HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 608, 10 September 1909, Page 8

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

■''■'■ UTrom Oar Sseolal EcDortor.l : v HUTT VALLEY TRAMWAYS. '■.. . THE PRESENT POSITION. The electors.in the Hutt y alley Tramway distriot will-doubtless'be pleased■ that : tho Tramway ..Board '■ haa 'arrived- at. a certain ! amount-of definiteness. It has; decided to ask ifor.d loan of X 60,000 for "&'■' tramway service. Some are not anxious for. - trams, but they want the question settled.one way, or another. The matter immediately awaiting the decision of members is the important. on« of the ronle lo be followed. It,is here that'there is room, for differences of epinion, althbnjh it is practically certain that .the rails, if,the loan is carried, will, rnn along the main: streets, down th» Waiwetn Road, and orer ■ the new bridge to the'Hutt'Park. This would, give'an .eightmile echonie at » cost of' about';Xlo,ooo a mile, whieli'is.in'.oice&s.of »ny estim&te betpre the board. .After th« route his been decideu upon, publi« meetings will be held, ahd : the neoesB«ry litatutory steps .will bcVtakon.-' • Speaking!to a reporter, Mr. J.' W. M'Gowan, ohairman of the Tramway Btatod that he.'was in'farour of an eight-mile.scheme based upon Mr. H. S. King's; report^ , , which would serve ■ the whole district; quite as : well as: the ll}-mile.'scheme,at a. cost of <eao;oOO. If Wa'nganni could lay'down a servlceVat i!7oooper mile, why, he askod, could' not, this board ■ do so , ,'-. Moreover, the engineersVhad r'oyeresttefeted the expenditure.' ■Mγ."King had adhiiL'ei that he was on the safe side by 5 per cent., in addition to the usual. 10,' per cent.,for contingencies and engineering .'expenses. .'•',■',., Doiyou think the eleotors wou|d sanction a loan'of .£80,000? ■.■ . ;. '"'. ■".-. ■ '.' "The' question is," replied Mr;-' M'Ewan, "will the £80,000 ; scheme be run at a profit or a loss? If there is to bo ajloss.arate ,will have to be'etruck to Personally,: I, believe•'.that the' service shoiild be. made; as-'et-Wanganiii, to cover working expenses. . If oar sohcuie will do that, I think the Ua\ will bo approTed.:,ttw9.l)ld stand a rery. nrach better cfianee if : Parliament would jitis' , the'. Amending Bill,- which the board , is preparing to give as powers." .The queetion'ts to the route to be adopted 'is' to bi considered a' month hence. ;■ •;'-.•

HUTT RIVER BOAED.

:Jbe monthly meeting: of the"', Hutt River Board, hold last night,'was attended by Messrs. ■Robert' ; .SfcTeiis : .(iir the'.chair);. Ortou.Steyeus, and H.''H. Sladde'n. 'The .board's solicitor (Mr. ■& P: Bunny)-and engineer,,; -(Mi); G. XaingMeason) w«re also present. . , . '•:■■•■■ :' Tho engineer (Air. G. Laing-lteason) reported that'.he'liadinsptcted the works, in the lower roaches of the river, He'found that the: boom groynes .continued ■to .give -increasingly good/resuits, sc'eumulating'large'o.uantitics.of silt and shingle, below, .and behind- thorn,; and tending etill mere to ecniighteji the course of the river. Tβ*• cut through xwomey's',: whjph;,was origini\\j:on\j ,20ft. wide, .is:now'.froni'.eof t.