HUTT AND PETONE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6997, 10 December 1909, Page 10

HUTT AND PETONE

HUTT RIVER BOARD. The monthly meeting of the Hutt River Board was held iast night, tho chairman (Mr Robert Stevens) and Messrs H. Sladden, Orton Stevens, and F. J. Piiiney being present. The latter gentleman took his seat for the first time. Tho overseer reported that tho work done during the month consisted of the erection of new boom groynes'. That off Gear Island, immediately above the new bridge (length 16S feet), that below Jorgensen's bend (length 86 feet), and that off tho head of Gear Island (length 115 feet) had been completed, whilst that at the upper division cut was now in progress. All the works wero in good order. The Betone Town Cl-ork notified that his council had decided not to closo with tho board's offer for the strip of land across tho south end of Gear Island required to give road acooss to the new bridge. It had been discovered that the city mains would still have to be carried across the western arm of the river by way of the present stop"-bank, as to utilise the proposed new stop-bank and carry the pipes down the road-line would necessitate divergenceG of a nature condemned by the City Engineer. Therefore tho pipes would require to be carried diagonally across the piece of land (about three acres) comprising the southern end of Gear Island, and the council had determined to acquire this and the road strip under tho Public Works Act. Mr Bunny said that the Mayor of Petone had told him that his council was open to negotiate direct with the board. ; After discussion, the board resolved to make an' investigation of the locality before deciding to submit an offer. It was unanimously resolved to- increase the salary of th& clerk, Mr W. C. Cuff, to £IBO per annum. The chairman and members expressed groat satisfaction with the manner in which j Mr Cuff performed his duties. The annual card tournament between the Wellington and. Petone exNavals' Associations for the Hunt Cup was won by the latter on tho play-off. I Great energy is being thrown by a largo body of workers—male and female —into the preliminary work in connection with the four-days' bazaar (to open on Wednesday next) in aid of tho Lower Hutt gymnasium fund. A highly successful garden party was held at Mrs Wcbley's home, Blackbridge, on Wednesday, in connection With tho Lower Hutt Wesleyan. Church. The proceeds amounted to £l4 6s. ■ Tho Gear Company employees' annual picnic, held at Day's Bay, was largely attended, and was generally voted the most pleasant yet held. Winners of the principal races were icWhirter, Gough, Allcorn, McKie, Edlin, W. Ryan, and E. Ryan. Among tho accounts submitted to the Hutt River Board for payment last night was that of its solicitor, Mr E. P. Bunny. The account represented legal expenses and disbursements for the preceding twelve months, tho gross amount being £l-17. The sum included charges in connection with the Gear Island Commission. Mr Orton Stevens expressed the opinion that the charges wero remarkably moderate, an opinion in which tho chairman concurred.