Brutal Candour Meets Council Delegation

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 474, 2 October 1928, Page 1

Brutal Candour Meets Council Delegation

TRANSPORT BOARD BILL UNSYMPATHETIC M.P.’S (THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON. Monday. The complete lack bf sympathy between Auckland Parliamentary representatives and the aspirations of the City Council toward the formation of a transport board was indicated to-day at unofficial conferences at which the City Council delegation, consisting of Messrs. G. A. Baildon, J. C. Allum, A. J. Entrican, E. J. Phelan and A. E, Ford, endeavoured to win support for the proposed Transport Bill.

Although these negotiations are to be resumed to-morrow, Tuesday, it is at present evident that they are unlikely to meet with success. Auckland members of Parliament were staggered to find that the City Council, at this advanced stage when the sands of the session are fast running out, had the temerity to bring forward a Bill containing 89 clauses, and many contentious principles. At least one of the proposals in the foreshadowed Bill, that proposing a nominated. instead of an elective board, for the first board, followed at six-yearly intervals by elections at polls of ratepayers, is flatly opposed to a basic Labour principle that such institutions should be elected under the widest possible franchise. Labour members therefore will have no option but to oppose the Bill unless this clause is deleted. Further, Labour men and also Mr. J. S. Dickson are frankly suspicious of any hasty proposals emanating from the present City Council. They therefore intend, unless the council will substantially modify and simplify Its proposals, to obstruct the Bill in all its phases, so that even if the Bill is given the official imprimatur of Mr. Coates, it will still have only a remote chance of going through. Messrs. J. A. Lee. W. E. Parry, F. N. Bartram and J. S. Dickson were among those with whom the City Council delegation conferred to-day. The result can hardly , have been encouraging as Parliamentarians were brutally candid in their criticism. MORE FRIENDLY TO-DAY’S DISCUSSION (THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, To-day. Auckland members of Parliament | again met the City Council delegation | on the question of the Transport Bill | this morning, with the result that, j while no definite steps have been taken, j the air appears to be distinctly | clearer, and there is prospect of coni' cessions at a further conference to be • held to-morrow.

Both sides explained their attitudes fully this morning, and. it is understood, the tone of the discussions was much more friendly than yesterday.