LOWER HUTT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9325, 15 April 1916, Page 12 (Supplement)

LOWER HUTT

CONTEST WITH RIVER FREQUENT INUNDATIONS IN EARLY DAYS. Although the Lower Hutt district has been settled for many year*,, i** progress for long was very slow on account of the land being subject to .periodical floods from the Hutt and Warivetu rivers. To-day there are still living in Lower Hutt many descendants of tno earliest settlers. No doubt the .oldest living settler in the district J» Mr John Cudby, J.P., who, during his residence of nearly 63 years, has watched the progress that has been made, and was one of those who shouldered the burdens, trials , «n<l tribulations that were the lot-orJ the first colonists. Among others who were bom and have practically lived the whole of their lives in.Hutt are Messrs J. Allen, C. Hollard, C. W. Brown, J. Judd and members of the Burt family. , „, . .. . The earlier settlers budV . tbear homes on the banks of the nver—mainly on the railway station or west side—and the principal industry then engaged in was j>it-sa/wiag. Fifty years ago the land was rich in timber, and ten years earlier a forest extended from Petone right up tH© valley. The river was not as broad as it lp at the present time; bush in all 3ty nativo grandeur grew along the banks'of the stream and primitive bridges were formed by the felling of a pine tree, thus spanning the seventy to one hundred feet of water. The firft trafflo bridge was built .across the Tiver at the end of what is now Railway avenue, and close to it stood the Aglionr by Anns, a public house that will be 4-ememibered by many of the > °Jder settlers in the Wellington a»d Wairarapa districts. The Rising Sun Hotel was the first built in the district, but the Aglionby Arms, owned by Mr James Nelson Burchbm, was the most noted. Some of the earliest drawings and "plates" show this ancient hostelry situated on the river bank nearly surrounded by forest, and after it had done its duty to the, traveller for a number of years, a flood (after the building had 'been iremoved to a spot near where'the 'present traffic bridge stands) undermined its foundations and carried it away. The first 'bridge went to its doomas the result of an earthquake. This was on January 22nd, 1855, and the next bridge was erected at an angie with an approach, on the western aide, about one hundred yards south of the present structure. This bridge caused trouble through successive floods carrying portions of it away, and eventually a third bridge was built, to be replaced, as time went on and traffic became greater, by the present Hutt bridge. ■ ■, : ha. the first place the land" was ontained from the New Zealand Company by lots being drawn for it m England, and many of the first settlers who had not m the drawing simply claimed their right ot occupation by taking possession, of absentee, "property. They had to €" v e up ppssessibn later on, however, and the absentee was greatly benefited by the improvements that had -been made. The«tatement that the river at ono period in its history was navigable for a considerable distance from it» mouth would 'be aooepted by inost person* "with a grain of 6alt, »nt assuredly such was the case. Ae.previously stated, the stream was very j much narrower than is the -case now. Consequently it had a deeper ohan-; ned, and at White's line (a wfcd tha* j marks the boundary between Buttattd i Petone boroughs on ihe western »i«e ; of the river, and continues, along the j eastern side at thb back of Bellevnei Gardens), there was a small jetty ; which schoonere loaded timber ,ior i Wellington. In places the depth •« water in the river was upwards ol , thirty feet, and at White's . line at* ; depth -was abffut ten feet. j RAIDS BY THE MAORIS, , j Native raids were a soiree ot j trouble and anxiety, and in the early! " 'fifties" a 'blockhouse was -built-6n >i spot upwards .of one hundred yards I above the town iraSfie bridge, ana on; ground that .now forms part of "She I riverbed. The blockhouse was a strongly- j built, substantial edifice, containing .a j large yard, and there were rooms in; the building for the acoommodation: of families in the event of a.native; raid. It was never used for this pur-; pose, but volunteers and members 4>£\ tiie militia, numbering about two bun-! dred persons, were drilled in the y»ra; regularly; boys of sixteen years w; age being called upon to give their! services. The period was a trying «jne, \ but with that indomitable pluck and; perseverance that were an outstanding trait in the character of New Zea-

