LOWER HUTT PROGRESS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2353, 8 January 1915, Page 3

LOWER HUTT PROGRESS

A YEAR'S WORK SUMMARISED. During the yoar 1914, 60 building permits were granted by the. Lower Hutt Borough Counoil, and 26 gas, 31 water, and 68 house sewerage connections were made. A loan proposal for the purpose of acquiring an addition to the recreation ground wae submitted to the ratepayers and carried, and the now road now being constructed at Hutt Park will, when oompleted, lessen the distance from Wellington to Eastbourno and open up the Gracefiold Estate at the southern end of the borough. Tho consumption of during tho year passed tho ten million mark, and tho borough was consequently entitled to a reduction to 3s. 9d. per 1000 cubic feet, in aocordance with tho agreement entered into with the Petono Council. The price charged to consumers was reduced proportionately, whilst the inauguration of tie consumers' maintenance scheme, combined with the booster installed at Petone.to inorease tho pressure at times of maximum consumption, eliminated most of the gas consumers' troubles. Several' improvements have been made in the reticulation, a new 6-inch main being laid from the main bridge to King's Road and a 4-inch main extended from that point to the V.I.C. Stores. A length of 8-inoh gas main has been laid in White's Line East, and thro.igh Marsden Street, .linking up the Western Hutt Read. with Riveroank Street. A short length of pipe was also' laid ■ in Williams Street, on the Fitzherbert Estate. The borough is heavily handicapped .owing -to the fact. that there are over 33 miles of roadß to be main-tained,-most of which are. 66ft. wido. The upkeep of these roads involves a heavy expenditure, and the policy of the council has been to do a portion of tho main road each year ana some of the side roads, the worst being done 1 first. The upkeep of the Slain Road, '. which,' as far.as the Hutt 1 . borough is concerned, is about 3J miles long, is 1 very heavv owing to the amount of 1 motor traffic. During 1914 the main : road from the railway station to the i bridge and from King's Road to the ■ V.I.C. corner; lias been scarified, met- - ailed, and rolled, and, Waterloo Road, i Park. Avenue, and: Ludlam Crescent have also been • metalled and rolled. Concrete kerbing and channelling have been laid in Buckley, Wakefield, and j Victoria Streets, and ; .in portions of Pretoria Street. A new kerb and channel is being laid round the Victoria Street side of the? District High School, and the fence is being set back, i Practically all the work undertaken ■ has been paid for out of roveniie, most > of the loan, moneys 1 having been already " expended. ■ :