PETONE BOROUGH

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3193, 18 September 1917, Page 7

PETONE BOROUGH

MEETING OP THE COUNCIL. The fortnightly meeting of the Petone Borough Council was held Jast evening, the Mayor (Mr.. J.-W. M'Ewan) presiding, and there were also present Councillors C. P. Brocklebank, J. Foster, J. Churchouse, S. Rowlands, J. M'Dougall, D. M'Jvenzie, K. H. Jones, and B. Tovey. A deputation from the Petone Cricket Club waited upon the council to request the use of the Recreation Ground free of charge during the coming season. Mr. A. Bennett, who acted as spokesman, said the club was not, in a-position to pay rental on account of their ranks being depleted ■ through the war. The application was granted. Permission was granted the Waterside Workers' Band to give a sacred concert at Petone on Sunday next, the programme to be approved by tho Mayor. In reply to a request by the council the Town Clerk, Wellington, advised that the City Council could not authorise any reduction in the license fee for motor buses. ■ It was resolved to thank Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., for putting a question on the Order Paper of the House of Representatives regarding the carriage of coal. It was pointed out that the council was unable to get a contract for the supply of State coal,, due to the lack of sufficient tonnage. , An application by the Labour Day Committee for tho uso of the , Recreation Ground on Labour Day was granted, It was also decided to grant a subsidy of £b should the day be fine, and should it prove to wet. The Green Island Borough Council wrote requesting the support of the council for a resolution calling Upon tho Government not to pay a, war bonus to Civil Servants who, in case of single men were receiving .£l5O per annum, and .£220 in tho case of married men. Councillor Churchouse maintained that before the council could support such a motion it would have to put its own house in order regarding the payment of a bonus to its worknion. Councillor Brocklebank remarked that there was evidently a- diversity of opinion in regard fo the payment of a war bonus. He was in favour of a sliding 'scale. The letter was received. A reply was received from tho Minister of Railways that the request of the council that at least one train leaving Wellington between 8.30 and 10.30 o'clock each evening might bo run, was receiving consideration, but that ho could not hold out any hope of an alteration being made. The question of providing more platform shelter at tho Petone Railway Station, also the Question of boys travelling in smoking carriages wero receiving tho- attention of the Minister. - ■ • •■ The Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs communicated with the council regarding tho setting aside of Sunday, October.7, as a day of national prayer. The Mayor announced that ho had made arrangements for a meeting of ■the clergy and other prominent citizens to draw up a programme for the occasion. The Secretary of the Board of Trade (Mr. J. W. Collins) wrote stating that the information required , by the council with respect to tho Auckland iniiat slops could not be supplied until the report had been beforo Parliament. The Gear Company forwarded price lists of meat at the company's shop at Petone before and after the commencement of the war, and consideration of the matter was held over for another occasion. The Hutt Park Committee applied for a. contribution of b£3fl towards the rates upon the Hutt Park. It was pointed out that the park was made immune from rates, and- in 1015 tho Act was amended which'made tho park again liable to rates. The Mayor stated that during tho time he was a member of the Hutt Park Committee he opposed the payment of rates on the park on principle, holding that no public sporta grounds should be subject to the payments of rates. Other councillors endorsed the Mayor's views, and the-appli-cation wns refused.

The Borongh, Engineer reported that Uβ hoped to be able to make a etart on the erection of the pavilion next week. The structure will not be an ornamental one, hut will afford the shelter required.