PETONE AND HUTT DISTRICTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1061, 30 June 1892, Page 19

PETONE AND HUTT DISTRICTS.

I understand that the Gear Meat Company, earlier this season than usual, are takiog on an additional number of butchers at their Petone works. Sheep are coming in more freely than nsual at this season of the year, hence an earlier start with more active operations. The popularity of Petone beach as a training ground for competitions at the forthcoming races la evident from the number of horses that may daily be seen at work there. Next week considerable additions may be expected to the number already practising, and from the general performances of the animals the * knowing ones ’ should be able to make a selectiou on which to venture their money. The question of wharf accommodation is still fiercely debated here, and the approach iDg conference on the subject between the members of the Harbour Board and the promoters of the scheme here is looked forward to with much interest. It is expected that the conference will take place on Thursday. The membors of the Harbour Board wit! have to be well equipped with arguments against the schemo if they expect to make good their opposition thereto, as the local champions are armed with conten tions in support thereof that no unprejudiced person oan ignore. The railway workshops are folly employed at present, some half a dozen engines being in repair besides the ordinary work that falls in.

Generally things are flat at present—the result of the season of the year. With the lengthening of the days, however, affairs generally become active, and there Is no reason to suppose that the experience of previous years will disappoint the expectations of the approaching aeason. It is encouraging to all who have an interest in the district that enquiries continue to be made as to the facilities offered here for lndust'ial pursuits, and it is needless to say that these have been favourable in all cases. The advantages which this place offers for the establishment of manufactories are daily becoming more apparent, and unless Ihose who control our transit traffic display a more generous policy towards us, these prospective industries will simply find a local habitation somewhere else than in the immediate neighbourhood of Wellington. Even at this season of the year there are very few houses to let here, while the erection of a number of snperior villas indicates that the place is progressing. The Bpeoial meeting of the Petone Borough Council on Monday night was but poorly attended, only a bare quorum being present. .Reflections wero made on the apathy displayed in the affairs of the borough by the absent members. In discussing the amendments suggested to be made by the Municipal Conference in the law, Conucillor Austin made a sensible suggestion. He pointed to the fact that a member of the Council had recently lost his seat through being absent from four consecutive meetings of the Council. That particular member had attended sixteen out of twenty-four meetings last year, whilst another member, who had attended only eleven meetings, still retained his seat.