HUTT BOROUGH COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2380, 9 February 1915, Page 8

HUTT BOROUGH COUNCIL

ORDINARY MEETING. There were present' at last evening's meeting of the .Lower Hutt Borough Council the Mayor (Mr. H. Baldwin), and Councillors Hodgins, Meldrum, Kempthorne, Brassel, Clendon, Parsonage, Purdy, Ball, and Hobbs. It was decided, in reply to a communication from the superintendent of the Nar tionaJ Provident Fund, to supply certain information in respect to the council's employees. Mr. W. Neazor asked for a reduction ill rates,. and it was decided to reply stating that the council had no power to grant tho.request.. An application for,the use of the Recreation Ground for a sports meeting on Marcn 17 was granted to the secretary of the St.:. Patrick's Day sports, the conditions to be the same as last year,' and' the use of the same ground was likewise granted to the Hutt Amateur Athletic Society for tho evening of Wednesday, February 10, for a sports meeting. In. the, latter connection, the use of tho dressing-room for training purposes during evenings was also sanctioned. A. copy of. the annual balance-sheet of the Hutt Park Committee for the year ended March 31 last was received. Th Hutt Park Committee acknowledged receipt of the council's cheque for £27 10s., and pointed out that its former application was for £30, and asked that the amount be made up by granting a further sum of £2 lus.. It was resolved to accede to the request. Applications for public hall licenses were granted to tho Knox Church Committee, H. M. Hayward (Lyceum Hall), St. James's Church, and to F. J. Pinny (Gospel Hall), subject to the engineer's approval. The Clerk of the Hutt River Board claimed exemption from rates in respect of various properties . used for stop-banks. In regard to this matter the .Town Clerk was instructed to confer with the clerk of the board on the ques-, tion and report to the council. . ' Tho Inspector 'of the Department of Labour threatened Court . proceedings against the council if the 6um of £2 10s., being a penalty and costs imposed in the Magistrate's Court for a breach of the Wellington carpenters' award on April 4, 1913, if the same is not paid within, seven days. It was decided to ask the Department to hold the matter over pending the" deoision of certain *fgal points. _ A deputation representing the Western Hutt Ratepayers' Association waited on the council with respect to certain matters. Mr.'J. MacDougall, who was the principal speaker, called the council's attention to the cattle-stray-ing nuisance, which he claimed was growing unbearable, and suggested that | an assistant-ranger be appointed.' The cart-crossings required attention, a sec-' tion on the corner of Victoria and Cuba Streets was to have three houses erect--ed upon it, and, referring to the widening of Victoria Street, the speaker thanked the oouncil for the good work already accomplished, but asked that they go further , with " f the matter. Messrs. Anderson and Roots also spoke. The Mayor, in reply, stated that the matters referred to would be considered, and the deputation could rest assured that the council would do its best to assist them with the resources at hand. •>.'"• .V. The Hutt River Board wrote asking the council to give instructions to have certain' obstructing boulders removed from the river beach, caused by tho employees of the 'council screening shingle and leaving large boulders behind to the detriment of .others , who wished to obtain shingle. The matter was referred to tho works committee to report upon. ■ The engineer's report stated that'the dedication in Victoria Street was completed, the cost being £55 15s. Bd., estimate £30. _ Much more work was involved in this connection than had been anticipated owing to the kerb at the Drill Hall being very low, necessitating considerable amount in excavating. An area of the Main Street, 96 yards long by seven wide, had been scarified. Tolled, then sprayed with "restar, and it is expected to give good results. For the first coat 360 gallons were used and for the . second coat 140 gallons. There are now 36 consumers on the fjas-con-sumers' maintenance scheme, with 207 burners, an average of 5.75 burners por consumer. Two connections havo been mado with tho gas main?, making the total number of connections to date 516. One permit had Been issued under the Drainage and Sanitary By-laws, makiug tho total connections to date 885. The expenditure for tie fortnight ending January 30, 1915, was: District fund account, £166 6s. Bd.; gas account, £18 Is. 6d.; total, £184 Bs. 2d.