Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 106, 26 July 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

KARANGAHAPE Sir, In reply to Mr. Clarke’s letter, with reference to Karangahape Hoad, may I be permitted to point out that when this thoroughfare was first planned few could foresee what an important one it would ultimately become. I am sure that most of our citizens will have noticed its phenomenal development, especially during the last four years. In Newmarket, very wisely, they have given the name Broadway to that portion formerly known as Manukau Road. I do not think tlie city people should lag behind in the matter of more appropriate names being given. Hoav about changing it to “Kingsway” or “Newton Broadway” ? I feel sure the innovation would receive strong support. PROGRESS. QUEEN SALOTE’S ISLAND Sir, — In Saturday’s SUN appeared an article written by EHc Ramsden on the Kingdom of Tonga which was very interesting and would have no doubt been even more so if it had been longer. There was, however, one inaccuracy in it. Tonga has not, and can not have, a consular representative anywhere. It has a commercial agent in Auckland, charged with buying and, should it happen, selling anything it wants or wishes to dispose of, but diplomatic relations are entirely through the British Agent and Consul. King George Tubou I. gained his kingship only by conquest, not by high linear descent, and would not brook a successor in the long line of the Tui Tongas. How far back this line stretched is unknown, but there is a legend that in the reign of the seventieth Tui Tonga a fleet of canoes came from the north and, after being reprovisioned, sailed south, the Chief Astronomer being lent by the Tui to guide them. A WAP ATE. AMALGAMATION OF THE NORTH SHORE BOROUGHS Sir,As a North Shore resident of many years’ standing, may I express ( my pleasure at the awakening of public interest on the important question of the amalgamation of the North Shore boroughs, to the extent that its accomplishments is within sight. I sincerely hope that the respective councils will raise no parochial or fictitious obstacles to the proposal, but will unite in taking early steps to afford facilities to the ratepayers to express their wishes at a poll. There can be no possible doubt as to what the result of this will be as the advantages to be gained are so obvious as to outweigh all opposition. The success of the poll would give the whole of the North Shore the status and dignity of a city and as a city its representations would carry increased weight, and it would have greater influence l*i overcoming its various problems. Amalgamation will do much to expedite the building of the long-desired harbour bridge, which will make for the progress of the North Shore as nothing else can. In the past one of the obstacles to amalgamation has been the inadequate means of communication between the various boroughs, but the present day use of the motor-car on modern concrete roads has quite eliminated this difficulty. Another difficulty has been the important question of rating, but Taka puna’s recent decision to rate on the unimproved value puts all four boroughs on an equal footing in this respect. It has been said that the indebtedness of some boroughs is greater than that of others, but this cannot logically affect the position. No borough desires to throw its financial burdens upon the shoulders of another. In this respect each borough can still be treated as a separate rating area (as some portions of some boroughs are at present constituted), until such times as financial considerations n j be equitably adjusted. The important I question of water supply is one of j

