RAGWORT IN THE HUTT

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 26, 30 March 1928, Page 5

RAGWORT IN THE HUTT

(To the Editor). Sir, —Just a little word in your shell-like ear with regard to the way the "Noxious Weed Act" is administered in the Borough. Yesterday I received a notice from the Council notifying me to have my section cleared of ragwort. I was not aware really that there was any on the property; but on making a close investigation, I found seven small specimens. This is quite all right, and I have nothing -against being ordered to clear this; but this is where the "rub" comes in. The section runs right along the stopbank, which, presumably, is the River Board's property, and thitf same stopbank is badly infested with every imaginable weed—noxiou* and otherwise—and is a menace to hundreds of acres of adjoining property. I noticed particularly that fennell is gaining a very strong kand. Why should not the Hutt River Board be called upon to keep their property clean ? In my opinion, it wants attention several times in the course of a year;, not one clearing when the. seeds have become broadcasted over the whole neighbourhood. This is a matter that I would like to see given some prominence in your columns.— Yours, etc., ' H. G. SALMON.

------"Balaclava" writes us as follows •:■— "Sir, —I have read with extreme pleasure the account of the Hutt County Council's recent justified demand upon the Hutt Valley Power Board for k rebate in respect of; the ciirtailmenjt -of power for street-lighting/during the recent shortage, and sincerely trust this neighbouring local body will get 'satisfaction' from the august body whose direct attack upoii the consumer's purse quite eclipsejs the all-famous 'Charge of the Lighjt Brigade' which staggered the world of yesterday as much as the Hutt Valley Power Board's 'charge' stagt gers its own little world of light-con-sumers, in the Hutt Valley, to-day. For downright highway robbery, Sirj, commend me to their wonderful iml position of a meter-rate , of ten shillings for the registering of power consumed. The erection of this unfsightly contrivance in our homes even gives its officials legal power ( as ha§ already been practised in pne^. cass coming within the ; writer'i% fcnowf ledge) to break into bur (if on holiday) to read these meter^ which it should be the Board's own business to erect free, and outside, a| is done by the Gas Board. Just think of the solid pile of consumers' money being 'pirated' from them in this, fashion in the Hutt District alone. Ai well might a shopkeeper charge hi 4 customer for his scales and his cash 4 register, as the Hutt Power Board charge and retain this huge, pile ol half-sovereigns for meterrs ' without which, in like manner, it could not trade." --'■;«'"- 1

A report presented to the Lower Hutt Borough Council showed that the takings at the baths f-^om the beginning of the year to February 29th totalled £192/13/5, as against £251/3/- for a similar period last year. The takings for February totalled £65/18/8, as against £78/16/-

on February in 1927. The return showed that, although more children had used the baths during the past month than was the case in February a year ago, there had been a considerable decrease in the number of adult patrons this 3'ear.