Chairman: Mr. Allum

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 544, 22 December 1928, Page 1

Chairman: Mr. Allum

TRANSPORT BOARD MEETS Position Reviewed AT the first meeting of the Auckland Transport Board this morning Mr. J. A. C. Allum, a member of the Auckland City Council and chairman of the council’s tramway committee, was appointed chairman.

rpHERE was a full attendance ot members, and there were two nominations. The Mayor, Mr. G. •Baildon, nominated Mr. Allum, and the seconder was Mr. G. Ashley. Mr. E. H. Potter, Mayor of Mount Eden, was nominated by Mr. Rhodes, seconded by Mr. Morton. Mr. Baildon, who was acting • as chairman, said the election of a hoard did not solve the difficulties of the position. The members would find that when they got into work. He hoped the board would work harmoniously in the interests of Auckland transport and greater Auckland. He then moved that Mr. Allum be appointed chairman, and pointed out his long connection with city tramways and his knowledge of the position. Notwithstanding the amount of abuse Mr. Allum had had to stand he, Mr. Baildon, thought he had dojie his job well. Mr. G. Ashley seconded and thought Mr. Allum had earned his position by the interest and energy ho had displayed. MR. RHODES SUPPORTED Mr. Rhodes nominated Mr. Potter, as one who had been largely responsible for the formation of the board. He thought this would be a popular choice, and would tend to even up the difference in representation, between the city and suburbs. Mr. Morton supported this nomination on the score of the independence from past activities of Mr. Potter. The two candidates refrained from voting, and Mr. Allum was appointed by five votes to three. Mr. Allum shook hands with. Mr. Potter, and took the chair, first returning thanks for the appointment. He then made the following statement: — MR. ALLUM’S REVIEW “As chairman of the Tramway Committee, which controlled the city transport undertaking, it is my duty to speak on behalf of the city on this important occasion, when we are ibout to conclude the largest and probably the most important transaction which has taken place in the history of Auckland. “In the first place I desire to say that the members elected by the City Council accept their positions not as delegates of the City Council, but as members of a partnership created to deal with transport problems in the Auckland metropolitan district. "I have no doubt that the members elected by the suburban bodies also view the matter in this /ight. Some of us have had considerable experience in controlling Auckland’s passenger transport services and as a result we have gained valuable knowledge which has enabled us to frame a policy acceptable to the City Council. It is desired to place on record that we realise there is still much to be done and also that the formation of this transport board embracing the city and the outer districts, offers greater scope for the solution of the whole transport problem. Therefore w*e ask our new colleagues and the public to accept our assurances that we commence our duties on this board with the desire to learn the point of view of our colleagues, and with the earnest wish that we shall all work together to frame a policy which will result in giving the travelling public the maximum service, at a minimum cost. "This is an appropriate opportunity to say that this board approaches its problems in more favourable circumstances than did the present City Council. In the first place, when the present Tramway Committee took up •ts duties the transport undertaking was losing money at the rate of approximately £1,200 a week. “Within a short time thereafter the council was compelled to take over unprofitable omnibus services it never contemplated running, and had no desire to run. The council was urged to abandon these services altogether, but decided to operate modified services Pending the decision of the Transport Commission. “I am glad to be able to say that the transport undertaking will be handed over to this board on a profit-earning basis, and the board cannot be compelled to take over any more omnibus services. INCONVENIENCE ADMITTED "1 will be the first to admit that a section of the travelling public has been put to some inconvenience, and that the omnibus facilities to-day are not as generous as they were under Private enterprise. It is only right, however, to remind the critics that the City Council was in an unenviable Position; on the one hand it had the insistent demand lor services, while on the other hand it had to face the cold that it had no right to prejudice tuo position of its ratepayers by conUnuing to lose heavily in giving sor'ice t u the public outside the cit3*. "The Tramway Committee has succeeded in bringing the undertaking as u "hole on to a paying basis, but it inust be said that the omnibus services are still losing heavily. The Tramway Committee is confident that jy replacing certain omnibus services by tramways, and also by replacing Ule motley collection of omnibuses by Modern vehicles suitable for this district, the losses can be substantially Educed and more satisfactory service Siven to the public. "This policy, of course, calls for money which, unfortunately, the counc‘il did not succeed in obtaining. However, this board will undoubtedly give these matters its early consideration an d its proposals can be submitted to the public at the first opportunity. "It is as well also to remind the Public that the Motor Omnibus Traffic ) ct ’ . 1926 - no longer has effect in this district, and under its own special Act ’his board has wide powers in dealing v ith traffic matters. In this connection the board in issuing licences to private "Per a tors can make terms and condiuens which, while being just and fair

to the private operators, will not prejudice the board as owner of the public utility. OPPOSITION TO ACT "It appears to me to be only just to remark that none of the members of the present Tramways Committee, or the members elected to the board by the City Council, took any active part in promoting tlie Motor Omnibus Traffic Act, 1926. On the contrary, some of the members were actually in entire opposition to the measure. The Act was in operation and a number of services had been, taken over, when I assumed the chairmanship of the Tramway Committee and when the rest of the members took office, and it was our clear duty to continue under the provision of the Act. “We might have gained some temporary popularity by bowing to the popular demand for resumption of private omnibus enterprise, but those who would have praised us then would have rightly condemned us when the position became fully real ised. "Rightly or wrongly, the Act was put on the Statute Book to protect publicly owned transport services, and it was the duty of every representative of the public to consider the interests of the owners of such services—in this case the city ratepayers. Happily, these complications have now largely disappeared and the ratepayers in the whol« area served are responsible for the financial results. This is a great relief to me personally, as I am sure it must be to all members of the board, because I am most definitely of the opinion that even in the case of public utilities, if the public body is not able or willing to give service, then the claims of private enterprise must receive very serious consideration. "In the best circumstances, the initiation of a new undertaking is attended with difficulties, and our present case is all the more difficult because we have to tackle a problem which is exercising the best brains of the -world. I am sure, however, that we shall avoid dognTatising and that we shall all be actuated by the desire to give of our best in the public interest." FUTURE POLICY Mr. E. H. Potter congratulated Mr. Allum on his appointment. He said the policy they must form was one requiring deep consideration. It must take into consideration all the possibilities, including those of railway electrification. The private owner must also be considered. The drift in Auckland was to the motor-car. The present area was 200,000 square miles, and he anticipated that other outside bodies would want to come in and the area would be increased to 300,000 square miles. Mr. George Baildon was elected deputy-chairman and Mr. St. John Clerk was appointed secretary, protern. Mr. H. M. Rogerson was appointed to prepare the necessary legal documents, and the next meeting was fixed for January S.