NO HOPE OF PASSING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 232, 1 October 1928, Page 10

NO HOPE OF PASSING.

AUCKLAND TRANSPORT BILL.

CITY MEMBERS' OPPOSITION.

RESENTMENT EXPRESSED.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. All the Auckland members of Parliament, with the possible exception of Mr. V. H. Potter, will oppose the Auckland Transport Bill if it comes down in its published form. Objection is taken in the first place to the proposal that the chairman of the board should be appointed for six years at a salary of £250 a year. It is also considered that the payment of members is on too high a scale, and that expenses should be reduced to the ordinary local body standard, such as that of power boards. The Auckland members of Parliament are willing that a small Transport Bill should go through, giving power to ascertain the ratepayers' wishes ing the proposal to hand over the trams, and there would be no objection to a clause giving authority for the holding of an election of Transport Board members for three years. They suggest that such an election should be held simultaneously with the local body elections in May. With an Act containing these provisions the board could be set up, and any further necessary legislation could be introduced early next session. Mr. J. S. Dickson (Parnell) says there is no chance of the bill going through in its present form this session. Auckland members will not consent to the necessary suspensoin of the Standing Orders to enable it to get through as a local bill, and they would be bound to protest if it were introduced in any other way. Resentment is expressed at the fact that no Auckland city member has been officially advised of the proposal to introduce the bill, the newspaper reports being the first intimation they received that a bill had been prepared. Even if the bill should get through the House in the face of the Auckland opposition, it is considered unlikely that it Would pass the Legislative Council. It is generally held by the Auckland members that such a far-reaching measure should not be introduced in the dying hours of the session.