LOWER HUTT AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 283, 26 August 1919, Page 8

LOWER HUTT AFFAIRS

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The fortnightly meeting of tho Lower Hutt Borough Council was held last evening. Present, tho Mayor (Mr. E. P. Kislnvorth), Councillors Hobbs, M'Caskell, W. Knight, Moldrum. E. Guinness, J. Mitchell. It. 13. Hardy, and A. J. West.

Tho Minister of Dofence wrote, in reply to a request for reimbursement from tho War Expenses Account towards tho cost of maintaining tho main road through tho borough, stating that tho request lind boon considered, but had not been agreed to. Tho reply also stated that tho wear and tear on the main arterial roads coujd not be wholly attributed to military traffic. The military traffic formed only a very small proportion 'of the total traffic on the roads. Tlio Mayor said that- tho Defenco Department had apparently overlooked the fact that although a great deal of the traffic had not been military, it was tha establishment and location of camps which had caused the extra traffic, and therefore the Dofence Department was indirectly responsible. Councillor M'Caskell thought that a deputation to urge further consideration of tlio matter should bo appointed to wait on tho Minister.—This was seconded and agreed to.

A communication from tho Woolston Borough Council, asking tho support of the loc.'fl council to a resolution advocating the public ownership and control of mining, transportation, and distribution of coal was merely received. An application from N. E. Aveson for a footpath from the crown of the road to tlio boundary of his prbpsrty in tho Gracefield Estate was referred to the engineer with power to act. Thp resignation of Miss Berthold, the second-assistant in the Town Clerk's office. was accepted with regret, and the Town Clerk was instructed to call for applications for the position.

The engineer's report stated that owing to tho almost continuous rain for tho past two weeks work hail been restricted io keeping the main roadways in repair. Tho plans of the new subdivision at ihe Harnett Estate had been approved' and handed to the Town Clork. The heavy rain had been followed by a very heavy infiltration of ground-water into the sewerago system, and had caused ft heavy strain on the pumping machinery. Notices had been issued to business people in the town, placing restrictions on the H=o of gas for illuminating purposes until further notice. Tho gas purchased from Petone for the month of Juno amounted to 1,907,000 cubic feet, of which amount 1.452,000 cubic feet were consumed for domestic purposes, 97,400 cubic feet for power purposes, and 80,700 cubic feet for street lighting. Tho percentage of unnccounted gas for .Tune was H. 22 per cent. During the month 503 burners had been cleaned and rcmantled.—The report was adopted.