HUTT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 11 February 1920, Page 3

HUTT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the above Council was held at Wellington yesterday. Present: Crs. F. G. Cooper (chairman). W. Galloway, XV. ,T. Howell, M. W, Weh-h, P. Cavanagh, and J. Whiteman. Correspondence. Correspondence was read and dealt with as under: — From Railway Department, stating that as the Council had opened up a cuiarry at Paekakariki it behoved it to protiK-t the railway line from rolling stones. Recently two boulders struck the sheds.—Necessary X'reeautions to' lie taken. Prom same, offering to allow their plumber to repair the cap of the drinking fountain at Paekakariki. Offer accepted. from Kiwitea County Council, asking to be supported in asking the Government to remove import duty on dump trucks purchased by local bodies. [ —To be supported. From Westport Citizens' Committee, asking to be supported in a resolution that members of Parliament be asked to call at Westport while on their way io Samoa and investigate the coal question, it being considered locally that there was sufficient coal there .cithotit importing nay. To be supported. Kin,n VV. S. Wallace (Day's Bay), asking permission to erect a garage on :, portion of the road reserve. Or. Howell objected, while Cr. Welch -poke in support, stating the garage would not interfere with anything or ant-body. The inspector said the structure would not be an encroachi„oni or obstruction for'a number of ~-,.., ,s. Permission granted, provided •j Is her annum lie paid. From Wairaiapa Automobile Association, suggesting that the western side ,i the Himutaka Hill be fenced. The letter pointed out that outside support had been promised.—lf was pointed out that live or six miles of fencing was required, and that half a ton of wire had been promised by the Gear Co., while the Association would give.half ; , t 0„. A further donation of SOcwt liad also been promised. The Chair,„:,,i said evidently the Association required the Council to do the.work, white Cr. Whitemitri said it was as much as the Conneil could do to keep H„. ,„ I(f | open. He suggested the Council donate half a ton of wire and Hint i lie Association erect the fence under the inspector's supervision, Agree,l 10. A Bridge Want«d. A deputation from Stokes Valley waited on the Council and asked for ,he erection of a bridge at Haywards. They were prepared to be specially Kited for the structure, which would be of benefit to many, including the Wellington City Council.— Suggested the deputation take the necessary steps to .„,. ) p lv j t l, the work. The Council I promised all the assistance possible. Inspector's Report. f] u , inspector (Mr Cudby) reported Ami he had made a sanitary inspection ~f I'lin.mi'i-ton. He made mention of a .. ,1,.. presumably without permission, having been erected near the junction ~f Hnyward-Pahautanui road. The roads, generally, in the county were in vV-rv good order, but several were being improved. Owing to lack of accommodation at Plimmerton a number of U-nts had been erected, but visitors. ~v „ ,.rnllv seemed satisfied with their tVmporarr abodes. There were, however, one or two very unsightly build-i„n-s.' ~ld sacks being used, which emphasised the fact that more up-to-date buildings were necessary. Drainage. i„ places, was unsatisfactory, and conditions were foul owing to water , emptving under some of the houses. Several residents were also evading i sanitary by-laws, while one resident | refused to pay a sanitary fee. Cr. Galloway considered that pro'"ceedings should be taken against of- '■ fenders, while the Chairman said he

,ulil net understand xyhy the inspector „.„| not already dpne sp. He had been instructed sis months ago to take ;i ,.,i,,„. and the onus was on him to take (.roceedings.

Cr. Galloway objected to tents being Jrected on the congested areas, while Cr. Howell asked why the inspector had nni taken proceedings. The inspector stated he was instructed to put in a report, and that he did not know previously there were breathes of the building by-laws: it was only by investigation that he had located the offenders. Cr. WV.teman considered the report useless—the inspector should have waded in and sued offenders. The inspector was instructed to rake i P><" dings. The Ranger. j The ranger reported for January he had seized 25 head of cattle, and that four owners had been sued. Other J owners of wandering stock were also t to i>e summoned,iprusning R£«Jt: Tlit- engino-drireT reported that The crusher during January bnd worked is I flays; 360 yaWs of metal had been crushed, while 1.".* cases of benzine Vere consumed. Unfortunately the jaw had broken, but was being repaired. During the repairs bf.ing rjonp he would give the orusber. and plant a thorough {overhauling. ' ; —-""•• '"*' rv. UfoUi said the plant had only | been recently overhauled, but Cr. GalI loway un.l the Chairman considered it 1 wise to pvpThauf fljfi glWf frj-tqufrctly. ' Cr. GaUowav, however, considered that a par,' set ApuM have been ordered before Tiic brtak-dowa. ' Cr. HoVelJ said jaws were orderec • with the crusher, while thfe Chairrcai considered it almost li-ele?*- to ordei I without be"m£ pISEaXSS t 2 _wanJor < considerable time. The Chairman considered sufficien pans should have be*ja ordered -wit! the crusher to last' 12 months. Cr.'HowJl s»id it irts, only recent;

that it was discovered spare parts had not arrived. •On enquiry it was stated that the jaws would be repaired by Thursday. In answer to Cr. Galloway, the inspector said the crusher could crush from 30 to 35 yards per day. Cr. Galloway considered the ratepayers' money was being wasted. Cr. Howeli differed, and said it was j monstrous to talk the way Cr. Galloway was doing. Discussing crushing for outside 1 bocTTes, Cr. Galloway said he did not ' want his roads in the same state as they were last winter, and objected to metal being crushed for outsiders while | local roads needed attention. He could only do without the crusher till the end of March. Water Supply for Paekakariki. A deputation—Messrs Salter nnd Holton—from Paekakariki waited on the Council and stated that at a ratepayers' meeting it was decided to instal a water supply, and wished to know if the Council would get a competent' man to report on township was getting populated, and water was necessary. In view of this it was hoped the Council would assist. At present residents were dependent on rain water. \

1 Cr. Howell suggested that the Paejkakariki committee inert an expert and ; get a report, and then lind out from that what it would cost. A report on the Paraparaumu scheme was to cost. £ls, which would be paid if the loan money is raised. If"not proceeded will.. the riding would pay the amount. He considered Paekakariki residents should wVrk' on Ihe same basis, and consult Mr Laing-Meason on the subjecf, Mr Holtoin said the present valuation on Paekakariki was £.-,0.000. but would, no doubt, go up 5D per cent at the next valuation. A water supply was absolutely, necessary, and there were several springs in the hills at both Smith's and Mackay's. It would be a pennv wise and a pound foolish policy to put in a scheme that would prove inadequate in the course of a few years. Cr. Howell offered to subsidise the project, from riding funds up to £2O to get an engineer's report. Cr. Cavanagh considered the Paekakariki residents had been slow in not moving before. Air Holtom considered Paekakariki would be the Brigiiton of New Zcjland if it only possessed more progressive men Decided to meet Mr Laing-Meason at once and arrange matters