PETONE BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2410, 16 March 1915, Page 7

PETONE BOROUGH AFFAIRS

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. Prior to the ordinary meeting, a special statutory meeting of the Petone Borough Council was held last evening, at which the Mayor and Councillors Cos and Forsyth wore appointed to sign the electors' roll. There-were present at the ordinary, meeting the Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) and. Councillors List, Forsyth, . Cox, Brooklebank. Anderson, I'ownsend, Findlay, and Jones. The returning officer for Hutt district formally notified the result of the licensing election, and the Minister of Labour advised that Wednesday had been gazetted as the weekly half-holi-day for the combined districts of Hutt and Petone. The secretary to the Treasury acknowledged receipt of council's donation to the new Belgian Fund, and the Prime Minister acknowledged receipt of council's resolution in referonce to contributions to the Belgian Fund, and advised that the council's representations would. receive the. consideration ,of the Government. The. Wellington Fire Underwriters' Association forwarded draft of .proposed by-laws regarding the storage of dangerous . goods, and suggested that the council should adopt them. The matter was referred to-the Fire Board. . Tha secretary' of the Petone District High School Committee asked tho council to reopen the question of the proposed site for a 'high school on the' Hutt Park. Councillor Anderson nupported the request. It was pointed out, however, that the position was that a previous motion onthe subject had been defeated, and the. standing orders did not provide for a reopening of the question, unless a proposition to that effect was signed by five councillors. It was decided to inform tie School Committee to this effect. A committee consistiag of the Mayor and Councillors Forsyth and Findlay was set up to inquire into the matter of a borough fish market. . ■ ■ • The Assistant-Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs, acknowledged receipt of_ cour.cil'6 letter re sale of commodities,- and stated that, if possible, an amendment of-the Municipal Corporations Act would bo introduced nest session, and' the counciPs request would receive' due consideration when framing-tfie amendment. The /fetter was received. The Town Clerk, Runanga, forwarded copy of resolution passed by his council against the increased cost of living, and asked for support in the matter. Several councillors emphasised their protest against the rise in the . prices of commodities, and it was agreed to support the resolution of the Runanga Council. Communications from St. David's Association Football Club, the Wei- j lington Football Association, and the Wellington Rugby Union respecting j grounds for the coming season, were referred to the Reserves Committee to bring down a report for consideration. For the purposes of a Government return, a count liad been made of the borough buildings, the total number of dwellings was 1542, and four were in course of construction. Seven dwellings were empty, two of which were being repaired, and two are unfit for habitation. There wero 56 stores and shops in which no one sleeps, ten wero unoccupied, but six of these are of no practical value as shops. There are 31 factories, 12 churches, 1 halls, 5 schools, and 13 buildings not otherwise speoified. The total expenditure on the sewerage works to date, according to the sewerago engineer's report, was £31,873 Bs. Bd.