UPPER HUTT TOWN BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 976, 17 November 1910, Page 3

UPPER HUTT TOWN BOARD.

« • • MONTHLY MEETING, The ordinary monthly meeting of the Upper Ilutfc Town Board was attended by all the commissioners, Mr. Jol) Harrison presiding. The recommendations of the Building Committee, adopted at a special meeting of the board, covering various resolutions concerning the provision of an office building for the board at a cost not Ito exceed ' .£6OO, were unanimously enI dorsed. | It was resolved to communicate with the Johnsonville Towu Board -and the Karori, Onslow', Lower Butt, and Petone Borough Councils in the matter of a | joint deputation to the Prime Minister on the subject of hydro-electric installation in tho Ilutfc Valley. In the matter of 6traightening the New Zealand . Company's roadline from Ebdentown to Henry Street it was resolved to inform Mrs. Lyster's solicitors that the board was prepared to agree to tho exchange of land provided the Ebdentown roadlino was set back to 33 feet from tho centre of tho roadway, but that Mrs. Lyster might use the strip until such time as the board required it in connection with general widening operations which were to be put in hand. In the matter of the claim for costs of the solicitors of the petitio.i-irs iu tho matter' of removing obstructions from tho Wakatike roadline it was resolved to make an offer without prejudice of a. lesser amount than' that claimed and to pay the Court costs in connection vitli the matter. In the matter of the removal of trees I at the western end of tho town district it was resolved to. proceed with tho work as soon as Mr. Eichard Kearney (owner) endorsed the occupier's letter indemnifying tho board against claims for. damages which may arise. Tho treasurer reported that after meeting all cheques (including those' for which he was asking authority some £40) the board's overdraft would be .£172. During tho ensuing five months (to end of financial year) the board would have to meet payments for clerk's salary £C 9; Hospital and Charitable Aid Board Uvies, £50; Licensing Committee levy, .Audit Department's fee, Valuation. Department's fee, ,£20,. . which, together with the overdraft would amount .to £271. The income for the same j.'tviod would total ,£B4B when all rates, fees, etc., were collected and the Government advance of subsidy to the extent of 75 per cent, was received. This would leave £577. for road works to bo expended during the five months ending March 31 next, in roadmen's wages and metal for roads, or ail averago of .£2G per veek. There would be some £40 .'Government subsidy carried forward to 1 o next financial year also. The report was adopted and accounts passed for payment (£39 . Is. 3d.). The report upon works in hand and completed showed' that the new approach to the railway station had, been carried out by day labour at a cost r,jr .Sl'J Hi*. Bd. The lowest tender recoiv for tinwork was £38, so that a saving el £18 3s. 'Id. was effected by tho, board undertaking tho work itsdf. Somo exception was taken to a repnit of the Hospital and Charitable -Aid Board that within the past three years 59 persons had been admitted, io the Wellington Hospital from Upper i!utt as in-patients and out of £216 19s. fld. fees payable, these patients had ouly recouped the hospital to the exfceit of £150 12s. Gd. According to the Town I'o.ird records only two persons have-been admitted to the hospital as in-patients from tho town district on the cr'ior of the board and their estates were sufficient to meet all claims, the only other Upper Hutt case known to the board was that of a railway employee crushed at the local station while shunting. It was decided that the clerk should call at tho office of the Hospital Board and ascertain how the discrepancy/ in the numbers had arisen. In the matter of a' claim ,by tho Hon. T. If. Macdonald for a refund of £50 it was resolved: "That as the board is advised it cannot legally make this payment", it therefore will not do" so."With regard to tho Tequest of the solicitors to tho To Reinga Estate- that the board would endorse upon plans (submitted a statement ths.t the roads thereon had been completed to tho satisfaction of the board it was resolved on the advice of tho board's solicitors tc indicate tho board was prepared to • express its approval -.of tho plan of subdivision but could not sec its way to comply with tho . other portion of the request until the roads wero actually com pleted. Pursuance to notice, Commissioner Gib bons. moved: "That whenever the . rate payers aro approached for a loan .foi building or any other purpose, they bi asked at tho samo time to grant a loai of £500 ' fov street widening purposes such loan to be held in reserve agains favourablo opportunities to negotiate with owners." Tho motion was lost b; five votes to two. Commissioner Gibbons also moved "That' this board undertake to . keep al roads and footpaths under its jurisdictioi free from noxious weeds, relieving al ratepayers from this responsibility; al public roads opened for the first time t be first cleared by tho adjoining owner or their tenants to the satisfaction o the board." The chairman pointed ou tho' motion was opposed to Section 3 o the Noxious Weeds Act. On a divisioi three commissioners voted for and tw against the motion.