“CITY IS TOP-HEAVY”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 357, 18 May 1928, Page 13

“CITY IS TOP-HEAVY”

GREATER AUCKLAND PROPOSAL PROS AND CONS BEFORE COMMISSION ACCORDING to the outside local bodies the city has exceeded the size when it can be administered with ec onomy, and increasing* its size by further amalg*amations is neither going to solve the present transport difficulties, nor benefit the ratepayers.

This was the evidence of Mr. E. II Mayor ° ,! M °unt Eden, and of £ir. W. j. Holdsworth, representing the Citizens Committee, chairman of the Power Board, ex-tramway chairman, etc., before the Transport Commission yesterday and to-day. Argument and interruption were the features of the proceedings yesterday. Mr. E. H. Potter, Mayor of Mount Eden, continued his evidence. Mr. V. R. Meredith, counsel for suburbs, suggested that witness was not receiving fair treatment at the hands of Mr. A. H. Johnstone, counsel for city, and he was going to see that he got it. Mr. Johnstone: Oh. Indeed! Mr. Johnstone inquired what use a member from, say, Mercer, would be to a transport board, if it was granted. What use would he be in deciding what should be done in Queen Street? Witness said there were matters at Mercer and on the way, that would have to be dealt with sooner or later. There might be airplanes. “Oh, you are a believer in the likelihood of air services,’' remarked Mr. Johnstone. “Yes, and I suppose when that comes you will want to .clip the airplanes’ wings to save your trams,” remarked Mr. Potter amid laughter. The Auckland Power Board was mentioned as an example of a board that could be followed in the case of transport. Witness said he knew there were power boards who had been forced to strike a rate, but that was very unlikely in Auckland. In the event of a tram loss it was not proposed to strike a rate over all the area of the district, but only over the rating area specially concerned. A PRETTY BUILDING “Someone asked where the power board profits went,” remarked Mr. Johnstone. “Have a look at this pretty picture.” The picture was of the proposed new Power Board Building in Queen Street and appeared in The Sun. Witness denied any detailed off-hand knowledge of the cost of the building, but expected that evidence would be available. Y'ou did not have to go to the ratepayers for a loan for that? —No. We had the money. It is being spent out of revenue. Of course, it is a capital work? —Yes, but done out of revenue. As regards the hospital board, it raises no rates, takes no polls, and spends what it likes? —Yes. “And every year there is a howl about the amounts of the demands,” commented counsel. Questions were also asked concerning the Drainage Board, and Harbour Board, on the propriety of raising loans without polls. METROPOLITAN BOARD? “Why aren’t you joined up with the Fire Board?” asked counsel. Witness:* We are satisfied that there is no necessity, pending the Metropolitan Board. Mr. H. M. Rogerson, counsel for outer bodies: It is only because the City Council stood out that the Metropolitan Board is still only one in nucleus. Otherwise it could have been an accomplished fact. CITY TOO BIG Mr. Potter asserted that had the city kept within a limited area there would have been more economy and lower rates. After a city increased above 100,000 population the costs increased in greater proportion. Witness considered there was efficiency in a borough of 20,000 or even of 3,000. He thought Newmarket should continue to exist. He would not agree that small local bodies caused parochialism. When the cross-examination concluded, the chairman, Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., put several questions to the witness. . . “Assum.ng that the commission recommended that a transport board should be formed, and that it should take over the trams, would you expect the City Council to abide by that and work loyally in that direction?” asked the chairman. Witness: Yha. If. on the other hand, the commission recommends that the difficulties can best be sot rid of by tho formation of a greater Auckland, would you accept that and loyally work in that direction? —No. I think it would not be a workable proposition, and the difficulties would still remain. You refuse to endorse the guarantee principle?—Yes. If a system was adopted by which the cost of running buses was decided by an independent accountant and a City Council accountant, would you agree that a district asking for a service should give a guarantee? —Certainly not. Private enterprise was the solution suggested as a remedy. The chairman asked witness if his optimism as to the success of the Transport Board was not due to his having had no experience of trans-

port, and no experience in cities outside New Zealand. Witness replied that lie did not think anything would affect his optimism. GROWING-PAINS Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, chairman of the Auckland Power Board, gave evidence as representing the Citizens’ Committee. He thought no blame could be attached to anyone for the present conditions. Witness was once a chairman of the Tramway Committee, and had then advocated a Tramway Board, realising that there would be complications when there were extensions outside the city. The city, in other words, was suffering from growing-pains. Witness had advocated amalgamations, but now realised that tlie city was becoming top-heavy, and it was losing all the revenue-producing services. Witness outlined the proposals for a Metropolitan Board, which the Citizens’ Committee considered .to be the ultimate solution, and believed this would be brought about by degrees, the Transport Board being a step in the right direction. (Proceeding.)