WAIWETU'S NEEDS

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 14, 28 August 1930, Page 7

WAIWETU'S NEEDS

IHBPTJTATION TO COUNCIL,

.■Following on the request granted at the previous. council meeting, a large deputation of "Waiwetu residents waited on the;. Borough Council at Mondary's meeting and lodged the protests set out in their petition.

The expressed the Council's pleasure at meeting thfe deputation and felt that after they ihad heard each other's viqws, they -would'arrive at a better understanding.

Mr. A. Anderson who led the deputation, thanked the council for giving them the opportunity to place the needs of the Waiwetu1 district foefoTe them. "We have for long been the Cinderella," said Mr. Anderson, '"but unlike Cinderella of the fairy story, we have not had tfrat happy ending." The speaker went on to stress the need of a proper footpath the whole length, of Waiwetu Road. The condition of the footpath, he considered was ghastly1 constituting, a grave danger as people were forced to walk on the Toad. The creek at the northern end was becoming' a rubbish dainip and should be filled in. A great many people had been induced to come and settle in tih.e area and more rates were being collected. He contended that their turn for better service was long over due. TheTe was no work more urgently needed in the

borough

Mr. J. Brasell said he had been waiting for a footpath, for 20 years and had not got it yet, but he hoped to see, one before his grandchildren go to school. He said that "Waterloo Eoad had become a dumping ground :for the council'«■> -rubbish. Mr. Brasell asked if tiie people were entitled to 'one-third oi" tho rates collected in their area being .spent in their own district

The Mayor: "I don/t think so."

1' I, thank you ' ■ said tlie Mayor ♦' for the. very clear way you have put your views hefore the council. First let me speak of .the, Waiwetu footpath. That I work was included in tlie schedule of an £8000 unemployment loan. _The last [ work would be the footpath itself, and the amount of-the cost would be the amount of the subsidy-which the Government has not yet allowed. I may I say that this is causing me a great 1 deal of worry1, and the moment I get an assurance that the money will be paid over (not, bear in mind, when the money is actually paid over, but an assurance that it will-be paid over) instructions will be given for the work to be proceeded with forthwith. As regards the sealing of tthat road that is a matter I am rather afraid at the present moment we can't tackle. That was included in a loan schedule last July. We actually got to the length of putting it before the Local Bodies Loans Board, but it imposed conditions which I could not put before the people and ask them to support. It meant 14 per cent, to the" district in interest and

sinking fund. Would any of you thiak I was sane if I asked yon to support that condition*? Voices: No. "Tftie whole schedule was abandoned by the council because it did not consider the present a proper time to put a further burden on the ratepayers." The Mayor pointed out that far frond being the Cinderella of the borough, the Waiwetu district had had spent about it within a quite recent period £25,000. It was work mostly done underground, and therefore not seen, hot. the benefits of the services (sewerra-o. water, etc.)/ were at present being enjoyed by the people. "With regard to t-he footpath, in Waterloo Road," proceeded Sir Alexander, "it is the council's intention to bring that work up when it definitely understands the 'Government's, policy concerning Waterloo station. In fairness to the landlords there the Government should declare its policy' or lift the embargo on those lands." / Footpaths in certain parts of the Hall-Jones Estate were held •up because certain amounts'were not .available, Sir Alexander said. Those were notv- available, and the council was waiting only .for the residents of the localities to decide on which side of the street they would like the footpath. In reply to a question/ the Mayor said if the creek at the north end of Waiwetu Road could not ,be filled in before the summer months, he would see that something was done to stop the menace from mOsquitos. He asked motorists in that district/to save all the old oil from their engines, which would be collected, as that made an effective remedy when sprayed on the water. Later the Mayor mentioned that of the £8000 unemployment relief loan, £6800 was already spent, and when the eoun'cil got the other £1200 it would be able to go on with the work it proposed doing in the district. At present the delay was caused by a small technicality. '.