land's pioneer settlors, they struggled on. Wi Taka ira? busily sharpening his battleaxe. and the settlors in tiie Wnirarapa moved down to tho Hutt Valley fori'protection. Some of them lomaiucd and gained their livelihood there by assisting to build tho blockhouse, winch was afterwards concerted iato. a .school, tho k-ader being a holdier named Harrison. Families were . a;Ccpiimiqdated in churches and other buildings, and" Mr J. 'Jmid, an old resident of Lower Hutt, has the. honour of being torn in a church at this anxious ' time. The quality'of the "stuff' that these pioneers wore made of is shown clearly by the.'afllfion of ■>!'' T. Freothy, who had a farm in the vicinity of White's line. In''common vvitli others he was notified to go into the settlement, -s a raid' by Maoris was expected. Ho stoutly refused to leave hifs property, and set to work, arranging his defenco in case of an attack. The Maoris jjrrived in duo course, and while Free thy was guarding his home tho native'! relieved the farm of its stock of pigs, bat, no further damage was done. FLOODS RETARD PROGRESS. The progress of the Hutt received its-Tgf'eatest set-back from floods. It was an offshoot of the Hutt river—the Waiwotu—that occasioned mast daanagCj although above Mason's Gardens tho settlers suffered greatly from inundations from tho Hutt. On one occasion twenty-two persons wore drowned in tho vicinity of Mason a Gardens and further up near the gorge; houses in some instances being washed away. After twelve hours' rain tho whole valley -was covered with a, sheet on: water time after time. Tho lower floors of the dwellings wore flooded, and refuge had to bo taken by tho inhabitants in the upper stories. A depth of five feet wa» common, and in tho Waiwetu it was often deeper. One old settler tells the story of being marooned in his house for several days. He and ms family had plenty of feed, and were able 'to boil a kettle upstairs. A neighbour was not so fortunately situated, howover. and was without hot water or tho means of boiling * kettle. To solve the difficulty a Maori servant swam from one house to the other, over fences and other obstacles, holding a receptable containing hot ■water above his head as he swam. To keop out the flood waters, Mr Ludlam, tho original founder of what or© now known as Bellevue Gardens, built a brick wall round his promises. Many would-be settlers left the district on account of tho floods, but they were, not without their compensating influences. River deposit was spread over the ground, and to-day tho Hutt valley soil is as prolific in production as any in New Zealand. Root at.d wheat crops, years ago, paid the farmer tenfold for his sowing. Opposite Bellevue Gardens carrots averaging eighty tons and wheat averaging sixty bushels to tho acre have been taken over ttfwide acreage. The Waiwetu stream was then more navigable than the Hutt river, and vessels with a deeper draught were navigated up it for some distance from the mouth. Messrs Wilcox and Allen huilt a schooner, oft its banks. It was a vessel of fair dimensions, but it met with an early fate: On its first voyage across tho harbour, being without foundered in a squall, one ™<tnfo££M3M.&™ losing'hi* life. ( EARTHQUAKES IN '55. Tho visitation of the heavy earthquakes in 1855 made a great difference to the Hutt • Valley generally. At Mason's Gardens, where tho "Waiwetu branched off from- the Hutt river, the land was lifted up by the earthquakes, and the water that formerly ran across the road at this point was diverted into the Hutt river. The old course of tho Waiwetu can stall be distinctly' seen, ond ihere was danger of the river breaking through there again until the stream Was conti oiled. Those who had made their homos in the Waiwetu and Nai N'ai had their lands practically mado immune from flood through tho good offices of earthquakes, but while they lasted residents Bad anything but an enviable experience. On account of the nature of the soilj the ; earthquake shocks were extremely severe. In Stokes's Valley, where .the .late Mr Hart Udy had a sawmill, the whole structure was razed to -Che ground by an earthquake. Mr Udy at once made for Lower Hutt to see how Mrs Udy was faring. He was chagrined to find the houso in a state of collapse-."! lA'searcn for Mrs Udy was made,_and ho was much relieved to find th&fc T *'she had . iuade-'-good Her escape irSonghr a "window. "MrsT-Udy, in an injured condition, had gone to a neighbour's, whore she received medical aid. The lady is now living at Potono, and though advanced in years is still enjoying excellent health. There was not a ..chimney -standing -in Lower-Hutt in those days, and numbers of tho mhabrtaaiß"slept in the open for many weeks. • The water became oily and unfit for drinking purposes, and when a "shake'' was in progress the violence of thai shock was such that huge trees were almost bent to-the ground, And most persons suffered from earthquake sickness: ,;. fy TRIALS OEs;THE SETTLERS. such as these the pioneers »qre with fortitude, bufc-their ..troubles irero not yot ended. l Tho floods made iheir irregular appearance .in tho iownship. ' The principal' shippers ot tifeber were Messrs Udy, Knight, Cole, •nd Oopeland, and with the shallowing it!; tKe " river transport by this means stopped. JEhe standing timber was B-Jfj this time- cut well back from tho r||er, and farming was progressing apace. were used as a means djf ''tl|o -timber to - Wellington—-raorS'-thaii *■ day's'-journey, there and back —while many farmers carried their ißrm produce td the city on their backs, to return with household necessities. It ,/was toil from early morning Until' la"fo : at. night'for an existence, but'the "outdoor" life Kept the people healthy, and there was little sickness. Wages were low, the highest rate paid feiiig os per day. Still, the people were happy and made no complaints, but the fear of floods kept them ever on the alert during the rainy weather. Tho Waiwetu stream still flows, its source.being now springs instead of tho Hutt river.. Where, once trees up to fjaur feet in thickness were carried fllor.g >y its flood, waters, only leaves and small twigs float on its sluggish bosom. That is not the case with the Hutt river, however, which can still boast of a respectable flood. It would be difficult to estimate the hundreds of acres of fertile land that the Hutt river has -.-claimed. 'From the Hutt to the Silyeratrcam _bridge extensive erosion has' taken place. Once thero were grass paddocks behind the business premises ok the eastern side,

