HUTT VALLEY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 88, 8 January 1935, Page 2

HUTT VALLEY NEWS

Some half-dozen young pine trees were affected by fire which occurred before midday yesterday in the Stellm Estate, adjoining the golf links, at Lower Hutt. The brigade soon had the outbreak in hand. On Sunday the brigade received a call to Melting to extinguish another grass fire on the riverbank there. Through falling oil a motor-cycle on the Mungaroa Hill yesterday morning, a grocer’s assistant, L. Sadler, of 266 Wilson Road, Opawa, fractured the left side of his jaw and received a lacerated wound to the scalp. He was attended to by a doctor at Upper Hutt, and a service car took him to the Free Ambulance, which conveyed him to the hospital. CRITICAL VISITORS The Drive From Wellington to Muritai No one who travels over the Hutt Road can help noticing the unsavoury aroma which causes one to hold one s breath at intervals along the route. Regular travellers have become hardened to the smells, but the thousands of visitors to Wellington recently must have thought that the beginning of what is reported to be one of the longest marine drives in the world was peculiarly unattractive, particularly in the hot weather experienced lately. Added to that, numerous people have been critical of the hoardings which block' out what beauty there might be on the left-hand side proceeding from the city. A “Dominion” reporter, who was present with a party of sightseers a day or two ago, heard streams of polite criticism of the route. At Thorndon Quay it was pointed out that the houses there did not give one a very favourable impression of Wellington’s marine drive. Several of them, it was argued, would look the better after an energetic splash of a painter’s brush. The same reference was made to the wool stores on the right. After passing those, a member of the party remarked that one naturally expected a glimpse of the scenic wonders for which the country was famous. But alas, hoarding upon hoarding blocked the view, while on the right the new railway embankment for a time prevented any sight of the sea. At Ngahauranga the smell was described as nauseating. Turning into Petone on the foreshore, one could not help but recall the remark passed at Thorndon, for the houses were distinctly similar. And near there, too, was another epidemic of smells issuing from, slaughter works and candle factory. Gear Island was a welcome sight, for it stood out in striking and happy contrast to spectacles and smells earlier on. From there to Muritai the party eulogised the drive', which was admitted to be beautiful from the half-way mark. POINT HOWARD’S NEEDS Water and Fire Brigade RESIDENTS CONCERNED Since the outbreaks of fire at Point Howard some months ago, residents of the locality have expressed concern as to their position in the event of fire. At the present time Point Howard, w’hich is in the Hutt County, is not served by a brigade, as the Lower Hutt brigade will not go beyond the south end of Seaview Road, while the volunteer organisation at Eastbourne takes the stand that the district is not within its province. Therefore, as things stand, if a fire occurred, it is probable that a bucket brigade, composed of residents, would have to dq the best they could. Eastbourne’s attitude was defined by the Mayor, Mr. E. W. Wise, yesterday. He stated that the question had exercised his mind as well as the minds of councillors and the Fire Board for some time past. His contention, however, was that the brigade at Eastbourne owed its first duty to its own district, and that it was the responsibility of the Hutt County to come to some amicable arrangement with the Fire Board. The Eastbourne authorities had themselves endeavoured to bring this about, but their proposals had been turned down. He suggested that the county should pay a retaining fee to the Fire Board, which would then see to the interests of Point Howard. The whole thing was very serious, he said. Another aspect which presented itself was that Point Howard was not served by the reservoir, which actually was situated at the point. There was an ample supply to cope with the needs of the people there, and as the mains ran through to Eastbourne, it would not be a difficult matter to open up another branch. There also the county should make the first move for the purchase of Eastbourne’s water to supply its own ratepayers. NUDE BATHING Not Seen at Eastbourne Allegations that certain bathers had converted Eastbourne into a nudist colony were refuted by Mr. G. W. Squire, the constable stationed there, yesterday. He said he had kept a •watchful eye for that sort of thing and neither he nor residents whose houses command a view of the beaches had seen anything of it. Gossip had it that there was much nude bathing on New Year’s morning, but the constable stated that he paraded the beaches until 3 a.m. on that day and did not observe a single instance of it. Referring to the recent bathing cou-

troversy he mentioned that although persons rolled down the tops of their costumes to enjoy the full benefit of the sun, there had been nothing offensive about it. On Sunday, lie said, when the traffic at the bays was greater than it had been for some years, he had had occasion to remind only two persons off the beaches that their costume tops were rolled down. REPLY TO CRITICISM Eastbourne Transport Facilities Especially over the holiday period transport facilities at Eastbourne have come in for a certain amount of criticism. For instance, on Sunday nights the last bus to (own loaves Eastbourne at 8.45 p.m. This is considered too early by some people. The Mayor of Eastbourne, Mr. E. W. Wise, mentioned yesterday that he had heard of the complaints, but the services of both boat and bus suited the majority of people, which was the main consideration. A study of the position would show, he said, that the last boat and bus were run at an hour to enable people to catch their last trams in Wellington to the suburbs. Mr. W’ise remarked also, that he had seen criticism in the press correspondence columns to the effect that, on New Year’s Day, when it rained intending travellers were not permitted to board bus or boat until it was time for them to leave. This, he said, was absolutely contrary to fact. .