HUTT AND PETONE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 443, 27 February 1909, Page 8

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS

(FltOM OUB SPECIAL ItErOnTER.) ■:'- ..' ' ■ $ " ■■" PETONE POLICE COURT. "Soon we shall have all tho_ people'teetotallers, oyen without No-License," remarked one of the presiding justices at the Petonp Police Court yesterday, as he signed tho last of three prohibition orders. Had thoro'beei an audience they must havo smiled, but, as things were, the only man present was'weeping. Ho had just concluded a tearful appeal for "only half a chance," but the Court — Messrs. J., W.M'Ewan and W. Iriglis, J.P.'s—fined him 40s, or seven- days! imprisonment, for liav-. ing used: obscene language in Sydney Street, Petbne, bri the previous evening. ; The police pointed out that tho accused, James Ashby, had. been under the influence of:drink at the time, and the offencb was committed within the hearing of his wife arid family. Accused; who stated that he was employed permanently on tho 'Wellington wharves, agreed to tako.out-a prohibition order against himself. 'A'prohibiten order wasgranted against an-, other resident on tho application of his wife. James Wilson," who pleaded guilty to having been found drunk in Jackson Street, Petone, was fined 10s., in default 48 hours. The. Court/authorised a'renewal of a prohibition order agaiust him for twelve months. V: '-/--;:!.-PBESENTA'TIOI4.;:- ■'-•'' The staff of the Lower Hutt municipal offices met yesterday and presented 1 Mr. H. R. Robinson with a solid leather travelling bag as a mark of the esteem'in which he was held by his colleagues. .Mr. Purser, the Town.Clerk, also, made a. presentation of a. silvor, cigarette case and match-box. . Mr. Robinson leaves to-day to take up tho position of clerk to the Akitio County Council. His successor is Mr. L. Gwilliam. TRAMWAY BOARD.. A: meeting of. the Hutt; Valley, Tramway; Board was held in the Lower'Hutt CouncilChamber last : evening, and was attended'by. Messrs. J. W.-.M'Ewan (chairman), J; Aus-: tin, R. J. Southgate, H. Eiridlay, R. Stevens, H. Baldwin, and J. T. Hawthorn; ; :The. chairman reported that he. had inter-■ viewed the banker in reference to obtaining the'advance: which' the .board'required in order to-pay. outstanding accounts, As-are-suit-they'had received a letter; stating, that the board's' request, .was approved, on condition :that a rate'was levied at once, under Section.;. 52; Subsection-..2 of the :Aot. ..The. board was empowered to. borrow money only in twoways—-by way of overdraft, or;.by a special loan.-; It would be illegal for. the board to accept a loan from any individual: momber'of the board or from anyone outside, the board:- Therefore it was necessary for the board to strike a rate in order to obtain, the 'required 'advance. The • secretary/had made;'up an estimate of. the expenditure likely to~be incurred up to March 31, the'end of the financialfyeaf: -The estimate was £150,, : .th0 'principal.items being: Election expenses, £98'; 25.-'lod.': printing, etc.j £20;. sundries,. £18 'os.-2d-;••■■•■ v.;-;--;":-. -■■-■■■■ '-M ■:'-'" V -"." : '-:; ./Mr. Southgate,recommended that a larger rate' be struck,: so that another; would .not. he . within' tho next couple of months. : : Tho Chairman :.;Thoiposition, is' this: You; 'can-'only,.strike a rate ;for this/year./ -Next' .would ■ have to .do the.' same.- ;: Mr.... Southgate: 'It- would ;be; better, "that we should. .wait.:until-/the.'end 'of March, be:, fore, ; we '.strike a.: rate.-.-' Wo -might, liold it over, and then-:get> estimates for' the- follow- : irig -year.',' This - would be -better -than strik-; ing !two rates.'/ .'.- : >'.v..-. - : -.; ■:•■"■'.'-■ ::.'-•. • ■'■:■ The. Chairman: While, you .go, through the formality of, striking this; rate,. it is not : abso'lufelyVhec'e'ssary. for our purpose', to'.'collect it this/year.-',, l :>, -i.. -'I - : \:'.'. ■■''•'-•' :)■;' ! :-';./■■■• ■ ..'Mr.- - ; JTindlay: The bank - will ■-not the.cash -until: the rate is struck? ;'.-,. -"/• •The Chairman: No. !' ; ; .y'-. ' ■'.-;'''.' .'*'> -Mr.' Hawthorn, moved:, that the. board proceed to. levy tho: in. .order".that the . accounts might bo-: paid forthwithi'.-"These are hard.: times," -Mr. Hawthorn-added,:: "and : people want their money." .?:'"-: ' .' ''." ■ Mr.; Stevens seconded ■', the .motion, but i urged /theboard to exercise caution, and.ob- \ '.tarn only thomoiieys actually necessary. ■' -i; Mr/ EindlayV When, is that money payable by.;thp;ratepayers,?, l ',;, ,- ; ;,,'•. .',,;..■/•:/ •_ ':. ;-The'Cha'irman:..We raise it'in the,ordinary way, by/giving fourteen-'days! notice.'-.-Mr. Stevens: But you: don't;intend to levy the rato just now'?. //-■'" -V '■''•'■', - The Chairman:; I would recommend that /the/board simply do not collect. It will not be/collected. until the board resolves in that -.way'", i.. A: local. body does '.'not- collect all' it's rates. ; ..There are always arrears... (Laughter.) XMr.;. Hawthorn 'wished-, to',make.;-it: .clear,; that the rate of orio-iiftioth of : -a pennyfwould ■ mean only 2d.- on a £200 property.'-:Rate-. ' payers might, take, fright when they; learned that', the/rate had. bien ; struck, >but.'. this Would reassure /them. ;v' ' v v /-. v.. :'■,'"'■;. : Mr.'Findlay pointed out"that it/would.cost \ 3d: to: : collect tho" rate of 2d..",' .'... ';,:.. -..'Referring,to Mr; Hawthorn's/remark,, the. chairman vthat the: time.,would;:come when-it/might not be desirable' te discuss financial matters in. public.■■■ ■■.'/,-. ..;;., . , : The motion. ii;as carried. ..:':• './■ .' r.The chairman,.read.a letter;fronv' a Home firm asking'for:;particulars..with li.-.vim] to 'financing the scheme.. He recommended that informationibe obtained from' the firm.'-..'■:'•' • ..'Mr. Hawthorn agreed that.this might he a very good step. , He thought they should ask ;torms:'for the,raising'of £85,000, to cover the engineer's' estimate,''although,he. looked upon this /as outside tho required figure. If .tho 'works were, undertaken,' 'he ..did ' .'not think /that they would cost. more -than £6500 per/mile.''.;:•':'■ '-.-"• -':■■."/■■'/;:".- -'■-',; ■-•■

