PETONE AFFAIRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3138, 17 July 1917, Page 7

PETONE AFFAIRE

—? BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING. The fortnightly meeting of tho .Pclons Borough Council was held yestraviof. The 'Mayor (Mr. .T. W. M'Ewan) presided, and I,hern were also present:—Councillors C. P. Procklebank, AV. Cox, ,T. C'nurc.hhotise, ,T. Foster, 8. Ncwla.nd, .T. M'Dougall, D. M'lvonzie. Tt. H. .loncs, and E. Tovey. The engineer (Mr. A. Oiwio) reported that; parts or Udy and Hegent btveets and tho Hutl. Road had been coated wtn infital. Tho rnota.l obtained from t.he ixmncil's quarry was of poor quality, and arrangements were being maoo to get a. fresh, supply. Tho whole of t.he streets, and especially the Hntt Bead, were suffering from the oontinned wet weather. 11. was intended to commence the annual cleaning of the upper dam on Saturday. ■Tho average consumption of water recently had been 2,3tfi,000 gallons per week. Tho following resolution was moved by Councillor Chnrchhouso: ''That. this council desires to draw tho attention ot tho-Government to tlio extreme wastage of man-power nod preat economical loss arising from iho 'Win tho "war policy of the Government in tho rcMnction of train-running upon the Hutt valley •suburban Tail-ways, thereby diverting suburban traffic, from tho railways to the H'utt VaUev main, arterial road, tins council considers the man-power required in Iho upkeep and running of a njotor service. with iU great wastage of benzine, to be false cconomy, , and views with alarm tho ever-increasing cost of tenaneo and general upkeep ™ *>"5 ilutc Bead—duo to Uio policy of the Oovoni•ment, from which no rovcniie is derived ■which greatly outweighs tho cost of extra train-running, and call* for urgent con- ! sideratioii from iho (loverument. Coni siderablo discussion took placo on tbe motion, principally regarding the manner in which Iho heavy, motor irnmc "was cutting up tho roads. Jho recent race meeting at # Ircntuaim had proved exceptionally, disastrous, as some hundreds of cars, lorries, etc., per day had passed over tho road. Tho engineer estimated 'that the 120 chains of tho road under iho council's jurisdiction would cost «£2O ft- chain to put into tho same order as it was beforo tho race meeting. The motion was finally carried. ' § . Two communications were received from tho Primo Minister. Tho first acknowledged the receipt of the councils letter asking that letter*?, newspapers, anil parcels bo carried free to soldiers and Bailors on active service, and stated that it had been.forwarded io- tho Post-mastor-Gencral for consideration. Tho second stated that tho Prime had noted tlm terms of tho council's resolution dealing with iho representation of iho Petono Fire Board, and would give tho matter careful consideration when it camo before' Cabinet. Tho District Health Officer sent two letters, one rccommendltug repairs to preihiscs in Ava Street, and another forwarding a condemnation certilicato of an old Maori house.

It was agreed that tho faro to Weilington on the council's bus bo Is. single* and. Is. (Id. return on week-days only.