PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8357, 18 February 1913, Page 10

PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING. The Petone Borough Council met last night. Present: The Mayor (Mr J. W. McEwan), Councillors Short, List, Brocklebank, Wakeham, Piper, Lodder, Trueman, and Cox. A subsidy of £ls was granted the ' Petone Municipal Band. Councillors Cox, List, and Trueman were appointed to represent the council on the board of management of the Petone Technical School. Complaints were lodged by Messrs W. L. Meek and G. Bradley in regard to the street crossings on the Hutt road, stating that they were dangerous to motor traffic. Mr Bradley intimated that he would hold the council responsible for any damage done to his cars or passengers occasioned by the crossings.—Matter to be taken into consideration by the engineer, with power to act. In reply to an inquiry, the Town Clerk of New Plymouth stated that his council put. down a crossing at a dangerous part of a road, and he believed certain motor cars sustained minor injuries, but no claims were mado against the council. There was a considerable amount of agitation against the crossing, and it was subsequently widened, and the height reduced.—Received. Intimation was received from the Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs, informing the council that the Minister will meet the Mayors of Petone and Lower Hutt, the chairman of the Hutt County Council, and River Board, and ’ the leading tenant on Gear Island, on Tuesday, at 2.30 p.m., for the purpose of hearing their views in respect to the island. —Received. The Minister of Railways stated that the 7.19 p.m. .train from Petone was altered to give passengers time to connect with the ferry steamers, and he could not see Ris way to alter the present timetable. —Referred to Mayor and clerk. The district railway engineer inquired the rate charged for extraordinary water supply The railivay shops would use approximately 300,000 gallons.—Reply to be sent that the price is Is per thousand gallons measured through a meter. REPORTS. Mr A. Cowie, borough engineer, reported that a drain in Victoria street

was found to bp completely blocked with sand, and was cleared. An endeavour is to bo made to periodically flush tho drains, hut it is expected the old ones will give more or less trouble. To lift and relay the drains would be the most effective method of cleaning them. The five and a half chains of sea wall cost £25 to complete, but subsequent lengths would cost less, its the same framing could be used. three crossings have been put down on the Uutt road as a trial, and at first had the desired effect of reducing tho speed of motorists. When the edges of the crossings got flattened out, personal observation proved that few motorists paid any attention to them, and never slackened speed in the slightest. The crown of the crossings have been raised, and if the desired effect is obtained more are to be put down. Five extra lamps aro being erected at Kero Koro. It is not recommended that the Hutt Council be given a concession for tar taken during tho winter months, as there is ample storage at the gas works for all the tar made, improvements are being made to the recreation ground, not to the stopbank. Experiments are to be made with explosives to improve the drainage. Air W. B. Gough, sanitary inspec tor, reported that he had paid 280 inspection visits during January, twenty on persons being notified to remedy sanitary defects. Noxious weeds were growing on the old show grounds, and representation had been made to the Agricultural Department. Only forty dogs had been registered to tho end of January, and proceedings are being taken against a number of owners of dogs. The reports were approved. TRAMWAY. Councillor Brocklebank moved: ‘‘That the sub-committee set up to confer with tho tramway syndicate with regard to the agreement to he entered into be discharged.”—Carried.