Trams and Playing Areas Demanded

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 157, 23 September 1927, Page 14

Trams and Playing Areas Demanded

REMUERA EAST RATEPAYERS COUNCIL'S “LEGAL ROBBERY” Encouraged by the success that attended a previous deputation to the City Council, about 100 Remuera East ratepayers intend to interview the council again on Thursday next. They will ask that the wrong done the district, when the tramway extension loan was diverted to buses, be righted, and that the council start to spend the £B,OOO it has in hand for the development of Waiatarua Park. The Ratepayers’ Association decided on this step last evening at a largelyattended annual meeting. According to what Cr. Paterson told them, the Parks Committee has the question of the development of Waiatarua Park in hand, but a great many difficulties have to be faced.

The park contains about 200 acres, of which 65 acres are under v/ater. The council is committed to a road round the lake costing nearly £15,000, 10,000 yards of metal to be supplied free ready for crushing. Cr. Paterson said they were considering lowering the lake, giving 50 to 100 acres for playing areas. The tram communication was a first necessity. MUNICIPAL GOLF Cr. Brinsden said the council was securing a report from Mr. E. J. Moss, the Middlemore professional golfer, on a proposal to create municipal golf links in the park area. (Applause.) “It is quite as much our duty to provide cheap playing areas for the younger people as it is to provide libraries,” remarked Cr. Brinsden. “I believe that we could raise £IOO,OOO for playing areas.” In reply to a question, Cr. Paterson said £B,OOO was now available for developing Waiatarua, a fund having been built up for many years. REMUERA A CONVENIENCE The discussion branched off to the subject of trams. Mr. W. Skegg said the council had no need to come to the ratepayers again on the Remuera tram extension. The money had been authorised and raised, and the council was now making use of the district to trjf and carry with it other loans that were emphatically not wanted. They had now to watch and see whether this position again cropped up, and whether they were put in with Avondale next time.

Mr. J. R. Hutchinson, jun., said that morally the council was bound to replace the money of which it had legally robbed the district.

Another member remarked: We are paying too much for fares out here, and the service is too slow. It is ridiculous that a tram should take 25 minutes to go four and a-ha.lf miles.

“We want that tram extension,” asserted Mr. D. Lundon. “We must forget what has happened in the past, and push for the trams.” (Applause.) It was suggested that the ratepayers

should go to the council, claiming: 1. The restoration of the tramway extension fund. 2. The removal of the time clock at Market Road. 3. The reduction of fares on the fourth section. “I am convinced that had Remuera and Point Chevalier loan proposals been put as separate issues they would, as parts of the city, have been given their trams,” stated Mr. H. E. Jones. A motion was eventually passed strongly protesting against the combining of loan proposals. A further motion was carried asserting that the ratepayers, having already authorised the tram extension from Remuera terminus loan, the council should put itself in the right by securing the money again without further reference to the poll.