HUTT VALLEY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 98, 19 January 1935, Page 22

HUTT VALLEY NEWS

Mr. Walter Nash, M.P., has been advised by the Minister of Education that he has approved a special grant to cover the cost of new out-ofliees at. the Muritai School, and also to cover the cost of connecting the drainage system with the new borough system.

Messrs. J. M. Thompson, W. H. Johnston, and H. A. Penny were appointed representatives to the district executive at the quarterly meeting of the Lower Hutt Methodist Church. Mr. Thompson was also appointed to represent Lower Hutt at the Methodist Conference in Dunedin on February 22.

The Rev. D. 0. Williams, M.A., who has been probationary minister in the Hutt Methodist circuit for the last four years, will be ordained at the Methodist Conference at Dunedin in February and will bo appointed to a charge of his own. Before leaving Mr. Williams will be married to Miss Jean Davidson, of Lower Hutt.

Karapoti. about 10 miles from Upper Hutt, was the scene yesterday of a severe bush tire, which, owing to the high wind, spread at an alarming rate, and gained proportions that would have made any efforts of fire-fighters futile. Part of the narrow Mill Hoad was blocked for traffic, and some concern is felt as to how the milk will be got out A resident advised a “Dominion” reporter that no property was threatened, but sheep had to be transferred to another area. DONATION OF CUP For Inter-club Swimming Competition A cup has been donated by a prominent Lower Hutt citizen, whose name cannot yet be disclosed, for inter-club competition between clubs affiliated to the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Swimming Association. The rules for the competition have been drawn up as follow: — The competition shall be open to all chibs affiliated to the Wellington Centre N.Z.A.S.A. All events to be conducted under N.Z.A.S.A. rules; The competition shall be an annual one, conducted by the Hutt Club in the baths at Lower Hutt; The competition will be a teams’ competition, seven swimmers to constitute each team. The events will consist of a 66 2-3 yards free-style, 66 2-3 yards breaststroke races, dive, one running off the low board, one running off the high board, ami one optional, relay race, seven-a-side, each member to swim one length, and a knock-out water polo competition of five minutes’ duration. In the free-style, breaststroke and diving events, competitors will-be limited to three from each team; All teams must be nominated at time of starting of the competition; .there will be no replacements ; Points will be allotted, ami the team gaining the greatest number of points in the competition will be declared the winner and hold the cup for .12 months; The cup will always remain the property of the Hutt Club; Any disputes arising out of the competition shall be referred to the Wellington Centre for decision: All races will he from scratch.

DAY’S BAY DRAINAGE

Problem of Rate-Exempted Properties

Regret that the Government could not see its way to introduce legislation giving the council reasonable rating powers over Williams Park and Croydon School at Day's Bay was expressed by the Hutt County Council yesterday when advice to this effect was received from the secretary of the Board of Health. The board also asked for a definite reply to its letter of September 28 in which it set out a requisition regarding the water and drainage in Day’s Bay. Recently the council asked the Government through the Board of Health if it were prepared to introduce legislation relating purely to Day’s Bay and giving the council power to levy water and sewerage rates and loan rates in respect to water and sewerage upon all exempted properties, and ou the same basis on valuation as if the exempted properties were of unrestricted private ownership. It was pointed out that Williams Park. Croydon School, and the Anglican Church Room property comprised approximately ‘JO per cent, of the area of the Bay, and included by far the most valuable sites. The cost of any re.ticulatiou scheme was, of course, greatly increased by the necessity of running water mains and sewerage along roads bounded by exempted properties. The reticulation of Day’s Bay would be almost as extensive as that of Eastbourne, notwithstanding the fact that Eastbourne had five houses for every one in Day’s Bay.

On the motion of the chairman, Mr. D. R. Hoggard, who also represents the Day’s Bay riding, the matter was left in his hands to call a public meeting of the ratepayers to discuss the question.