facing tho river. Those have boon gradually washed away, until only a small strip is now left. Higher up, Messis Mason, Speedy, Welch, and numbers of others lost a, considerable portion of their property through tho river claiming it, and although the erosion is not nca.'ly so extensive today it is still going on. HUTT RIVER CONTROL. The damage dona Was becoming so extensive that the settlers considered the question of constricting river protective works. A board called the Hutt River District Board was formed, and hold its first meeting-on March 12th, 1879. It consisted of five members, at.d the first chairman was tho late Mr Thomas Mason, of Taita. Tho board mot regularly, and voted and spent small sums on river protective works. A certain amount of Rood was done through its efforts, but tho want of funds prevented works of a comprehensive nature bein-.j undertaken, and the board hold its last meeting on April 23rd, 1837. Soon afterwards tho district was visited by a disastrous

flood, and Mr E. P. Bunny, with others, was mainly instrumental in getting the present Jtlutt River Board formed. This was the turning point in the history of Lower Hutt. The first meeting of the new ■ board was held on March 17th, 1899, and its mem. bers were Messrs Dilnot Sladden (chairman), W: A. Fitzherbert, W. G. Foster, H. J. Riddsord,«a»d Dr JPurdy. Prior to this Mr R. C. Kirk, then: Mayor ■of Petone, put forward a, scheme of river protection, and asked the Lower Hutt Council to co-operate with Petone in. giving effect to it. Tlje scheme made provision for a stopbank to be erected on one side of tho river, and in order that the stormwater from the hills might effectively dealt with it,was proposed to cut a canal from a point near the Hutt railway station, known as OolieU's bridge, through the To Momi estate and Petone to the sea. The proposal did not find support, however, so Petone erected its own stop-bank. Before the advent of the Hutt River Board tho average price for land at Hutt was from £4O to £SO an acre, but through the work 3 carried out by the board it jumped to £3OO per acre in' a very short space of time. Until 1910 the board's jurisdiction extended from tho mouth of the river tp Mason's Gardens, just outside the borough boundary, but since that date it has been extended to the railway bridge at Silverstream. On the west side of the river a stop-bank was erected from the old pipe bridges to Melling settlement, and on tho east side to the end of ths Hutt borough. Booii groynes were erected, and are still being increased in number, and other works carried out that havo been of a highly beneficial nature for the whole district. Under the board's engineer (Mr LaingtMeason), two cuts were made in the lower reaches, which for some time after completion only diverted a small stream from- the winding course of the river, but they now form tho principal channel, the river being considerably straightened thereby. Theso works mado Hutt immune from flood, and from then its progress bounded along. For rating purposes the land in the river district is classified. The lands in class 1 are those liable to actual damage; class 2 embraces lands* that are less liable to actual damage; and class 3 lands indirectly liable to damage. Th© board is an elective body of six monitors, its present chairman being Mr H. Baldwin, Mayor of Lower Hutt. Its income is approximately £2500 per annum, lands in class 1 paying 95-200ths of a penny in' the £l, those in class 2 5-l-200ths of a penny, and those in class 3 22-200ths of a penny. The loans and capitalised m torest amount to £48,587, and authority has been given by the ratepayers.for the further borrowing of £SOOO to carry out necessary protective works." Without the River Board's works, Lower Hutt would still be an undesirable district to live in, and it could not have progressed to the extent it has. A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. Notwithstanding that tho Petone