UPPER HUTT AFFAIRS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12042, 21 January 1925, Page 9

UPPER HUTT AFFAIRS

‘ 4‘BOROUGH” MAT REPLACE “TOWN BOARD.” FUBTHEBi AOTIOiN TAKEN. The second meeting of the Upper Unit Town Board this year yas attended- -by Oommisaionors McCurdy (chairman), Blewman,' Burrell, Greenwood, Jones and Martin. , Commissioner W. Greig’s resignation ■was formally announced. The refusal of the Department of Internal Affairs to supply the Town Board with, a copy of the evidence taken- by the commission which dealt with the "borough” proposals in November, 1923, will probably result in Parliament being asked to inquire into alleged irregularities in the acceptance of dejections after the statutory time, and ruling out- of evidence which was essential to arriving at a proper conclusion. It is contended that the pronouncement of Messrs B. Page, S.M. (president), and Brook (Crown lands Commissioner) in 1023 that the .district is ‘‘unsuitable for municipal control” is ridiculous when it i| remembered that the Uppe r Hutt portion has had ‘ ‘municipal control” since March, 1908. NEW TRAFFIC BY-LAW. . Consequent upon obstructions to local and arterial traffic by motor vehicles standing on the main road within the brick area, a by-law is being drafted to compel such vehicles to park in Rosenberg, Bussell, Station or Princes streets, which lead off the business centre or the township. The board authorised the completion of a debenture for a State Advanoeß Department, loan of £350, andl pay the 10 per cent. -which a commission directed should he paid to the Hutt County' Council as the :town district’s 1 share of the cost of three concrete bridges erected in. the Hutt County.' at Miller's Greek, Stokes’ Valley, and Pakuratahi —this amount is £l6O less than the previous town board authorised to. be borrowed. | EARLY MORNING TRAIN. The Town Board’s request that an extra workers’ train should leave Upper Hutf shortly before 7 a.m. has been • granted/. The train commenced running last Mlonday, and is well patronised, as it eliminates a long wait in > Wellington before 8. a.m., which Upper Hutt workers from this end of the valley, have had td( endure for years. The new Railway Board doee not at present see eye to eye with the Town Board regarding its. suggestion that first-class accommodation be abolished on suburban trains leaving the valley before 7.45 »,m. The Town Board sees no reason why the haulage of 50 or more tons of, empty—or nearly erapti —first-class 'cars should be oontinued with the resultant overload and slower speed of trains in rush hours. Authority was given the road foreman to procure .60 loads of selected* gravel for the repair work of the main road where required. , BOROUGH PROJECT. The chairns&n introduced the subject of substituting a proposal to oonstitute the Upper Hutt town district a borough and incorporate the Trentham area, rather than to proceed! with the projected extension of the town district boundary,to include that locality. After discussion it was decided on the motion of the chairman to adjourn to a later date and ask those members of the Trentham ratepayers’ executive who haj signed the town district extension petition to attend. Messrs J. E. Johnston (chairman), W. O. Thomas (treasurer), and Amos Howell and L. Kitchen accepted the invitation. Messrs'J. Scott, and J: Short forwarded* apologies for unavoidable absence. , A round-table discussion followed, and on the ohaiwnan pointing ont there was an unrescinded resolution of the frevious town hoard in favour Of a orough (Messrs W. Greig, W. G. Goes, J. Greenwood, G. H. Guthrie, S.. D. Rogers, and W. J. Robinson being present when the resolution was passed), it was resolved oh his motion to proceed to carry oat the proposal then agreed to, and to include the Trentham area therewith. On resuming, in open meeting the business done in committee and' in camera was unanimously approved.