If Tramway Loan Is Not Carried

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 123, 15 August 1927, Page 13

If Tramway Loan Is Not Carried

CR. ALLUM’S WARNING

OPERATIONS CURTAILED AY hat will happen if the coun- ’ ’ cil's tramway loan proposals are turned down?” was the question put to Cr. Allum, chairman of the Tramway Committee, by a SUN representative this morning. "But fares on proposed tram extension routes will have to be revised: theer will be a shortage of buses; the presetn shortage of cars in rush hours will continue, and. in the near future, be considerably aggravated: and 120 men will be thrown out of employment,” was the tramway chairman s reply. "Apart from the proposed loan.” explained Cr. Allum. "the undertaking has no financial provision for securing new tramcars to meet the increase in the population. "The same conditions would also apply to tlje bus services,” remarked Mr. Allum. “The council is not in a position to buy new buses, and as the life of original fleet was estimated at five years, of which three have passed the result is fairly obvious.” The buses recently taken over from other organisations did not help to meet the situation, said the chairman of the Tramway Committee. While it was admitted that the sinking fund woulr provide for a number of buses, it would only provide for those under the council's new bus policy. BUS FARES INCREASED Should the loan not be carried, continued Mr. Allum, the councils new bus policy would have to be revised in the direction of making the services pay. ' Pending the construction of the tramway extensions, the council intended catering for the residents concerned with bus services, which would have to show a loss until such time as the tram routes were completed. In order to carry unemployment over thewinter months, it was stated expedited. That had been done in the hope that the loan would be carried and the men transferred to capital works. The loan proposals would also give work to many tradesmen both inside and outside the service, said Mr. Allum. Most of the work, particularly in regard to the construction of tramcars, would be put in hand as early as possible, and, with the exception of the electrical equipment, wheels and axles, the work would principally be carried out in Auckland.