and Hutt boroughs are joined together, thero is a marked distinction between them. Fetone's population is nearly wholly composed of artisans, the town being an industrial one. The residents of Lower Hutt, on the other hand, aro business men, small farmers, and nurserymen. The district is the garden of the Wellington province, whence the city draws its supplies of cut flowers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and kitchen garden produce. There are many beautiful homes to bo seen, but as regards a general interest being taken' in the welfare and advancement of the district, it "is conspicuously noticeable by its absence. Unlike Petone, where the residents talk, and in their

sleeping hours dream Pet-one, the inhabitants of Lower Hutt are mainly apathetic. Fanners who toil as long as the daylight lasts cannot be expected to do without their well-earned rest to discuss borough questions at night, hut it is the business man who locks most interest. Luckily ihere are a fenwho have the borough concerns at heart, and it is to these few that tho credit or pushing the area along is due. Boh.g essentially the bedroom for the city man, all he asks for is quietness. Maybe his business knowledge, more especially as regards finance, would prove of great service to the borough, but though his home is there his principal interests are not, and ho is quite content to allow the "willing horse" to shoulder the responsibilities connected with municipal polities. As a residential area Hutt has many advantages. The open valley is bathed in sunshine throughout the year, and sea fogs are exceptionally rare. The soil is extremely . fertile, as it consists mostly of river silt, deposited in ages

past. As regards the water, its quality for drinking and culinary purposes, cannot be too strongly emphasised, as it is probably the purest in New Zealand. Land, although it has risen in value during the past ten years, is still cheaper than nearer Wellington, and the railway facilities are considerable. The fares are cheap, and the- extra war _ rates have „ only ' affected -"them slightly. From : Monday -to. .Saturday twenty trains leave JL/ambton station daily for Petone and bower Hutt, and seventeen make the inward journey, while on Saturday the service is augmented by f° ur additional trains. The town is ten . minutes' walk from the railway station, and for the convenience of travellers by rail there is a good motor 'bus service, which conveys persons to almost all -parts ' of the borough. AREAS FOR RECREATION. Sportsmen are well catered for in the borough. Extensive and well-laid-out golf links have been established on the old camping ground near the river, and there is a small course of nine holes on Hutt park. In the heart of the borough there is a fine recreation ground of nearly eleven acres, where cricket, football, and other sports hold sway in their respective seasons, while close by, in most beautiful and picturesque surroundings, arc the extensive and perfectly-kept grounds of the Hutt Bowling, Tennis, and Croquet Club. This club—originally a bowling club only—has by. the efforts of its. members and its caretaker (Mr M. McGurk) turned the grounds into probably the most beautiful of the kind in the Dominion. The labour expended has been mostly gratuitous, and in this respect Mr C. Hollard has been an invaluable asset to the club. Tennis and croquet lawns have been provided, and while. tho bowlers aro enjoying themselves at a game of bowls, their wives play croquet and their sons and daughters tennis. Devotees of the "gentler art" have ample opportunities of trying their skill on the Hutt river with fly or minnow, and tho cyclist may try his powers on the special track that is provided for him. There are some pretty walks in the neighbourhood; the "wattle track," within a few minutes of tho railway station, being one of the best. To reach the track the visitor walks along the road that leads to Belmont, and on

