HUTT AND PETONE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1259, 14 October 1911, Page 7

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS

(From Our Bpecial Correspondent.) - s BUSINESS PEOPLE MEET. At a meeting of business people at Petone Inst evening it was unanimously decided to form a Hutt Valley Tradespeople's Aisociation. Officers were elected as follow: Chairman, Mr. J. W. M'Ewan; secretary, Mr. W. S. Cooper; committee, Messrs. Nicholson, Wcarne, Bodon, Bridger, Bates, Coulston, Walker, and Font. The. executive were instructed to draft rules and submit them to a subsequent meeting, which is to be held next Friday night. . PETONE EX-NAVALS. The eighth annual meeting of the Petone ex-Navals Association was held last night. The president (Mr. E. Mothes) was in the chair. The report and balance-sheet (previously published) were adopted. The following officers wero elected Patron, Captain Bevan; president, Mr. R. 'Mothes; vice-presiflcnfo, Messrs. I?. Flaws. W. Brown, W. Hardham, and W. Clouston; secretary and treasurer, Mr. ,T. Wood; committee, Messrs. Parker, Martin, Fleet, Gwilliam, Whitley, Hamilton, Bowles, Crightou, and Arnold; auditor, Mr. R. Cruickshank. Mr. Martin moved:—"That all _ old members of the Petone Naval Brigado and Naval Artillery, including honorary members and members _ of the present No. 4 Company, Territorial Artillery, shall be qualified to become members of this association, and all candidates for membership, other than honorary members, who have earned at least one year's capitation." The motion was carried. LOWER HUTT COURT. Mary M'Kegney was charged at the Lower Hutt Court yesterday with insobriety and vagrancy. On . the first charge a conviction was entered, and, on the second, accused was sentenced to two months' imprisonment. Messrs. Cudby and Chapman, J.P.'s, occupied the Bench. THE PARK AND RACING. A meeting of the Hutt Park Committee was held last evening. There were present'.—Messrs. Baldwin (chairman), Burridge, Brockelbank. M'Caskill, Organ, Barlow, and M'Ewan. A deputation from the Hutt' Valley Trotting Club waited on the committee to discuss the question of forming a new racecourse on the Hutt Park. Mr. Baldwin pointed out that the committee wero not financially strong. The lease of the land (which forms part of the present track) expires on December 25 next, and the committee had come to,the conclusion that they would have to do away with racing. It was almost impossible to lay out a suitable course ou the funds available. It had to be borne in mind that nine acres of the land was leasehold property, and the lease expired on December 25 next. It had cost the committee between -£40 and JESO a year, and at no time since the committee had' been in office had the revenue from racing been sufficient to meet that expense. Mr. H. Palmer, spokesman for the deputation, asked that the decision to do away with racing be reconsidered. They had viewed the ground, and were of opinion that a good course could be formed for about .£2OO. Thcv would I>d propared to offer financial assistance lowards the formation of the track if they could have some guarantee of tenur?. After discussion it was resolved that the matter should stand over until the committee could obtain legal advice as to whether they have the power to lease the ground.