"POOR PETONE!"

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1362, 13 February 1912, Page 2

"POOR PETONE!"

HUTT PIPE BRIDGE MUDDLE. .WHAT CAUSKS THE DELAY? It is long since l'clonu people began to l>o impnt-iciit lo use Hint costly and ornamental, but at proi-ent utterly iiftles, concrete bridge over the Hutt Hivrr. ).\ lias been built now for two years, Ijut it can never bo used for through traflic until another bridge is eroded ovor tlic Wniwotu stream. Tin's latter bridge lias not yet been built, nor have approaches to tlic completed bridge bcon made. The last phase of discontent was a request to the Wellington City Council thai they sliohKl apply to the Public Works Department for authority to have the work done and to charge tiie cost to the local bodies interested. Nothing was heard nf it, and an imiuiry by the l'oton? Borough Council from the Department elicited the. following reply from the l.'n-dor-Secretary: "I am now directed by tho Minister for Public Works lo state that the Department hmi no record of any application having been received from tho Wellington City Council for power to construct these bridges on the terms mentioned in the notice served upon him in terms of Section 1!) of the Public Works Aet." This letter was considered by the I'etnne Borough Council last night. Councillor Short moved that the Pelonc Council write to (he Wellington City Council stating that as the Wellington City Council had not token steps to obtain an Order-in-Comicil, the Polone Borough should cancel the agreement made with the city. Councillor Piper seconded the motion. Councillor I.odder: I think we should pass a vote of thanks to the Wellington City Council for lotting us off for so long. Councillor Short: Time is the essence of a contract. They have fooled us for so long that wo are entitled lo get out of it. Tho Mayor: T may 101 l you, gentlemen, that a motion of this kind won't settle the matter. Councillor Short: I reckon we've made about .£6OOO to-night. The Mayor: What's the good of saying that? Unless you are prepared to' attack Hie agreement in some way, a motion of this kind is only beating the air. Councillor List: That is so. It would only lead to Supreme Court proceedings. J siis'ffcsr that we take proceedings under tho Declaratory Judgments Act"to ascertain whether the agreement is valid or not. It would only cost .£5 or so. Councillor Wakeham: I move that we approach (ho Wellington City Council asking them to show cause "why the Order-in-Council lias not bwn obtained. Councillor Short: We've been approaching them too long. That's the whole trouble, and they bluff us every time. Councillor Brocklebank seconded Councillor Wakeham's motion. The object of the council, he said, should be to try to have tho approaches made, and not to try to get out of paying a fair share of the cost. Councillor Short: Poor Peto:ie! Always sat upon. The Mayor thought this was not so. Petone was in really n good position, and the City Council were lying out of .C 2500. Councillor Short: Do you think (here is any other power in this? Do you think the syndicate is short of money, and that they have managed to have this Ordor-in-Couneil withheld? Tho Mayor did not think any considerations of that kind would stay" the hands of the City Council. The amendment (moved by l Councillor Wakehani) was carried.