crossing the railway line, proceeds by a good road, winding up a narrow gorge, with a brawling stream on the one hand, and on the other steep hillside, densely clothed with acacia trees, which, during the spring months, are a mass of vcllow bloom for several weeks, while during the summer the air is heavy with the scent of the rangiora blossoms. Needless to say, "walk" is much frequented in the spring by visitors from tho city, who have been in the habit of gathering the wattle blossoms in such quantities that measures had to be taken by the borough officials to prevent the trees being destroyed. By continuing up the hill for about half a mile a magnificent panorama of the Hutt Valley may bo obtained, while to the south lies' AVcllington harbour, with Somes Island as sentinel of the entrance. Mount Victoria is in full view, and a distant glimpse is obtained of the city itself. For those who do not care for hill-climbing, there are beautiful walks along the lanes ot the Waiwetu, while visits to Bellevue

and Mason's Gardens will more than' repay one for his journey. MUNICIPAL ACHIEVEMENT. Tho borough of Lower Hutt is a suburb of Wellington and is about eight miles distant from it. It has an area of 3255 acres, and its population is about 4500. During the past ten years large sums have been raised by way of loans to carry out "improvement wonts in the shape of street formation, surface water and sewer drainage, water supply, and gas reticulation. Like most other districts it was formerly under the iurisdietion of a county council, later became a town district, and was then formed into a borough. Its first Mavor was the late ■ Mr W. A. Fitzherbert who occupied the. position from 1891 to 1898, He was followed bv Mr W. G. Foster, and in .1900 Mr E. P. Bunnv was choßen Mavor. The late Mr Orton Stevens presided over the council from 1901 t° 1905. then Mr T. W. McDonald was elected tt> th« chair. It was during ivlr McDonald's term of office that several important works were commenced under the then borough engineer (Mr Rix-Trott). Two years later Mr T. A. Peterkin ivas elected Mayor. About this time considerable interest was being taken in the borough affairs. A loan had been raised for the laying down of a sewerage system, and tho creator portion of the loan money spent, with yet much to be accomplished, before the scheme was completed, meetings were held, the position jnjt beforo the ratepayers, and in 1909, Mr Peter kin having retired. Mr E. P. Bunny again occupied the Mayoral chair. Several of the councillors who. were leturned were city business men, and the financial position of the borough was thoroughly gone into. Mr RixTrott. borough engineer, having resigned, Mr AV. J. Roche, the present engineer to the borough, was chosen to replace him. and at once <=At, to work taking levels to complete the drainage. Mr Bunnv was successful in get. ting; some of the loan moneys reduced to a lower rate of interest, and further loans were, raised for sewerage drainage purposes. The installation, together with septic tanks —one on the east and one on the west side of the river—and pumping machinery, cost £53,000. The loans for water mains, reservoir, and pumping machinery totalled £19.000. During the past ten years some

twenty estates havj. been subdivided and placed unon tho market, and about five hundred dwellings erected on tho purchased sactions, besides business premicec THE SEWERAGE SYSTEM. As the river divides the borough in» to two distinct parts, the sewage therefrom is dealt with separately. There is a receiving chamber whence sewage is lifted t,o a septic tank; automatic machinery, worked' by water pressure, being installed at each tank. The effluent disciiarges into the Hutt river, which is tidal at both points of discharge. Altogether there are -bout twenty miles of sewers, consisting of seventy chains of 15-inch, one Hundred and fourteen chains of 12-inch,_ two hundred and thirteen chains of 9-inch, and the remainder 6-inch pipes. The sewerage is on the "separate" system, rain water being as far as is possible excluded from the sewers. There is no "Buchan," or so-called disconnector trap on the house drains,--which enables the drains to have a clear run from the house to the sewer. This system has now been recommended by the

