AUCKLAND TRANSPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 222, 19 September 1928, Page 12

AUCKLAND TRANSPORT.

SUBURBAN CONFERENCE. COMMITTEE TO MEET CUT. j WIDENING OF AREA SUGGESTED. ! "As the city has now accepted the principle of a transport board it is not necessary to go over the details of the negotiations which have already taken place. The way is open now for an improvement in transport which will do much for Auckland, both city and suburbs," said the Mayor of Mouat Eden, Mr. E. H. Potter, who presided over a conference of representatives of suburban local bodiee held in the Mount Eden Council Chambers last evening for the purpose of discussing the transport question. The decision of tie Auckland City Council to hand over t!he control of ite traffic to a Metropolitan Transport Board was under dieeueeion. ■City Council's Proposal. Continuing, Mr. Potter said: —"The City Council's proposal ie to accept the Commission's report, subject to a poll of the ratepayers. The issue euibmitted to the ratepayers will no doubt be the formation of a transport board, and the transfer of the tramway system to that board; and we may feel confident that such a proposal will be accepted. At previous meetings tiie conference has been anxious for the inclusion of a wider area than that specified in the Commission's report. Your committee will endeavour to obtain the consent of the city to this alteration, but the bill should not be held up on that account as it can be arranged that outside areas can apply for inclusion. '"The city propose to introduce a bill forthwith, and is asking for the cooperation of the local bodies in preparing it. This is an important matter, which we must provide for, and we must bear in mind that time is ehort. If a bill » to go through this session, it will be necessary for you to authorise your committee to agree to the details of the bill. At previous conferences it has been stated that the bill would be submitted to local bodiee for their approval before it went to the House—this would be impossible if the bill is to be sent to Wellington this session." Widening .of Area. Mr. Potter added that the widening of the area as sugges-ted by the local bodies would give added valuation security to transport arrangements. The city area was at present valued at £42,000,000, while the valuation of the additional area was approximately £30,000,000. The increase in population in the last 20 years had been 50 per cent in the city and 210 per cent in the outside areas. It would be only right to take the outsi.de areas into consideration when arranging transport matters. The position was fully discussed by ' the representatives iu committee before a. resolution was passed, giving instructions to the committee which will represent the local bodies at a conference with the City Council to-morrow evening. The discussion was principally on the possibility of including in the transport area further outlying districts. The conference unanimously resolved to authorise the eominitte that has acted in the matter to meet the City Council to-morrow evening and agree to the provisions of a bill embodying the recommendations of the Transport Commission's report. If possible, it' ie to arrange for the inclusion of further areas and, in any case, to have provision made to enable such areas to be included on application. It was also resolved that the board nominated in accordance with the report of the Transport Comniission should hold office for one year only, and after that it should be elected over the combined area.