HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 674, 26 November 1909, Page 5

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(From Our Sjeolal Bepocrter.) ; ' ' ...■ '">. SHOULD If BECUT UP7 , The Hutt Borough Council fop-oidcdto-thn Hutt Park Committee, last night, a Iβtter from Mr. T. Mi ■ Wilford, M.P.. protesting against the'provision's" to-the Hutt Park Amending Bill, whereby it was provided t°_. lo f e « quartcr-acre sections on , the , Hutt Park. In his'letter (previously published) Mr. Wilford maintained that the project would be non-rovenuo-produciuc,, and would'lead'to ™ e '. cre *7 tion of slum tenements. Sucb men, he thought, us would lio likely to lake up 'the would not be tin; class who wonM'bo able ,to finir themoney-for .building. Tims a nno reserve would be spoilt for.no good purpose. ;lie suggested thaf the committee should request the aid of the Wellington Ccty' Council; towards beautifying the reserve.' : : . ■. •',' Mr/Baldwin and Mr. M'Ewu explained the attitude taUou. up. by the Hufct and Petone Borough Councils in regard 'to the ProjectNeither body was in favour of it.< Mr. Mliwun said that he was not in accord with all tho arguments iwt forward by Mr. Wilford. The "slum : tenements" ; suggestion ho considered Mr. Baldwin suggested'that'they should let tho Bill take its course. ■■ ■_ ■ ;•_•;■ Mr. Sonthßttte did'not. fall in'with Mr. VSJI- - 'suggestion that they should request Hie aid of the City Council, but he did not favour the subdivision all the same; ' ' ' Mr. .Barlow moved, and Mr. Mitoan seconded, that the committee should advise Mr. Wilfqrd that it does not want te press the provision, and if it is opposed in the House, he may .withdraw it. ...'.'.■'■ This was: agreed to. : . : ' '; " ,- f '•:-■ ■ HUTT-PARK COMMITTEE. ■ ' A raeetirig of the Hutt Park Committee was held at Potone'last night, there being present: Messrs. H. Baldwin, 3.-'Vf,. ACTllwan, A. Mfjcas- 1 kill, AV. .Barlow,. E, J. Southgate, and Dr. Mackenzie. ,^ . ' .',.■ '■ .' . ;; ..It was decided to call for .fresh tenders for grazing rights. :■■ ■ . • . The Defenco Department advised that, the 'Hc'retauiißa Mounted Killcs would go into camp on the Park from Boccmber 11. to December '18.. ■ It was' pointed; out.- that the ;: 2B days allowed under.the Act,'for camping, purposes had already been'exceeded-by iivo.days. As.:it .would seriously inconvenience the.-corps if they were not allowed the use. of the park, it was decided'.to make them'an offer ofisoybn. days'. camping, rights. : ■,: ', ' ' ' : ..■

.;'. ' .WHICH IS THE jroST TJKGENTP.'; The. subject,- "Which is ; the .most '.urgent' of .settlement—the land- question' or Hie liquor qnestibn?" was debated in. the Ranfurly H&U, Pctone, by Messrs. E , . C. Evans arid; .Robertson, representing the H\itt branch of the Single Tax league, and Messrs. Townsond and .'lvugget, on tyshalf of:tho Good■ Templars. 'The Grand Good, Templar of; New. Zealaud preside'd; , '; •..■'■ '■"■ '■. - * ■ \ V •- ~ ' '-, ■ ;.'• '•■

Mr.. Nugget spoke of the degrading cfEects of drink] and pointed but ' that if the liquor , question 1 was settled.first the settlement of other social questions would tho:'sooner- be accomplished.- . '' , ' . ''. . . ' ' ' i ;-•' . Mr.' E. C. Evans vigorously: denounced, the enslavement pf the- masses, by- land monopoly,' and contonded that they wero enormously robbed of their hard earnings. ; The,land of a country belonged to the whole people of-that country, and'not to a. few. -The absurd idea was prevalent in ■Now i Zealand-, that only rthe Crown ,lands .belonged to the -multitude,' and the : sooner they rid themselves ;of that idea I and: fought for-their natural, rights the :sboner.,they would obtain-more of the wealth they-created. With land monopoly destroyed,, the ( deplorable effects . of it—involuntary. . poverty,-,, wretched surroundings,. miserable wages; < and uriemploy- '. ment—would, disappear. All these-things were directly responsible .for: a-very .largo..amount of .drinking; .Raise: the .masses on to-a- higher ■ piano ,and they would deal ■effectively, with tho drink evil. ;-,"" ,'i , ' . ■•'. ! ■ ■

Mr. T. Townscnd contended that the-liquor question affected .a. greater number; of: peapk than the land question, and therefore it should be se'tjtled'■ first.. If the people paid the, butcher: the baker, and other tradesmen,' instead,' of spending .\their , money ,in drink: they : .w'pulilhave,.happy, homes. He denied that ■ the ' set-: tle'mcttt pi. the land, qucstiqu would JiavoVtho pffect;of,.uplifting'.the masses.',',' ■ '. ■':'..", , ; :Mr.' Robertson admitted that drink was a curse. However) a cdmparison of the nuniber of, drunkards with: the- number ."of people ; affected, by land; monopoly sliowed indispHteHy 'that' the .land, hue'stion,; was' of primary,- importance;;;. "™;t .-'"'■ •. ,1 .". ;, .-:-.- 1 ..;,■.' i , '-^" : An iiiterestinß discussion'followed, , 'in:which Messrs. E. T. Evans, F. "Willis, F.'Evans;'and' others took part. ■ , t: : v . -~,.,:•'..'.•.-.■. ~.:.■;■■•.,