Royal Commission on sanitation which furnished an important report to tne House of Commons a few years ago. THE WATER SUPPLJ. The water supply is of exceptional purity. It is sucked from artesian tube wells and delivered into a reservoir about 130 feet above the town. The reservoir is of concrete, with ' a concrete cover, and the water passes air-tight pipes. The water, therefore, does not. come into contact with tho light until tho householder draws the supply from the house-tap. Both bacteriological anrl ebemicaT analyses prove the water to be highly satisfactory. While Mr Bunny was in office as Mayor, additions were made to the reservoir, which now has a capacity of nearly one million gallons. The distributing mains aro 23i miles in length, and of varying sizes (from 10 inches to 3 inches), all amply provided with fire hydrants. < GAS SERVICE. There are nearly fourteen miles of gas mains in the borough. Some years ago the council proposed to install a gas plant, the land being purchased in Western Hutt for the purpose of erecting the works. The scheme was not carried out however, and the borough obtains its supply from Petone. A special meter has been installed near the boundaries of the two boroughs, according to the terms of the contract, and the gas service is under the sole control of Hutt Borough Council officials, after the gas leaves the meter. Altogether there are one hundred and two street and bridge lamps, four of which aro- raised or lowered by clock control. The gas consumers num"ber five hundred and fifty-four. ROADS AND STREETS. Hutt is possessed of upwards of thirty-six miles of roads and streets, only three and a-half miles of which are on the hillside. Since the sewerage works have been completed, the council has done much to improve the roads, especially the main road, which is tiio mam arterial highway between Wellington and the Wairarapa Valley. Since the establishment of the military camp at Trentham, this road has been called upon to bear an enormous amount of traffic, and it consequently requires constant attention. Within the last three years over £2OOO has been spent on this road between Hutt railway station and the borough boundary, a distance of a little under

three miles. A portion of the business area has been treated with "restar," with a considerable amount, of success. Many of the miles of footpaths have been improved by laying with tarred gravel, and the council is making at least one first-class footpath in each street. Most of the streets are thus provided, some ten miles having been tarred and asphalted within the last three years. Concrete kerbs and water-channels are gradually being extended, so that now there are few streets with wood kerbs or graivel water tables. Mr H. Baldwin, the present Mayor of Lower Hutt, who succeeded Mr E. P. Bunny in 1914, takes a very keen interest in the welfare and progress of the borough, there being few bodies in the district that he is not directly connected with. In working out the borough's destiny, ho is ably supported bv the oificials of the council, Mr W. Nicholson, holding the position Of town clerk, and Mr W. J. Roche that of engineer to the borough.

In 1892 (the first year of the borough) the gross receipts amounted to £1136, and the expenditure £1536, while in 1914 the gross receipts were £14,524 and the expenditure £16.066. The assets onlv totalled £BO in 1892. and in 1914 they had risen to £52.033. The sum of £548 was spent on street maintenance in 1892, and a year ago it was £3991. Both Petone and Lower Hutt are strong in membership of friendly societies, and some of the lodges date, back to a very early period in the history of the Dominion; but it was only a few years ago that a Masonic Lodge (the Waiwetu), was opened at Lower Hutt. Mr T. A. Peterkin took a prominent part in its foundation, and it is now strong in membership. The members of the Hutt Fire Brigade are volunteers, and have, rendered valuable aid at fires. Until a short while ago the brigade had only a band-i-eol, and as the borough is very extensive, it was considerably handicapped in getting to a fire quickly. A motor-driven fire-cart has now been obtained, by the help of the council and private subscriptions, so that in case of fire the brigade is able to get its equipment to the scene at short notice. AMALGAMATION. Many of the prominent residents of both Hutt and Petone are in favour of the boroughs amalgamating. Conferences have been held and the question discussed, but nothing tangible has been arrived at. As time goes on amalgamation appears to be further and further' away, but presently the town will become one, necessitating the readjustment of boundaries. Petone will soon be looking outlet for its increasing population, and the only natural way for it to expand is up the valley. Perhaps when this is brought about, the question af amalgamation will again come forward, but at present the boroughs seem so dissimilar in ideals that the object, I however : desirable . from an economic point of view, cannot be brought about.