HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 510, 18 May 1909, Page 6

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

'; "• UnOli ODB SPECIAL ';[ iKBOBtEIi.}. ' : PETONE MAGISTRATE'S COURT. ;, '.The monthly, sitting of the Magistrate's Court was held, at Potono yesterday morning, beforo Dr. M'Arthur, S.M,,'and Mr.' William Inglie, J J. . - A first offender for drunkenness was fined 10s., in default 48 hours' imprisonment. Charles Hanson was fined-ss. for leaving a vehicle unattended, and J. Darling' was similarly fined for. trespass on railway, lino between the two platforms'.of Petono Station. A boy, about 12 years of age, named Victor Manning, entered the Court in the care of hia father. • Ho was charged with breaking and entering' tho house of Charles Alfred Strong, on Petono Esplanade, with intent to commit a crime. The offence was alleged to have been committed on April 27. An adjournment to May 22 was granted, the case to be heard in Wellington. , ' . . '• . _ A number of truancy prosecutions were hoard, and were dealt with as follow :-John Barnes, fined 4s. and 7e. costs; Walter Bowater, nnod 4s. and 7s. costs; Harry Dcvenport, fined 2s. and 7s. costs; Charles Smith, fined 2s. and 7s. costs; Jane Abbott, fined 2s. and 7s, costs; Samuel King, ordered to pay-7s. costs; and Robert Scrimshaw, ordered to pay 7s. costs. Hearing of a charge against Mrs. Alexander Webster was adjourned for a month. The information against Elizabeth. M'Gee regarding the non-attendance at school of her son Rupert was withdrawn, and tho Magistrate advised that'the boy himself should be brought up again with a view to having him-committed to the Wereroa institution. Charges against Mrs. Reesley, George Rowell, and.George Rowland were withdrawn.

"Guilty under provocation" was the plea entered by Albert MTSu-nn, charged with harinß 'assaulted'' Prank Nelson M'Gee, in Jackson Street, on the- night of Saturday, May 8. Mr. Cracroft Wilson appeared. for the accused. Evidence was given to tho effect that the complainant ■ had como out of a fish. 6hop, and was standing on. tho ; footpath with two com-, panions when the accused had come up, used an improper expression, and hit him in the face. Without retaliating, complainant reported the occurrence to the police in the street. The defence, was that complainant had pointed to the accused,' who was a butcher, and spoko of him as another of the "Sydney push," using an objectionable epithet. Thereupon, accused had ■ walked up to M'Gee and struck him with the open palm on the side of the face. The information was. dismissed. ..'.-.-. In the following civil cases, judgment was rivon for plaintiffs by default Higginson v. Stanley Luxford (Wellington), for .£5 17s. and 10s. costs; , Bonthorno and Wilson v. John Walsh (Lower Hutt), for .£H Us. 10d. and £1> •Bs. costs; Bonthorne and Wilson v. George. Hodgkinson (Wellington), for £i 13s. 2d. and ss. costs; Bonthorne and Wilson v. James Brockelhurst (Petone), for 19s. 10d. ands3.costs; John Sharpo (Mr." R. F. Smith) v; Alexander Samraone (Lower Hutt), for iSG 6s. 3d., anct £3 18s. , costs; Emma Hydo v. Edward Sharon for J3l,' and.,56. costs, " . ■ •• : Declaring that-'he was entitled to a week's wages in Jieu of, notice, James■ Clutterbuck claimed from Daniel Burke (represented by Mr. R. T. Smith) the sum of 6s. ."Plaintiff admitted that ho was not engaged for any. specified term, and that for days not worked no wages were paid. Judgment was given for defendant, ..with: costs :-£l 15.,-, : ,'■ ' The "Hntt 'and Petone Chronicle" Company (Mr. R. P., Smith); euod Louis Trumnnn for 155., tho, price of an advertisement. The defence was that the advertisement '.had been incorrectly inserted. Judgment was given for the plaintiff,, with'Gs. costs.' ~:: -■■','■ ■ • , .

DEBATIiVG SOCIETY FORMED. Only a few residents attended the meeting oalled last evening in the Mayor's' room, Petono, to discuss the proposal to establish a literary and dobating society or Parliamentary union; The Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) presided. . .-.-■.■; .'"' '"! . '" •.■

Tho chairman remarked on the obvious bencfite to bo-derived frouv the deliberations of such a. society. Ho r had been a member of several debating clubs, and had also, belonged to a Parliamentary union. . His experience had been that tho latter institution ..gayb the. best opportunities for development-in - public speak-

ing. ■ .•: .;. ■ >' ■■.-...■. ;:-";-^. : ) ..-- ■ : ■■-'.... The Her. A Thomson said that the' simpler form,was' an ordinary debating society, but, if it were'possible, ho considered it would be bottor : to ; have-a Parliamentary union, which would engender greater-interest. ,To run such a, union, successfully, however, would require between thirty and fifty, members. ' ":■ ■; ,_ ; Tho:.chairmou mohtioh'cd that a proposal was under consideration to arrahgo for 'a. 6eries of lrinter-lectures by capable men. On, different occasions ho had .beard eminent;;,men on Potone l ' platforms, among them Sir , Robert 5t0ut...,,-.- ,;• .-.- ; .. ;.'.:. ■. ■■"■

