PETONE AFFAIRS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9792, 16 October 1917, Page 3

PETONE AFFAIRS

BUSINESS BEFORE COUNCIL MEETING.

The ordinary meeting of the Potono Council was held last evening. There were present: The Mayor (Mr J. W. McEwan), and Councillors 0. P. Brooklebank, AV. Cox, J. Churchouse, J. Foster, S. Ncwlands, J. McDougaU, D- McKenzie, and R. H. Jones. The secretary of the Petono Technical School applied for the usual grant from tho council, and it was decided to subsidise tho school to the extent of £3O. St. David’s Presbyterian Church Girls’ Bible Class applied for a ground for the purpose of playing basket-ball. The matter was loft in the hands of the engineer to select a suitable area. It was decided to support the Hutt Borough Council in stating a casA before the Supreme Court to test tho validity of certain alterations in values of properties reduced since March 31st when tho rate for the year was struck. The council was asked and decided, to pay one-third of tho cost of the action.

The necessity for the ease was brought about by the fact that some property owners had their properties revalued, with tho result that the values were reduced. A claim has been made for rates to bo struck on the reduced valuation, and in order that the councils concerned may ascertain their position a decision of the Supreme Court is to bo obtained. Councillor Cox, in supporting the application made by tho Hutt Council, said that ho was against land speculators getting ai reduction in rates. One had only to look at names of the property owners concerned to find that they are speculators in land.

Instructions were given the borough engineer to confer with the borough engineer at Lower Hutt respecting tho best means of dealing with the water from Huggins’s gully. E. J. Taylor asked the council to accept surrender of his lease of tho borough’s property at Maungaraki. Tho applicant stated that he had lost a number of valuable cows through the nature of the property.—lt was decided to grant the request, provided the fences on the property were found to bo in a good State of repair. The question of supplying the council’s motor-bus to carry about 20U children between Hutt and Petone on Labour Day was dealt with in committee.

Mr T. AI, AVilford, M.P., forwarded a copy of an order paper wherein he had a question for the Minister for Minos to answer regarding the supply of coal from the State coal mine. Air AVilford stated that he was not allowed to put the question to the House. The horough engineer (Mr A. Cowic) reported that metalling of streets was in progress, hut on account of the drays being needed to cart coal it was impossible to procure sufficient additional drays for the carting of metal. The placing of lockers in the Municipal howling pavilion, at a cost of ,£lO, was recommended, provided the members of the club undertake to pay a fee for their use. The croquet lawns were not in as good a state as desired. Shelter sheds are to bo built during the week on the beach for the use of child bathers. A slip of fairly large extent took placa at the waterworks during tho wet weather, but no damage was done to tho pipe line.