■..to.';7oft. in width throughout its length; and at low •witter about.one-b»lf of,the riveriis traversing it/ Th« cut:.opposite ,Jorgen»'en's' has. .also .widened , greatly, and although:, the mouth is blocked »t Uw water, > yet, as-a result of the -''system, the river' isj/gra'd.nally ■ work-, ing »waj 'tlie accumulation Vand. ho had js'very. confidence',th»t, it.■•wiU be,, kept; .permanently open, when this year's extension'of: tho groyne system' is complete/ Beforojthe 'groynes were built,- , every moderate' flood more .'or less expense in' repairs'-' to' thefprotective,works in the,lower.river, whereas ftowj,anil.after;the oompletiontof only .a- smaU,;par.t'-of 'the whole system of boom groynes,: it is'{very , , satisfactory to note thnt the expenditure is practically, nil. The. booms.";ahd piles for- .the,six,groynes Va<ihorised for next summer have, all been".de- ; livered. on the ground, and ; next;'month ; the work-.of.construction will be';commjnced. When they »re finished, and -after 'tie floods of. next winter,vhe anticipatedr,that,the.deep, water, channel -eM-the river,-from'the ,head of' Gear, «l»nd to, the sen,;'will be fairly established' in the.wnrse he had designed for it; and that"the expenditure MMniintenanealwillbe reduced, to a. minimum'.,. ■:■-■',■''■■■ \.':!'-i .-■.'•■!■'■..."•■-.•'•' - '■■'•./'•>■' The'cn'airm«r,ctmment«<l eatisfaqtofy lUture' of-'.thV report,', .audvcengratulated'V.tho euiineer-on the.ipewae tttaiied.. The 1 board, .Belaid, w'«e ; very..fortunate in havinj secured suoh.'a' competent/engineer from 'the start.;,' V, Thvrepptt >os';iaopt«;d." '.v.v/ "'. '■-■'\. 4/rUe. l over»eel-,(Mv.E..Fijher)feported that tlie repairing, of -etop-bank fences w6uld:be''.c'oni.ploted :in.;,a-fortnight.; .'-'i'ho'river; wasun.va 'continuous >state of. flood for■ several;'dnys. n'.-thc ,early; -part ! of /the month, ranging 'in leight from : sft. ,'Cin.'-.above normal suinmer level to'3ft: ' ■ Tlie;pvptective works sustained 'no.damage'at.-all j and ; are:in a.very sound con- , -:.^-■.:<&,{ • ; •,,■„- :*;,/The "reportjwas adopted:^-;2v ',-vi : V,i'-. "•-In. reference to an- Amending Bill wnich .'the board: is > promoting, 'with a view of. gaining -an alteration in tho.present l law bj-' which tlie con-' existing, district jrnvnecessary 'before■ the river 'area"icotild be extended,- Hie clerk:(Atr, W.; C: CuiT) 'nsked .for aiithonty.to-.commiinicato with the ■ forty-two ■river:.:board3' in,: New , .Zealand, .'inviting <thcir support, inv the -matter., The -.authority- was ■gi-anttd.;.. , ;'/',,.;..;, ;.\;; ~,;.-/,. .■'■,-•■. \ -. .;:,i^ L >RiyM; ; Bo^B;FiNAfcES;'■;■;.. - ■■' ': Mr.!:Orten''Steyens, raised;kn'lih : p'ortant-j'ss lie at , lost .evening's'meeting of.. tho.'.'Hutt 'Eivor .Board.'-ffhtnihe.said:'! wo\ild liko to ask what wrreventie is. )V-'-,■■■': '■;■:■',—~:r -,-...■.. •-.- ~ .; The;ol.erk(Mr.,'W".. l C. CnftJ: In .the balancesheet for :;March;3l, 1909, received for'rent iof land and beaches was : .£n4s;-ratcs ■iEWOj-.'ratea ; on'. intbrMt account/.^li/S.' ; The' rates of 'ibeaches ;-w!U'not be -so much this year. ■ Mr.' Orton;Stevens:, WhatHs :the outgoing for the interest?••:'*>i :/">' r. ;:'-'..