HUTT VALLEY NEGLECTED?

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 81, 6 April 1933, Page 13

HUTT VALLEY NEGLECTED?

MR. W. T. STRAND CONCERNED

"When dealing with an'invitation to the chairman of tho Hutt River Board (Mr. P. J. Jones) to attend a meeting of the Technical Committee set up\at a conference of local bodies, called by the Mayor of .Wellington, to deal with unemployment problems, Mr. "W. T. Strand, at a meeting of the Hutt Eiver Board- yesterday, said he was greatly perturbed by a report that the' Mayor of "Wellington, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, had thanked the Government" for assistance promised in regard to unemployment. Mr. Strand said he had understood that the conference called by the City Mayor was to deal with tip unemployment problem of the district as a whole, and to that end several Hutt Valley schemes had' been presented which he had hoped would be included in a comprehensive district scheme for submission to the Government. It now appeared that "Wellington City was to get special treatment, and that the Valley schemes were likely to> be left in the air. Mr. Hislop had informed him.in the course of a telephone message that the thanks he had expressed to the Government were on account of purely domestic help and hacl nothing to do with any district scheme.

Members of the board expressed concern at the position, and it was decided to seek further information, and that if a comprehensive district scheme was not proposed steps be immediately taken to place before the Government the claims of the Valley unemployment schemes, which include reclamation at the estuary, the widening of tho stop bank On the eastern side of the river between tho railway and. the Hutt Traffic Bridge to form a carriage-way, and the straightening of tho river at Melling, with 'the provision of a new bridge. ' ■ ■ ■ ■ u.~ ■■-