything in the way of .extra services was unreasonable at tho^present time, said Mr. Troup, but if one bus could be made to take the place of two and the department could carry ordinary passengers on observation buses ho did not see any objection to that course. The balance had to bo maintained and the department's accounts had to be squared. ' ' Petone's Rates.' ■ While most Petone rates for this present year have decreased, some havo gone up. The reason was explained by the Town Clerk' (Mr. W. F. Sturinan) to the Petone Borough Council last night. "The rate on tho unimproved value is slightly more than last year, but the capital value rate is considerably less, with the result that the total rates, levied this year are. less than those struck last year. This means that some ratepayers who own vacant sections, or a highly rated section with a comparatively modest building on it, would experience a slight increase. In the first 200 assessmtents in the rate book, 146 ratepayers experienced a decrease totalling &24 5s lid, and 53 an increase, totalling £6 19s. One was the same as last year." Noisy Fowls. . ■. ' ■ Complaint was made to .the Petoae Borough Council last night by a'resident of Riddler's crescent that a nuisance was created by a hundred fowls kept on the section next to his. "The crowing and cackling all night long on moonlight nights and every morning keops us awake," he said. A j councillor expressed surprise that anyone should be allowed to keep such a largo number of fowls in a residential aroa, but the council's inspector said ' that yard complied in every way with the bylaw. The matter was'referred to tlio bylaws committee for considera- j tion. , . ■ ■ . i Punishment Fitting the Crime. j Mr. Ales. Anderson, the chief speak- j e.r at' a deputation to tho Lower Hutt i Borough Council, was himself a councillor a.t Petone for a number of years, and evidently he does not consider tho office a siaeenre. He said last evening that he would'make only one threat, and that was if any of the councillors refused to assist the members of the deputation he w.ould take careful note of | them and vote for thorn at the next election and thus make tho "punish-j ment fit the crime." (Laughter.) I