common interest—in fact, all problems facing the North Shore boroughs seem to be practically identical. At present there are three separate pumping stations operating on Lake Takapuna, whereas one would be sufficient under amalgamation, thus saving the operat- ; ing expenses of two unnecessary stations. ‘When this and similar wasteful overlapping is abolished the saying to thg individual ratepayer in salaries and administrative overhead charges should be at least five shillings in the £IOO of capital value. This reason in itself should be sufficient to convince the most pessimistic and conservative of our borough directors who erroneously contend that while amalgamation is most desirable, the present is not the opportune time to bring it about. I contend that the time is opportune. Why delay progress and prosperity? The sooner amalgamation is in operation the better for all concerned. Let us sink all parochialism and imaginary differences and combine by amalgamation to make the North Shore, already so exceptionally endowed by nature, the most glorious ard beautiful garden seaside city in the Dominion —which it is destined to become. RESIDENT RATEPAYER. TRAM EXTENSION POLL Sir, — The proposal to spend another half a million pounds on tram extensions should be carefully studied by the ratepayers, and it is the duty of every ratepayer to vote on such a weighty question. Hitherto the city has carried its loan proposals with a very small proportion of the eligible ratepayers voting. The principal factor in this issue is the undoubted efficiency of the motor-bus; so much so that the council had to appeal to the Government to cut out motor-bus competition. To say the bus is gone for good by using these methods would be nonsense. The onward march of civilisation cannot be permanently held up by that sort of thing, and to spend another half a million on tram extension at the present time would be to my mind little short of madness. What could we do with that sum in other directions that would be permanent assets and at the same time keep the men in employment? We could build the muchneeded Kingsland-Great North Road bridge and concrete many more of the main roads in and about Auckland. It is true the City Council’s buses have been a loss, but “private buses pay” and give a fast, cheap ( service. City councils cannot run a business as well as private enterprise. The municipal fish market was an instance, and the buses are another. Let the council give us good roads and private enterprise will see to the services. Where you have good concrete roads, you do not need trams. They obstruct the traffic. AGAINST THE LOAN. COUNCIL PROCEDURE Sir.— As requested by the chairman of the tramways committee or the City Council, the public of Auckland is patiently awaiting the publication of the tramways report. When it does appear, however, it is to be hoped that the individual councillors will be allowed a longer time for its perusal than has been the case of committee reports in the past, and that each councillor will be permitted an opportunity of discussing the question to the limit before any definite plan of action is authorised. In a matter of this kind, it would be a gracious act on behalf of the ruling Powers of the council if the public was permitted to know the contents of the report and the council’s contemplated course of action before the council actually commits itself to any decided course. The councillors are but the mouthpiece of the ratepayers, and surely the ratepayers may be allowed some information and some say as to how their money is to be spent. If the council would take the ratepayer a little more into its confidence the individual members of the council would feel more confidence and selfassurance, there would not be so much reference back to committee and too many adjourned considerations, and a

well-defined policy would result with satisfaction to all. Surely in such an important matter as the tramways question they will not follow the usual council procedure, which seems to be as follows: 7 p.m.—Here are the committee reports. Few minutes later. —Bring the matter up. Few minutes later again.—Now vote, or shelve the matter. 10 p.m. (somewhere about).—Go home to bed. If the reports could be circulated to councillors some little time beforehand, so that they became au fait with the matter under discussion, and if more discussion were allowed before any motions were permitted to be moved, it would seem that we would have a council moving forward witn more urance and more in unison with tne ratepayer, who undoubtedly is the man who has to foot the bill. Are these suggestions practicable? _ THE MAN WHO FOOTS THE BILE THE TRAMWAY LOAN Sir, * Mr. J. A. C. Allum. chairman of tne Tramway Committee, does not want the ratepayers to be prejudiced t>y thinking that any more buses are going to be purchased by the council, and that only a modest £70,000 of tn half-million to be raised is for purposes. The money raised for tne bus portion of the loan, says *irAllum, is for housing and workshop equipment. I would ask. Sir, **>P" posing that the ratepayers are foolisenough to sanction the loan and 1 tram extensions are made in the ne future, what are our intelligent ci . Fathers going to do with the o buses they possess? Are they »° 3 ® still to have feeder services to the n tram extensions or is the £ 1 0,000 to be spent in housing buses in orner open up a huge municipal bus muwu to perpetuate our council’s mismanagement of both bus and tram serv l ©*®- The workshop equipment part wm hardly be necessary after the bus have been made to look pretty, perhaps to save unemployment i ■ present bus drivers could still carry in shifts, armed with feather dusters keep the buses in the museum looki at their best. t(1 In conclusion. Sir. I would like say that I would willingly vote for. • £IOO loan to buy a small servncecaj to save the wear and tear of tne buses in running round with repia ments, etc. ~ . I’m afraid that I cannot swallow tna half-million loan in one gulp as I mig» choke, so will have to vote agate**.*NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS I.H.S.—Your story is amusing, but not quite suitable for publication. E.L.P. (Whangirei).-We wr :ld J have published -our letter if it l' art already appeared in another p**iL • ■