HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 488, 22 April 1909, Page 3

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

■(IROU OUB SPECIAL, BBFORTBB.)/ ■'-'.- T+ — <-■ '....'■:'-. / TEE WHAEF, . A subsidence of fifteen inches was' noticed on Friday morning alonp a' portion of the wharf at Petone, the. cause evidently being the undue weight of a stack of timber, ex Defender, from Greymquth. At a meeting of the committee of toe Harbour Board on Tuesday- afternoon, the matter was mentioned, but no:remedial measures were decided upon. The general opinion was that the present subsidence gave no cause for alarm, and it might happen that no further scouring would take place. .. The whole of the timber shipment has now been removed :by the-consignees, the Hutt Valley Timber Company. . The prevailing opinion seems to, bo that the timber was,not properly distributed. About 120 tons of timber must have been on the wharf at the time of the subsidence, and the whole of: this -weight was borne by four'tiers of piles. .... / THAT LEASE. ■: The history of tjie much-discussed Town Hall lease was again narrated by Mr. W. H. Eus:sell in his.Mayoral address at Lower.Hutt last : evening. . A ..-.--. "•' .', Following up his contention that the borough solicitors should have perused the lease before, it was presented to-the council for signature, Mr. Eussell referred to the clause which dealt with the erection of additions. Ho read the .advice of 'Mr. C. P. Skerrett,. obtainod by the council on December"24, 1908. "I am of, opinion," continued Mr. Eussell, "that, .when' the present lease is about to terinate, the council should draw ud plans of council'offices, library, and town hall. A loan would be necessary, and the buildings could be erected; on the'land already sanctioned for the purpose. I have a proposal to submit later which may mean that part, of the building can be put'up at small cost to the borough." ' Seen by The ; Dominion representative, Mr. Eussell stated that his notice of motion on this subject would come before, the council tomorrow „ evening. The notice lapsed at last meeting, of the council, because the mover'was absent through ill-health, but it-has been renewed.- , The text is:—"That a strict inquiry by a special committee be held into the circumstances under which the lease of'the new offices, council' chamber,. and library—now held by the council from Mr. J. T. Hawthorn—was placed before-the council for signature without having been first submitted to the council's solicitor for perusal." "■. '..', ■-.-■■ ' -.'•■',', : / HUTT'- MAYOEALTY. ■; --;'// number of ratepayers' assembled in the Lower Hutt Town Hall last evening to hear, ■•'he-address, of Mr. W. H. Eussell in support of his candidature for the Mayoralty. Mr T Waugh. was in the cha,ir. ' ■■ { ,'v XI J , the ™ atte , r of finance, Mr. Eussell said that he still adhered'to all the figures quoted at his. first meeting. .The, previous council .had been to -blame for leaving a; big overdraft." Ihey had cut, ddwn the'rates when such' a step not .been necessary, and they; had left a huge deficit. ; In January, 1907, the'borough employees had petitioned for an increase in X a ips °j ls - P« day. The Mayor (Capt. MT)on?C i■? • "PP O36l * tfl ß application on the ground that £ it would, mean an additional expense of ab ° ut „£?° ■ pot week. ; • Capt.: M'Donald. had Si-. 1 ' would no; doubt seriously 'affect the 000 loan, which was estimated" on - a basis of per day.- If the Council agreed to the increnso, it would mean that they would be short of money and would-have to'-'go; to'the ratepayers for another, loan to finish the works. The .increase had been given by the council, said, Mr., Eussell, and the Arbitration Uurt made an awardon'the same lines! Making allowances: for the contingencies■ on; the water-supply, it was quite clear that the •amount;in-hand, .with, say, .£2OOO, would be sufficient to finish the drainage of the' borough. After, dealing with the; diversion'of Everest Oreet, the candidate went on to state that W favoured signingthe gas agreement with Petone for a term of seven years at the reduced rate and he .was prepared to have a commission set . W to. report, on proposal to amalgamate the two boroughs.. The Mayor of Petone had suggested that a commission sould inquire into the proposed inclusion of Gear Island in Petone Borough,-ano\he (Mr. Eussell) considered' that ■ p B -" 0 ? 6 of the' commission might also ■ be ex- ; tended to the .question of amalgamation. ■ The cutting down.: of V Railway /Avenue' had been functioned. ;by; Capt/ MDohaldV council in March, 1907, and the work was going on when : tne present council came into office. Thecost was upwards of^Boo.' money which/should have been available for the-completion of.the main ff ft track - Continuing,- Mr. .Russell said that. at; tho next: Elver- Boards-election; if he were connected' w th' the affairsljf the borough, he would endeavour to: have the/board absorbed 16 Borough Council, so: that only one solicitor, one engineer, and one staff would Hon* ViT had ,. r fPhed to a .number of questions tho candidate ;was accorded .a - heartv vote of thanks and confidence / ■ • • ■

JUNIOR CLUB SMOKE CONCERT. V-wiv JH ?iT a J concert of Petone Junior Mr wr- h v d last / er «? "g the Drill Hall. Q y - M r „ J - and replied ■to by Z I l^\ 7°»°» / Trophies," :Propoied by Mr. G. Fmlay and asknowledged by Messrs t'**%F& - W - Ha /dhami "KindredSs and Sports'proposed :by Mr. J. Lynskey, andresponded to by Messrs. M'Gee, Wper, Taylor, E '¥h™> Smyrk and Upton; "Me Ladies," and.-f'.The Press/',,.The health of Mr: C. Green 0t >??"*«*' Shield), was atso drunk with musical honours. . - . membe^ iCal pr ° Bramme - J as • contributed ■■ by :.;,■ ... ' JOTTINGS. ; ; ••'. A fine of Tvas inflicted on Louis Trumann, convicted at ; Petone yesterday morning of disorderly behaviour while drunk, Mr. J W M Ewan, J.P„- gave accused an alternative of 21 days imprisonment. There was another in-formation-alleged breach of a prohibition order-which, was allowed to stand over for the monthly sitting of the Magistrate's Court. „ T ,/Hf ;nVe u l ? to deep'and-.'too dangerous, and the result is that only a small percentage of_ our boys and girls are learning, to swim?' said Mr Russel Hiitt last: evening. Iherefore, I shall be prepared to support any .sound proposal-that will'result-in the estabI hshment of..baths for Lower'Hutt". - rITn ngs fS being taken- by- the Hutt ■*^«s^^^& w by th . e congregation at a social gathering last evening, over, which the Rev. B. F ■Kothwell (circuit superintendent) presided