HUTT AND PETONE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6451, 24 February 1908, Page 6

HUTT AND PETONE

DREDGING THE RIVER. LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE. (From Our Resident Reporter.) “The Hutt River Board has instructed me, and I have at present under way plana for minor harbour works at tho mouth of the Hutt river. When, in due , time, they are made public you will be astonished at the ease and simplicity with which shipping can be accommodated at the mouth of the Hutt river. I feel sure it will not be many years before this will come to pass," said Mr Laing Moaeon, C.E., at the municipal function at Lower Hutt on Saturday. The occasion of Air Laing Meason’s reference to the matter was a suggestion made by Air J. G. Harkness, Mayor of Onslow, in responding to the least of "Adjacent Boroughs." “Mr Wilford has pointed out the possibility," said Mr liar knees, “of a population of twentyfive thousand in this valley. It would be well to look at the commercial side of that question. When you hare that popuLa/Ucm you will need to have at th© mouth of the Hutt river as good wharfage facilities as any wo have in Wellington. To allow of this, to allow of navigation of the river for a distance, it will be necessary to dredge the mouth and entrance of the river. Near that mouth is to be erected a fcrro-ooncrebe bridge. Might it not be well to look forward and provide that part of that bridge shall be movable, eo as to permit of steamer's going up the stream and unloading goods at yorur wharves?" Later reference to the subject showed that the question of dredging the river's mouth had been eerionf.lv occupying the minds of gentlemen resident not only of tin© district directly interested, but of the oitv and other suburbs. “I visited the month of the IXntt river and discussed thrt ma tter with Mr TTark-to-day," said Mr Rolixm, “It is just possible something will be put before the Harbour Board. It might be advisable to make part of the new bridg** a swing bridge. At all ©vents the matter should be gone into very thoroughly beford anything is done. If the Board finds tbo idea feasible, it should certainly communicate with the local bodies interested before designs are adopted for the bridge. Of course, the echeone is only in the air. I am not. expressing any opinion on it." ‘

This is hot the first occasion on which the question of making navigable the lower reaches of the Hutt river bo vessels of shallow draft Ims been mooted, but hitherto discussion has been chiefly confined to tho local bodies directly interested. Speaking to a "Times” representative a gentleman making large importations of merchandise affirmed that tho advantages of being able to load and unload cargo on either bank of tho river, even in close proximity to its month, would be Incalculable.- Haulage to Lower Halt would thus lessoned enormously. There was another consideration. Tho forWshore eastward from Petone was destined to carry great manufactories in the not far distant future. Inquiries by commercial men showed them to bo alive lo that fact. The flats in the neighbourhood of the river were admirably suited to such a purpose, but could never bo utilised to any extent unless berthngo could bo found for vessels. The work of dredging would be almost recouped by the value of.tho shingle which lies at the mouth of the river, and which could be deposited direct into barges for conveyance to various public works which are now being supplied by expensive means from tho river-bed further up. On th© other hand, it is contended that th© proposed wharfage facilities at Petone will dispense with the need for any such conveniences on tho Hutt, and that in any case thd stream is too winding to ever permit of its practical navigation. At low tide, in tho present state of tho river, there is a depth of barely fifteen inches of water on the bar. The conet shoals rapidly* and them is a forty-foot depth at a very short distance out, Th© menace to r permanent fairway over th© bar is silting under the influence of southerlies, which strike the coast so fiercely. What length of breakwater on the one side or on both would bo needed would probably prove th© important factor in th© cost of the suggested undertaking. It is contended tnat once the river was given an open channel its current would prevent silting excepting under extraordinary circumstances.

j AMALGAMATION. POSSIBILITIES OP A SINGLE BOROUGH. "I. look forward to the day,** said Mr Wilford at the municipal reception at Lower Hutt on Saturday, “when there will bo an amalgamation of these two boroughs; when one great borough will be formed/* Separate rating areas might be necessary for a time, but there need be but the one controlling authority. Mr McEwan, Mayor 01 Veton-e, foresaw difficulties in the way pf adopting such a scheme though m many matters it was desirable that the two boroughs work in conjunction. Still, if the present good feeling between them continued bo exist he believed it would eventually lead up to amalgamation. Mr E. T. Bunny, referring to the subject later, said he hoped to see tne amalagamationof tho boroughs carri d out iU the immediate future, lie saw no impediments to tho scheme being successfully brought into force.

"Everyone who hue the interests of the valley at heart must vote for a tramways scheme/* declared Mayor Peterkin at Lower Hutt ou Saturday. '‘With a tramway system Pctone and Leaver xxutt would advance as much m one year as In five without it. VV hether the scheme adopted be Mr Cudby's or some other I care not so long as it is an efficient one- I am sure the two councils concerned will be ready bo grant very liberal concessions to forward it/' At Saturday's function at Lower Hutt a congratulatory cable message was read by the Mayor from Captain T. W. McDonald, during whose mayoralty the water and drainage schemo was inaugurated. Mr A. C. Pearce, Mayor of Karori. also telegraphed his congratulations and his regret at not being able to be present. an apology likewise being received from ex-Mayor Orton Stevens. Three detachments from the cadet encampment attended church parade 'at the several Britannia street places of worship in Petqne yesterday morning. "We have made repeated examinations of the artesian water found in this valley/* said Dr Mason at Lower Hutt on Saturday, we find that it cannot be bettered in the Dominion—a fact of great moment to the residents of this district/*

The Town Clerk of Lower Hutt borough, in responding to a toast on Saturday, mentioned that on his entering office on February Ist, 1892 (twelve months after the borough was constithere were about 900 ratepayers, and less than a thousand rateable properties. Now there were between 600 -,nd ratepayers and 2600 rateable properties. Mr John Ludwig, whose acquaintance with the Hutt district goes back to ; t>e forties, was in reminiscent vein on recalling, amontrst ! other that on© of fh© marts preiwt wh© h©4 ©htfainod ©frl© h«s>©¥r»—Mr J. 0. Hark©*©*. Ua:r©r of o©«l©w— w»© th* m« rf a *kip©a»fc© wk© ©am© H th© •©!- my ©dtk ki« aity-Aro .©»«m ©«©. Fifty-six: tank© w©p© Slled fr©m th© mains' by the L©wer Hutt Tire in various part.' o* the barm-'-h on Fr ? - day. a levy of half-a-erown being made Un each case.