TRIUMPH CROWNS GREAT PACIFIC FLIGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 372, 5 June 1928, Page 1

TRIUMPH CROWNS GREAT PACIFIC FLIGHT

CHAMPION OF UNITY

City Engineer’s Evidence

ENLARGING AUCKLAND’S BOUNDARIES

THIS morning the Transport sixth week of its sitting. Barton, S.M., said that he had r cations to give evidence and t for perusal by counsel. For the city, Mr. J. Stai city engineer, who gave evideni be gained by the growth of a G It was announced by Mr. Barton that application to give evidence had been received from the Master Carriers’ Association, which considered the control of traffic by small local bodies unsatisfactory. the Waitemata Power Board and Mr. N. R. W. Thomas, representing a number of citizens. A statement had also been received from the Railway Department and was available with the others for counsel to examine. AUCKLAND’S GROWTH Walter Ernest Bush, city engineer, stated that he had held his position for 22 years. Before 1919 he had advised the City Council on tramway questions. In addition to his experience in the Dominion Mr. Bush had been four years with the Birmingham Corporation. He had toured extensively and so erained considerable knowledge of municipal administration and transport problems. The enlargement of Auckland’s boundaries had been brought about by successive amalgamation of the areas administered by other local bodies and by reclamation of portions of the harbour foreshore. Til© amalgamations are as follows: January, 1913, Arch Hill, 154. acres: February, . 1913, Parnell, 490 acres; July, 1914, Grey Lynn, 900 acres; March, 1915, Remuera, 2,520 acres; October, 1915, Eden Terrace, 95 acres; October, 1917, Epsom, 860 acres; April, 1921, Point Chevalier, 1,220 acres; September, 1927, Avondale, 3,700 acres; April, 1928, Tamaki, 5,700 acres; April, 1928, Orakei, 690 acres. The total area of Greater Auckland was now 18,105 acres, compared with 1,786 acres 15 years ago. Originally the boundaries of the Borough of Auckland were wider than they are to-day, and embraced the isthmus from the Waitemata to the Manukau and from the Whau Creek to the Tamaki, an area of approximately 35,200 acres. Subsequently the boundaries of the city were defined by the City Board Act, 1863, and included only the area bounded by th.e Waitemata Harbour on the north, Stanley Street and Symonds Street on the east, Karangahape Road on the south, Ponsonby Road and Franklin Road in the west, an area of 623 acres; but, in 1882, the districts of Ponsonby, 755 acres, Karangahape, 139 acres, and Grafton, 88 acres, were amalgamated with the city. AMALGAMATION ADVISABLE

The present boundaries of the city wholly surround Newmarket, 172 acres, j which is therefore, an island borough, and adjoin the boundaries of One Tree Hill, Mount Eden, and Mount Albert. Mr. Bush considered that the present boundaries were very irregular and more efficient administration could be obtained by the inclusion in the city of the Boroughs of Newmarket, Mount Eden, and Mount Albert, the One Tree Hill Road District and the Ellerslie Town District. “The idea to be aimed atsaid Mr. Bush, “is the enlarging of the city boundaries until they reach those laid down by its founder, that is with the Waitemata Harbour as a northern boundary, the Tamaki River in the east, and the Manukau in the south and the Whau in the west. Mr. Bush cited as examples of the efficient administration of large cities, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Bradford, Bristol, Stoke-on-Trent, Edinburgh and Glasgow, in which towns municipal enterprise, in many cases, including even education, i was entirely successful. “What has been accomplished by the | larger British municipalities is equally i within the capacity of communities in New Zealand,” he said, “and is surely far simpler and more adequately coordinated than the system of municipal government of parts of a common area by a number of smaller authorities.” ADVANTAGES OF UNITY It was considered by Mr. Bush that the absorption of smaller bodies by the city would save a tremendous amount of time now spent in conferences and disputes. Money would be saved, and there would grow up a wider civic consciousness, replacing parochial jealousies by a spirit of pride in the progress of the greater city and the achievement of its motto, “Advance.” Mr. Bush said that the local bodies themselves were frequently the greatest opponents of union, out even in Mount Eden, where the council was most anti-amalgamationist of all, when a poll was taken in 1924, only 1,600 people out of a total population of 16,000 troubled to vote. “I realise that the suburban bodies cannot and should not be coerced into joining the city,” said Mr. Bush, “but that they will ultimately do so I have no doubt. Meantime, this ultimate unity should in my judgment be the goal of all who have to do with the direction of Auckland’s destinies.” In reply to the chairman, witness | said that he did not consider either | the setting up of a Transport Control | Board or the establishment of Greater l Auckland an immediate cure for all | transport ills. There were certain problems that could not be solved by either of the suggested expedients. ORAKEI OUTFALL Cross-examined by Mr. Northcroft. witness admitted that he and Mr. Midgley Taylor had prepared the plan of the Qrakei outfall drain and considered it ideal. Mr. Northcroft:. Are you aware that there is considerable public c r.rn i about this drain v Mr. Bush: Yes, but it is not justi- [ fied. .