y- The board agreed to 'make. inquiries from the Ibhdon'firm,' ", ■-'.',.'..' ■'■}, ■■'■.■.:■ .'■■)''. ..

_ Reports bn : the scheme'wore then-discussed in .detail,, together'with .the following: reconimehdations, submittcdr by. Mri' Findlay :— That twenty ..wagons bo- provided,' capable of can-ying: not.';less, than five fens;/that the Pctono Borough" Council bo asked.to 'pay the whole or-part of "laying- an additional'mile' from Jackson Streetvia Buiok;"! Street,''; to point of new: wharf, and to. gasworks; also that application bo forwarded to Harbour. Board:re■laying.of rails with the: view of ulti'matO'trafiic in goods,. particularly', coal; the Tramwayßoard to act as carriers as provided■for- in the, Empowering Bill. :: ':It was further, .pointed-out .that the dwellings'in the district numbered :~-Potone, : 1400 J Hutt, 876;: total, 1 2276; ■;Other.particulars ■ sot .'out: were:— Estimated- coal 'used ■ (including, gasworks), 8328_to'ns; railway freight,: at. 45.. per ton, £1665. 125.; carriage from wharf by' trams at; ls; : per ton, £416 Bs.'; total, .'£2082; estimated extra mile, including trucks, £6000 at 5 per cent., £300. : . •■ ,:i'; Mr; Findlaynioved :—"That the. board con-' sider. a tramway, from Petone' Station via; .O.uba" Street'direct t-d the northern boundary of the ;Hutt, connecting -with the tram'from the Hutt Station at the school, and that .this scheme be the only one considered at .the present time." .■', , ..■:'.-; .; ■ Hr.'Harthorri'.believed:that to act as.was.' suggested, by Mr.' Findlay would' be playing' intotho.! hands of speculators.- He recom-mended-a .larger, scheme, right through the valley, so that, the'wholeof the land might be cheapened. .. ', ..; ".'■■-. ■■ ■■■ •.■'■.■.■■.?■ :■ Mr.. Austin; moved, and ; Mr. Hawthorn seconded, to approach the Government and large landholders to ascertain what assistance might'be expected from them in carrying out the whole scheme. . ...,•..-... After, a 'lengthy..discussion, Mr.. Austin'saniendment was carried by 4 to 3. ■'■