PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1122, 9 May 1911, Page 8

PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FIJcST GENERAL MEETING. GEAK ISLAND MATTEK MENTIONED. The first general meeting of the Petone Borough Council was held last evening, iliose present were:-The Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan), and Councillors H. W. Short, J. W. List, J. Wakeham, C. P. Brocklebank, W. Cox, G. V. Lodder, S. V. Jiuxriiige, W. Triieman, and J. Piper. It was decided to increase tte payments to polling officials to the following amounts:-Deputy-returning officers 305., poll clerks 21s.

It was decided, on the motion of Councillor Piper, to remove one of the bath-ing-sheds (now on the beach) to the rear ot the municipal buildings. Tho Mayor remarked that, in all probability, the bathing accommodation on the " beach would be much improved next vear It was stated by some councillors that complaints had been made that a numner ot houssholriers in the eastern drainage area had failed to connect up with the new sewer system. It was decided to notify those who were not connected with Ihe ge wcr rl)at , hcy imis( . do otlierwiso the council would carry out the work, and charge it to them. lhe tender of .Messrs. Bondhorne and nilson tor hardware was accepted A long debate ensued upon the ques;'Z„. c f' a,l ' a SO "f the recreation ground. Fiually it was decided that tho work be proceeded with at once. In regard to the duplication of tl<° Wamui water-main, the engineer reported that he had communicated with the ti y Engineer, who had stated that he HkMo'p'l 1 " 11 f ' lat t!,fl *'>* would n , Petone f °r some month* On tho motion of Councillor Piper it was deeded to obtain a legal opinion on the exact position of tho borough in reymg ° f th ° V^S in their

rlh a - y ,° r !, "i 1 .r eadm " th « Gasworks report, said that it was practically suggested by the engineer that they should charge the Hutt Borough Council '2s. Gd per ton for coke, instead of 18s., as at present. The former figure was the price which private individuals wero charged.—After, a brief debate the matter was held over for a fortnight. The Mayor, referring to the deputation from the Hutt County Council and other bodies that had waited on the Hon. D. Buddo, relative to the control of Gear Island, said that some of the statements made on that occasion were misleading as to tho rate that the lessees of land (on Gear Island) should pay. It was stated that, if the Petone Borough Council took control of the island, the rate would be 23d. in the .£, and 2d. in the .5 if the Hutt Borough assumed control. The fact, however, was that (by .reason of certain loan adjustments) the amount of. the rate under the Petone Borough would be ljd. in the £. Councillor Piper proposed that a letter be forwarded lo the Minister pointing out this fact.—This was carried.

The Mayor went on to say that Mr. Bunny (Mayor of Hutt) had said at tho deputation that ho (Mr. M'Ewan) had done nothing towards the suggested amalgamation of the two boroughs. Ho wished to say that he had offered to meet Mr. Bunny with a view to ascertaining if anv working basis could be arrived at. Sir. Bunny, instead of accepting what he might call this "challenge," had replied that the question was not an urgent one, and could stand over. It was scarcely fair of Mr. Bunny, therefore, to say what he had said.