HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 505, 12 May 1909, Page 8

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(TBOII OUR SPECIAL BKPOBMB.I *—T- . HBTT county council.. The Hutt County Council met yesterday morning. Present; Messrs. M; W. Welch (chairman), J. Wakeham, W. Galloway, T. Edwards, J. Whitcman, and M. J. Lynch. The recent flood, the inspector reported, had been the biggest for years, and damage to the roads had been most severe in the Whareroa and Horokiwi ridings. . Councillor Wakeham stated that some heavy loads were going over the Wainui Hill Road in connection, with the new reservoir works. Tho inspector and Mr. John Forrest, of Wainui, were empowered to take proceedings in cases where tho weight exceeded that mentioned ; n the by-law—3ocwt. for each pair of wheels, including the weight of the vehicle. For compensation to owners of land taken in connection with the Phnunerton-Pukerua Road, the council resolved io set aside the sum of £100. . , Abandonment of the original route of the Pukerua-Plimmerton , Road was resolved upon. The road would in future skirt the swamp) and join the road from Pahautanui on the saddle of the hill at the back of Plimmerton. Mr. E. J. Riddiford objected to the closing of the Orongorongo track through Mr. Burdan's property. Instructions wero given that Mr. lliddiford should be informed that arrangements had been made to allow the public the use of the old track until the new road was formed. : The county solicitors wrote regarding Mr. H. J). Bell's fences at Lowry Bay, and advised that objection. need not be taken, to the proposed line of the fence, provided a resolution were passed to the effect that the fence did not determine the boundary. Tho council adopted the advice of the solicitors. Councillor Galloway was appointed. to make representations to the members for the district., Messrs. Wilford and Field, M.P.'s, urging them to Bupport an amendment in the Public Works Act, suggested by the .Weber County Council, to empower local bodies to take, on payment of a fair compensation, any timber other'than totara and matai for the purpose of burning papa for metalling and maintaining public roads. The General .Manager for Railways asked to. bo supplied with tho exact amount of special rates paid last year by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, in ordor that tho matter might bo finally settled by the Minister. The clerk was instructed to furnish the information asked for. Mr. 0. P. Lynch waited on the council in support of his claim that £2 18s., compensation overpaid on land at Paraparaumu.taken for road purposes, should be. allowed him. The council resolved to adhere to' the original settlement. ■

Representations were made by Messrs. Dix and 'Natusch against widening the Western Hutt Road. They desired to subdivide for building purposes. The council decided that the chairman and the inspector should viow the road and report. The General Manager for Railways wrote that the'land required for a level crossing at Plimmerton would be vested in the council. The Department of ' Roads notified that authority for expenditure of £47 had been issued to the county for the erection of a bridge over Narrow Neck Stream. Mr. 0. S. Mooro accepted an offer of £10 .per. annum to keep in order the roads of the Motuhara Block. "" ":" i Mr. F. T. Prbuse asked permission, to lay pipes under ' the Wainui-o-mata Road, and the inspector was given power to deal, with .the•application. . ... ' v ■• ACCUMULATING COURT. BUSINESS. ' Of late the Court business at Lower Hutt has assumed such largo proportions that the Magistrate (Dr. M'Arthur) has decided that sittings' of the Court will be held twico monthly in' future.. ; .. .' The cases set down for .hearing by the Magistrate at. the April Court wero_ found.! to involve an unusual quantity of evidenco, 1 and tho Magistrate was.compelled to make a second journey to Hutt... Even after the second day's sitting, it was necessary for •ono case to be partially heard ,in Wellington, The first fortnightly. Bitting will;bo uold on Monday. ;.. .<■'■• . TECHNICAL SCHOOL BOARD. ! ..'■ At last evening's meeting of Petone. Technical School Board, there were present: Messrs. W. G. Lodder (in the chairV.G. Duncan, D. M'Kensrie, H. Baldwin, H. Findlay, and J. G. Castle (secretary). . . A recommendation of tho director (Mr. E. King) was that the scale of salanes ottho instructors should be considered. The chair* man held that tho proper time for dealing with this matter was the end of the year, and. the board took no action, - ' The secretary read a letter which had been sont to the Education Department regarding tho seat of the.Rov..A. Thomson,(chairman) on tho board. It pointed out that the Wellington Meat Export Company, had donated ten guineas towards the funds of .the.school, and asked if this would now entitle the company to. representation. ~ • '■ .' _ ■ It was agreed to write', to the Lower liutt Borough Council, asking them to appoint a second representative to act with Councillor a. Baldwin.' , ■ . ■ Thedirector referred to day classes in. connection with the school, and said that tf they, could bo established with forty pupils the capitation earned per annum would be toUU. That sum in itself would provide the instructors required. Compulsory subjects would occupy the mornings,, and cookery, dressmaking, typewriting, and 'engineering would_ bo taught in the afternoons. Replying to Mr. Findlay, the director stated that these classes would not include the.teaching of cookery to, pupils of the public school. , The chairman doubted the success of the classes, and pointed out that the residents of Petone were mostly of the artisan class. Most of the boys and girls were required to go to work after leaving school. The secretary en-' dorsod this opinion, and remarked that most of the free-place pupils now attending th« school were engaged at work during the day. The matter was not farther discussed. The director reported' that the school roll had reached 100, and most of the classes were flourishing. ' ' . • ~ ... The Education Department forwarded £104 (subsidy) and £1 12s. (balance; of free-place pupils' grant). ' ' ■ ■ '' , A question was asked by Mr. Fmdlay_ whether any steps were being taken by the School Committee to establish cookery classes for tho girls attending the school. Mr. M Kenzie (chairman of the School Committee) replied that this proposal would como before the committee at their next meeting. : . The director reported that tho arts class was "no class," inasmuch as the only two pupils who were enrolled had ceased to attend. Following the suggestion, the board agreed that the director, shonld bring down a Teport on the attendances and progress of all the classes. • '• It was agreed that meetings of the board should no longer be held fortnightly, and that they should take placo on the first Tuesday of the month, at 7 p.m.