PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3735, 9 May 1899, Page 5

PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

At a meeting of the Petone Borough Council last night' there were present the Mayor (Mr E. C. Kirk), and all the Councillors except Councillor Mothes. - The Returning Officer reported that on the poll on the question of rating on unimproved values there had been a negative result. A deputation consisting of Messrs Findlay, Carter, C. W. Haines, Kirby and Donovan waited on the Council and presented a petition against the establishment of a sanitary depot in Cuba street. Mr Findlay said that if the depot were established where proposed serious injury would be done to property, and there would be a pollution of the stream, from which some dairy farmers procured water for their cattle. Mr Haines said the establishment of the depot in Cuba street would prevent him from building some cottages on his property in the neighbourhood. After other members of the deputation had been heard, the Mayor said that the representations of the deputation would be duly considered. He added that the statements made by members of the deputation that some of "the milk vendors watered their cattle at Moran’s Creek, which had rightly been described as a dirty, polluted stream, had more than surprised him. If such were the case, the thing ought to be stopped. He would see that these persons did not contrive to water their cattle at the stream, which was tidal, and for this reason became polluted from various sources. The water of the stream was utterly unfit for cattle to drink, and he had been amazed and shocked at what he had heard. „ „ , ... During a discussion after the deputationhad left the Mayor said he had had a conversation with the Mayor of Lower Hutt. and that there was just a possibility of the two boroughs combining to deal with the nightsoil question. A committee, consisting of the Mayor and Councillors Austin and Price, was appointed to confer with representatives of the Lower Hutt Borough Council on this matter; also to again interview the Gear Meat Company and endeavour to arrange for the purchase or lease for the purposes of a sanitary depot of a piece of land near the river, and now used as a nght-of-A letter was received from the School Committee stating that it was making application to the Education Board for a special grant for sanitary purposes. Tenders for the sanitary buildings were held over. _ „ On the report of the Finance Committee accounts were ordered to be paid as follow: —General account, .£ll2 2s 4d; wharf account, .£24 12s 4d; recreation ground, £9 8s; street improvements, £92 8s; and gasworks loan account, £3 10s. The salary of the cadet was increased to £39 per annum , The Mayor read a statement showing that after the payments in connection with the improvements of Jackson street and the Esplanade has been made the street improvement loan would still be between £4OO and £SOO in credit. Jde also stated

that the special drainage rate, which stood at 9d, would this year be reduced to 8d in the .£. It was decided to offer Ballinger Brothers .£23 for a strip of land required for the purpose of widening Jackson street. Report was made that the Gas Company had decided to sell to the Council for .£SOO about two acres of land, portion of the recreation ground, at present.-held by the Council on lease with purchasing clause. A letter was received from the Chief Judge, Native Land Court, stating that before any right-of-way was granted to native land on the western side of the railway line the matter would he laid before the Council. The Mavor stated that as soon as a suitable day could be arranged, the engineer for railways, the Mayor of Lower Hutt and himself intended to make an inspection of various streams with a viejv to the securing of a combined water supply.