t Commission entered on the The chairman, Mr. J. S. received several further applithat statements were available nton called Mr. W. E. Bush, ice stressing the advantages to greater Auckland. i Mr. Northcroft: Do you know that the alarm is shared by’ Dr. Chesson. I public health inspector? Mr. Bush: I am aware of that. Mr. Northcroft: How often do you I move about on the water in that locality? j Mr. Bush: Not often. Mr. Northcroft: You know that Dr. Chesson spends all his spare time on the water? Mr. Bush: Yes. Mr. Barton: What is all this leading up to? Mr. Northcroft: Mr. Midgley-Taylor had prepared a report for the city’ and witness had elaborately eulogised him. I merely wish to show that he is not always reliable.

Mr. Barton: The whole subject is irrelevant and we had better exclude it. TRAMS FOR POINT CHEVALIER Questioned in regard to Point Chevalier, witness said that some day a tram service would run out there, and that he had made provision for it when altering and improving the Great North Road. “The establishment of certain dancing and bathing establishments made it necessary to arrange improved transport, so I approached the Works Committee in 1924. and it was decided that provision be made for the future laying of tram tracks.” Mr. Northcroft read a report of u committee meeting of 1925, in which it was stated thui. Mr. Bush had said he thought it extremely unlikely that trams would ever run to Point Chevalier. la 1920, said counsel, Mr. Bush had reported to the council that buses were making considerable headway against trams. Were Mr. Bush’s remarks about the Point Chevalier trams in 1925 a result of that earlier opinion? he asked. Witness said not altogether. He did not expect such rapid growth as had taken place since Point Chevalier had been absorbed into the city. In reply to Mr. Stanton (City), witness said that to-day's difficulties could be solved by the City Council, as it at present functioned, if it exercised patience and goodwill and understanding. Witness said that, when he first arrived in Auckland, the council’s orderpaper used to be full of complaints that ought to ha\e been dealt with by an official. Mr. V. R. Meredith (Suburbs): Now they disregard the complaints? Mr. Bush: No. There is now no cause for complaint. Concluding, witness said that he approved of the tram extensions proposed, by the council. In his opinion trams were the most convenient vehicles for transport. James John Nixon, a tram conductor, and president of the Tramway Employees’ Union, gave evidence that, since the appointment of Mr. Ford as manager of the service, when its efficiency was at a low ebb, conditions had steadily improved and were now as good if not better than ever before. Both passengers and workmen were better catered for than had been the case in the past. Mr. Barton’s appeal for a last line for the limerick which he composed on Saturday’, has met with surprising results, no fewer than six efforts arI riving by post this morning. ! Mr. Barton says, “I have received a number of solutions of the limerick competition. In all cases, so far, the sentiments are as admirable and accurate as the rhyme, just about.”