LOWER HUTT COUNCIL

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 36, 13 February 1930, Page 7

LOWER HUTT COUNCIL

The regular meeting of the liower 1 Hutt Borough Council was held on Monc&y evening. There were present the Mayor (Sir Alex Roberts) and Crs. McBain, Meldrum, Patrick, Boyd, Carver, Campbell, Mitchell, Grierson.

Messrs MacLaren and Nisbet applied for pel-mission to erect a bridge across Waiwetu Stream to connect Wyndxiun and Burnside Estates. Permission was' granted subject to th£ approval of the River Board.

A heated discussion took place when the Engineer 'a report.' on the complaints laioi against certain borough employees by Cr. Meldrum was under discussion. At the previous meeting Cr. Meldrum had stated that there had been slackness

on the part of some of the workmen, in Alieetown, particularly during the Christmas holidays and that too many foremen" were employed, in the absence' of. the Borough Engineer thereport had been prepared by-his assistant. In two eases, the report^ more ; or- less justifieca the action of the men in charge. In a third case the report stated that the men referred to had evidently been slack. The report then went on to deal vriLth the men under the gangers. At this point Cr. Meldrum protested that he 'had made no complaint, against the men ,he emphatically objected to any mention of' being made in the report. \ .

Several,; more or less heated remarks on the question were made by Councillors protesting against the manner, in. which > the complaint had been lodged. On the motion of the Mayor, Or." Meldrum was asked-to make his complaints in writing to the Works' Committee. A petition was -received from E. Larsen and other residents of Valentine Street' drawing v attention to the neglected condition of th§i. street. It was decided that the funds would not permit of the work being"'done at present, but it would be borne in mind when the new estimates were beingframed. ' ' i :; •"■■••■■ ;•. The Works Committee reported' that v two of the Council ?s employees were laid „ aside through, accident for whioh. compensation cannot be claimed. Council expressed regret at (their misfortune and granted,,them'.* half-pay for a period of .one month. . ' y -\ . The' Engineer reported that loose metal had been kept in place on Band-* wick R'dad,* Peairose, Street,'; Gxacefield Road, Melling Street and Seaview Road.. .Maintenance continues to be heavy on Seaview Road owing, to the excessive speed of ears. It has been found, necessary to: giiad;e.in this road at least twice a week. . -\-- "^ - " '

Water-tables have been cleared out on Main Roadj St. Albans Av.en^ Queens Road, Liidlara Crescent, and portions of jSTormandale Hill Road. , • 1 The bad Weather dtiring the month lias again "caused unusually - heavy v ex? 'penditurem' road maintenance; . ' , !For the,four weeks ending; 7th January 21,648,000 gallons'of water were pump-

Graeefleld Estate: Bridge approach-— the approach "to the Bell Road bridge has been metalled, blinded and rolled and the carriage-way is now complete with the exception of concrete channelling. >", '■■' ' ' ,

During the month 31 sewers and 19 water connections were installed. ,The Ifollowang buildings permits have been issued :t—Dwellings in wood, (19) value £18,005; dwellings in brick or;Vconcretei (5) £7,510; garages (11)"£430j sheds and out buildings (8) i 1.27 lOis; additions and alterations (6) £J,060. Total (49> £27,132 i'Qs. Corresponding month previous year (47) £72,014. '

Fees collected for above permits £78; plumbing and drainage inspections £6 Jlss; sewer connections £107 j water- connections £67 10s; water fox. building £7; motor crossings £15 6s; storm pipe crossings £5 16s. Total: £287 7s 9d.

Traffic Control: Traffic duty'has been carried out in Mam Street daily. Special traffic duty was carried out on four days in connection with races at Tren-. tham and HirttPark. All boundary signs have now been erected. '

Health: Two cases of infectious diseases'wefe reportejL during the month. Twelve requisitions under the *f Health Act" andi Borough By-laws were served.

Waiwetu Catholic School: Sewer 182 ft of 6inch sewer have been laid and one manhole built to connect, above school to existing sewer ail Guthxie Street. Although shallow, this sewer waa very wet and running sand was met with

necessitating use of pump throughout the job. The work is now complete.

Waiwetu School Basket Ball Area:\ Two coats of Colfix emulsified bitumen were applied to the above playing area at the request of the Waiwetu School Committee. The Committee supplied all materials whilst Council supplied the laboiir as a charge against the Committee. . ".'

Hutt Tennis Courts: Work was commenced during the. month in connection with asphalting four of the. above tennia courts, 106 cubic yards of asphalt waa mixea and a start will be made to, lay this at an early date. ' * ..

Subdivisions: Victoria Estate. Sewerage work is still in progress. The carriageways require minor adjustments before being, taken over by the Council. Mrs Well's Estate: Watennains and sewers laid but sewer not'yet connected to main. Eoads are now being metalled and! concrete channels being constructed. Waterloo Estate:* 'Work is. now in hand connecting up .'sewers on this estate to existing sewer on Waterloo roadV further attention to carriageway and bering is required before being taken over by Council. Boulcott Farm "Estate: Formation of roads on this estate haa commenced. Kerbing has been laid and atorcft water drainage is under 'construction. "Wyndruin Estate: Sewers and house connections, watennains antii stormwater drainage "• have '.., been completed on thia estate. The roads are now "being aqledL Dr. Anson's Esfate: Formation work has commenced on this estate and V water connection made with 6inch iaiuaj -on Hutt road. Fairfield Estate: Foul sewers are,now being laid and a connection bam been made'to Borough water^iain in Porutu Street.

.. The Baths Custodian's report stated that the'total takings for January were £10.4 1^ 7d against £141 32b for January 1929. .;'■■■ :

The Library report for the month of January with a comparative statement for the same period of.- laat year in parenthesis:—Number of books taken out, adults 1670, (1502), juveniles 30, (88) • new subscribers, adults, 13, " (7), juveniles 3, (2); members who withdrew adults^ 3, (7), juveniles 4 (3; total numtfer pf subscribers, adults 303, (294), juveniles 27, (52). '

■ Cr. Mcßain said he regretted tiba falling off in the junior- section and askefl what was being done to xmproye tfco position. Gr. Patrick^ said tiiat it • waa owing to tlie lack of funds but if' Oouacil would vo^te -more money iho oonditiona could b© improved.. He waa pleased to see that the adult section way being well nxaintaiiried., ' . ' "

Cr. Meß&ln asked the By-Laws Com" mittee to .ftfame a regulation to. prevent horse drawn vehicles using bitumen road as. the impressions of th© iiorse3 heels was doJLng damage' partieoQarly in hot weather.. ' ", '■ . •.■ r ;.

Cr. Patrick questioned whether^ the Council was justified ia going to -the expense of laying down expensive roads iff they will not stand ihoxse traffic 1. • •

The matter wks referred to the ByLaws Committee for report. '

Cr. Meßain asked if the Salvation Army had permission to play inj the Mauf Street on Friday evenings and if there wasl any reason why. they .should grant a monopoly of their music to 4aertain shopkeepers! • •: . The Mayor said that peimissipn foaA been granted by his predeeeaspr aid he had not made any alteration!