HUTT AND PETONE NOTES

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 668, 19 November 1909, Page 5

HUTT AND PETONE NOTES

: , (From Our Special Eeportcr.) ; .- ; ■■■■■■' ■.. ■■■ . .■' ■a i : — •'■ -.'■•■' , ■ FINANCE AND A LETTER, At a special meeting of tho Lower Hutt Borough Council, held last night, a letter was received from Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., bringing before, the notice of the council the proposal in the Hutt Park Bill to lease 18 quarteracre sections of the Hutt .Park., "I consider," he wrote, "that such a propqsakwould bo practically non-revenue producing and would • create slum-tenements on what is one of tho most valuable assets in my constituency. Iu- regard to tho question of revenue producing 18 quarteracre sections let on lease would not, at tho widest calculation, produce more than <£3(i per annum—that is if eve'ry section.was taken upland where would it be possible to obtain men Willing to take up these sectioDS on the tenure offered? Even if such men were found, where could the money be raised on such securities for .vthe erection of suitable buildings? It might fit the capitalist who did not need, to borrow,-but such a man would choose a larger area in a different position. No lender would advance money on such securities. Again, supposing you succeed in on)" getting two or three sections, the mutilaticAof a valuable area would take place, aw , balance of the property would be injuriously, affected' by reason of its abutting upon the back of such ,buildißg3 : ae'might be erected. I believe it would be better to recast the; Bill and'introduce a measure obtaining the co-operation of Wellington city in order that the park could ■ be beautified and'made the valuable'asset.it really is. May I'ask'your council, as representing the ratepayers and owners of this asset, to consider, what I believe is a very material divergence from the wish, of the Hutt constituents?' . Councillor Baldwin, as chairman of the Hiitt l'ark Committee, explained thai' the proposal had only. been, made because they were -in need of funds. .If the council were ready to'come to their aid with financial assistance, weir and good, but they had to get money somehow.' >. ' " ' .- A councillor: What about the pony racing? -Councillor Baldwin: Prom what' I'can 'eee the pony races will soon be as dead as Julius Caesar. I believe most mombers of the House are dead against them, and they 'will be put a stop to before long..' '■■-.;-■ .'.The Mayor: What about his suggestion re-! garding the' City Council?' " ; ' '.-'. i' "Councillor Baldwin said he thought'it must be-wellknownthat the Wellington City Council would not assist anything-that was. likely to 'take- revenue away' from' its 'trams. The council knew that traffic : would be diverted from ;its- "tramways :if the Hutt 'Park were improved. • ; Councillor Macaskill thought there-was a : likelihood- of. small: cottages being put-up, the principal opposition to: the scheme came from , trainers, who : were /.afraid that the;racing track would be encroached• on.' .■ " •Oh the motion of the Mayor, it was resolved that the. council thought'the matter.worthy of consideration, and referred it to the Hutt Park Committee; •' '; ■ -■ -.' ; ; ;;'.." '•K"i •} 'J. LOWEH HUTTCOUKT, , • A:isitting-of the. Lower-Hutt Police Court was. held yesterday morning, Messrs. Eliott, Eurdy, and.Cudby, J.P's. being on the.Bench. A-young man named "Noil -Smith' pleaded guilty- to , a charge of Inciting a prisoner to resist ■ a. police constable* in the execution- of his. duty. Hβ. was'fined Xo, in default',one month's ■' imprisonment. . ■'•■'■ : . J,udgment:for. plaintiff, by defanlt, 'was given in'the following civil cases Feist and Co. , v; C. Jackson, £1 9s. 3d., costs ss. j T. P. Allen y.'^George, Taylor, '£1- 35.. 6d., costs 6s.;' G. MTlvride v.-W. True, £7 19s. Gd., costs £1 ,ls./6d..;. < . i. .-•■;./;- ' ■-..■ .' .-'.•. .-..-;.■ ~.: ;-, '••■■;•' FIRE BRIGADES' SOCIAI. '■■ ■__Kreinen of the four fire brigades of the Hutt Valley united:ato eooial evening in St.-' Augus,tines Hall.Petone, on Wednesday night. Cap(tamißarrattt. presided. Musioaland other items were contributed to the programme by Firemen Nolan, -Greenough,- Gaynor, -Check, • Lepper, .Clark, Lieut. Gough, Capt. Parrant and Foreman Featherston; . .:.... 'METHODIST -CHTOCH -ANNIVEESAEX.' ; The anniversary ;of .the' Petone Methodist Church and. the opening of the new church building were celebrated by a "social, held on Wednesday .night. Addresses were given by--the Revs. 8.. F. Ec-thwell and A. J. Seamer' Captain Simpson, (of the Salyation Army), and; Mr. .Sussex. An enjoyable programme-was ooritnbtttedto by "Mrs. Ferguson,-Misses,Miller,' i M'Ewen, xad ' Chamborlain, and•.'WaSajiS. . .: .' ;,.