... Mr. W .G. D. Evans 6poke warmly of the laok of interest taken iii political and municipal matters throughout; the Dominion. This, ho considered, was .almost wholly, duo to ■■■ the dearth' of means for. educating the young men. ; ' The meeting unanimously agreed to form a society,..to bo called tho Petone Literary and Debating Society. It was resolved ,'tp hold meetings evory . alternate; Monday evening. > ■

The following' officers' were elected:—President, Mr. J. W. MTSwnn;,vice-president, Rev. A. Thomson; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. W.:G. D. Evans;-committee, Rev. T. A. Williams, Messrs. W, C. Burd, E. W. "Whittaker,, W. M. Wilkinron, and W. H. Longfellow. It was decided to open the session with'a pnblic' lecture. -.' ... •- ■ , .Intimation was made that ladies would be specially! welcome -to mem&rship. • .

JQTTINGS.

Every year, before the estimates,are drawnup, the'council of Lower' Hutt Borough makes a'Tohndof inspection of the'engineering .works in progress, and notes the state of the pavereads, and , bridges. If he newly-elected council took. Saturday afternoon rfor their.m-. speotion. Those who: attended were: Council-' lors Baldwin, Barlow, Clere, Hayes, Kempthorne, Macaskill, Mowbray,;and Pearce, the Clerk (Mr. P. K. Purser), and ■ the Engineer Mr. Rix-Trott). The Mayor (Mr. E. P. Bunny) was absent from home. In a four-wheeler the party.first visited the septic tank.at Alicetown ( and considered one or two proposed.'drainage works. Proceeding to the eastern.sido of the river, tho coach went down White's Line to the eeptio tank in course of .erection. Passing along the Back Waiwetu Road the council next visited the scene of a proposed work in King's itoad, journeyed to the top-end of the borough, and came down :to Mellings Bridge,. where they dispersed. .■'.'.." ■ ' '■>..'' -.■'■:■ The net proceeds of St; David's Church bazaar, held in tho Oddfellows' Hall, Potone, last week,.'will bo about .£IOO. The actual're.ceipts were odd. , "'■..< Swimming enthusiasts at the Hutt value.the dressing shed and the diving board which were recently erected above the bridge, and a good deal of corico'rn was felt'in local acquatio circles when tho recent, flood undermined tko shed and loosened tho foundations: of the platform. At its highest, the flood;covered tho board and the water was a few inches deep : insido the shed. When the river went down, tho platform went with it, and hung perpendicularly. Now, however, the.whole structure has been securely propped, up and made snug for the winter, and jts expected floods. • The Citizens Band played on Petono Recreation- Ground on Sunday afternoon to a fairly numerous gathering. Efforts are being .made! to'arrange a billiard tournament among the clubs of the Hutt Valley, and it is probable that the idea will be taken up enthusiastically. Petono Junior Club is taking tho iniative, and it is hoped that the other four clubs of the district, will co-operate. A sitting of the Court was held at Lower Hutt yesterday morning, before . Messrs. J. ■Wilkins.Ehott, and John Cudby, Justices of the Peace. • For allowing: a horse to wander on the railway.lino Archibald Colquhonn was fined 20s. and 11s. costs. In tho case of James Stoneliouso v. William Gartner, judgment was givon for plaintiff by default for £5 and 10s. costs.; ■ t ... . ■. ...'. .At, a. sitting-of the Pensions Court, a full pension was granted in one caso by Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., at' Petone yesterday, morning. Three renewals were asked for and sanctioned. By way of oponing tho wintor season, a social : was held by the newly-formed Potono Wesley Guild in the vestry last, evening. A large number of membera .attended, and 'tt musical programme Was : contributed to by Misses O'Meara. and Blakeley, and Messrs. H. Tawhia, Chamberlain, Thompson, and others. Tho guild officers,were recently elected: —President,. Rov. A. J. Soamoc; .vice-president, Rev. B. F. Rothwoll, Miss.Kowee, Messre. Ackroyd, andJlolhuish; hou. secretary, Mr. T. W. Hemor; assistant.secretary, Miss V. J. ICirfc j hon. ti-easurcr, Miss Hepplestono; committee, Misses-Lee..and E. , Godber, and Mr. Pickering. . A special meeting of the.Lower Hutt Borough Council,, held Inst evening,. confirmed tho bylaw which prohibits motor cyclists from makj ing: use iof the .cycle tracks >'ithin tho borough!