« : :,,- • ■ . . ; :The'.elork:' Xastryear it was'.'ii'Kjs/. this year ,t will be JBlßs9.''The'ordinary' outfoing is estimated' at.'SUlO ■ for',this, year";' last year it-w«-:il739.V':.'v.i; .'.....:..-:.-.' -a-,-. :. ;-•/,: •■"Kγ.' Orton.SteTeiis: Doe* that'.mean a debit balanee?- ■■"■•'■■■.■■'•,• : ;.. .-'.■■' . " : - ' : : WX •" -. '.;• > ™ oIel ? - Tli ?. *st'»ated-receipfa are Ad*Se,,ind. the expenditure X 3270,' ahowini n ::);;;■;■-: . 1 , I 'r-. :O , rt on'Stevens: one. of the atop-benke takes, plnce '■'■ 'Where' are.we gqiag to; get the money-.to,'protide ii' it.- ,; Either-we ,are'- hot .levying tigh ;: rates,;or'.there is something-: wrong'soinqwhere.' .ftojf ..thaf-iwq are doing:notKing -except paying we', .should provide, sometning ne a> •taud-by. :■:./'■. /! ■ ; ■•, ;:'%*--fy: : \-' '.-' ■ ''. The 'ohairman (Mγ!: Robert Stevens):' 'What .do ;ypu suggest?- ..;■: v-'-i! ; '-.! ; .'-.'■■'■-: ■:';. . , ; llr, Orton Stevens':-'-I; want'you. to'come to li?nt: and tell us whatyou think." Suppose, we got-six inches'..."of; rain,, which has occurred at tiisborne—it; would,.cost us.-'a good deal of money." ■ Weehonld reserve,of .£SOO, I think...'. '-:;,-'■.■"■;?.'■■' : - "',.•'■■.-•■■'.■■"".- 'r ■■■■ :-The chairman: I,don't wise policy to,levy,more rates than weVneed.' The banks are ouri stand-by.. ■■.'. : ..•/;' ' ■',■'.,■ .'-. Mr, Orton Stevens:,They.Wβ not prbveu , to be sp,auring the, past, few months.: 1 am only looking for'a. sl;and-by:foi:,the.,board. . I know we cannot raiso the. rates' now as they are already; struck;; .but wo do.not.wantn contingency, t,o;coffio on to'us ;with. a sudden -rush: I only asU for the information because I think we'ought to-,do something, while, every thing is .in •'».'quiet'state.''■.'•' " .:..,'•-,.■. • ,ATh« engineer (Mr. :G.' Laing-Meason) remarked that no rainfall such as. that, usuallv recorded in the, district Avould/gct 'over. the.'stop-banks. They .could only go at a small .place, 'if-at all, the destraction. of all the" banks >being impossible, and the cost of repairs would.be email. :..' -i : "',.-. i- : :.'.., ' .;- - ■■■ : ;. .-.The disoussidn then closed,' ' :,..,.;' / : '.'■ ''y■';,. ■; petonb'cricket . : '■']'; •■■■ '.The first meeting : of'":the, ; . Petorio District Cricket Club was held .last'evening,'Dr. Ross presiding .over a'good' attendance, of members. ■■■' Officers ' were elected'as,-follow:—President, 'Dr. , .' Boss';' vice-presidents,'.Messrs.'.T., M. Wilford, M.V., J. W. M'Ewan, (Mayor. of Petone), A. Coles,'A; Nuttall, R. vV.'Sliort, J. Lynskey, W. Inglis, ; W. F.A. Alpin, H; .Young, H. Ryder, C. F Priest, J. Colton, H. 3. Palmer, D. G. Fra«er, H. Rowo, C. P.- :Brocklebank, G. Beale/ B. C Warnes, and' Drs.-'; Harding and Perry;'secretary, :Mr.;-A. Bennett; treasurer, Ifrv-A. W. Cafes;.club captain;- Mr. A. Dalgloish;' selection committee, Messrs. H., Senior, W.'.'-.S. Brice and- A.' , Dalgleish-.; . management eommittce, Messrs.- P. Steinmuller, C. C. Green, M. Joyce, W.S. Brice, and Hi' , Hey; auditors, Messrs. H. J. Wynyard and: B. 'Kean; delegatee te : association, Messrs.. C. - C.AGre'en, A.. Cates, »»i W. S. Brie*. . . :'-;;:■:v.-'.-v