■ LOANS TO/LOCAI BODIES. ; ,:The "Mayor-(Mr.,E.'~P.''BmiuyK'mentionod at LastMiighits; meeting of the/Lower, Hutt .Borough Council tiiat -the- Eustbourno "Borough Council ..had-.written',to. the■"member■ for the district requesting hinl to' , , oppose the section' ; in the State Guarantee: Loans. Act under which local radios lost t'heir .privilege of borrowing ■ : in,small, sums from the Government; He suggested I}hat; .they.. should. move ■ similarly, ■ and strengthen the. protest..'. On the motion of Councillor.Baldvan; a motion.requesting -Mr. Wilford to protest also was carried. , , • : HUTT DEAINAGE SUPERVISION., . A special meeting of tho Lower Hutt Bor■ough Council was held last.night, when there ,were ; present the Mayor (Mr. E. 'P. Bunny), 'Councillors Baldwin, Macaskill, Barlow, Kempthorne, Pearce, Mowbray, Ansori,' Clere.' :.-A. letter, .wasi received from Mr. G. Laing'Meason, consulting engineer to the council, .stating his;charges for preparing plans and specifications for the completion of the drainage system by contract. For tho plans .and Specifications his charge .would 5 be 1 per cent, ot the total cost of the work. For supervision of tho contracts he would chargo H per cent.extra, tho council to'pay. a competent clerk of. works to be entirely under Mr. Laing-' Sleason s control. ... ..!..... His Worship remarked that the terms were, to. his. mind,-vory reasonable.' ..-.■'' '- iw U SL dUo '' V 1, 5 ?, said that he understood taat the usual charges were 2{ per cent for preparation, of plans,-etc., and 21 per cent, for supervision... . : ' i -.Mr. Baldwin objected to paying Mr. LaingMeason over 1 per cent.,.. The plans were not prepared for new work, but for work provided for. under the original • .£48,000 loan, borne works had, been done .which bad not' been provided for under the' loan, and for which.no. .work had. been done by the consulting engineers,) and it was to repay , tho money spent on these works that they had' to raise this new loan. ;■••;. ■ ■'.'■ ■..■' quoted from -the agreement'to show that tho. engineers wero entitled to receive 1 per cent, on the work done.- :■ '■ ■ - .Counculor.Anson stated that he thought that the position-:wastha.t.the engineers should not be-.paid'for work that had not been contem■plated,; bub which' had been carried- out under tho.onginaj loan. But for extra' cost of. work contemplated' they were entiiled to payment. ■' .••The'Majror. said that Mr. Laing-lleason. had mane these charges-"under special conditions.' , Was it, fair, therefore, to ask him-to make a •further...reduotion?. .--.■ ; '..•..„■.■:.'.■;'...; . . . '_' Councillor 'Maoaskill opposed tne work l b6ing, ; plaped .under the •eupervisioa'of tho con■sultnig engineer, and a clerk , of -works. 'The work' that had befin done in the past had been favourably _ commented. on • by even the' severest ontxcs. ■■■■.-. '•.■ . ■ - ,-, ■ Tho -Mayor did not thiik ihat'iti'tfonld serve any good purpose to .go over that aspeot of tho,ma.tteragain. But ho did think that, when they._ vent* before the ratepayers "they 'should be , ' able to. let them .know. .what, arrangements had ..been made for supervision of the work They certainly should .have-some eminent engi-1 neer.tb supervise the work. It Vas very, urtfor, I tunaite. that they should have' to' find another .£IO,OOO, and he doubted very. much. whether that--would 'bo sufficient. ; . Councillor Baldwin.moved that tho offor of Mr. Laing-Meason to aot. as..supervising engineer, at"U"per cent, be not accopted. ■',' ■ .Couiicillor -Clere moved as an amendment that.. ilio-.question of Eupervision bo deferred until after■■ the loan ( poll. ■''.'■■'■ Councillor Anson seconded-tho motion Councillor Barlow- thought- that it : would be better .to. postpone the matter:of supervision until tne loan had been approved.- ' Councillor Baldwin then withdrew his motion .in".fawur.of-Connoillor-Clere's amend-• nrent. ■ ■■ ' ... . -... ..-. Councillor Pearoe ; thought that it would be foolish to go before the ratepayers without being able to: give.particnlais.as (to/how fho ■money was to be expended. ' ■ >■ ' Councillor,Mowta-ay, approved cf- this. If they had-tie offer of tho services of. an. eminent engineer they should accapt .them. " ' : Tho.Mayor said -he had never.yet heard'of a proposal, being 'submitted to , tho .ratepayers \rathpnt their being fully acquainted wilh all detaals m regai-d to it. If the mfotmation in regard to supervision wore a-vailable.it would obviate a lost, of. discussion at the meeting. ... ' Councillor ; Aneon thougli't they, would bo tying, their hauds. if they made' too many conditions, They ■; had been elected 1 as ropreseutatiyes of.tie' ratepayere, and if the!people did w* trast'thtai, let them get another council. The Mayor moved, as' another amcnidmenfc-r "That the offer of Messrs. Meason and Marchant be accepled."' This was secondod by Councillor Mowbtay, and, on 'bains pet'to'the vote, .was. defeated .by five h> , four.-- Councillor , motion ,to .defer tfcavoaiesbion.;until after'tflfl lcaJi, gia.- ginl 'fmri-igfl