Wanted; £300,000

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 582, 7 February 1929, Page 6

Wanted; £300,000

TRAMWAY LOAN DECISION

Carping Spirit Condemned

PLAIN speaking continued to be a feature of the Transport Board’s discussion when the board met in committee last evening, and decided to approach the ratepayers for £300.000 for tramway and plant extensions. Mr. A. J. Entrican made a spirited attack on the “croakers” who, in decrying the city, had, he said, done untold harm.

LTAVING approved tramway extenaions and improvements at a cost of £624,300, including loan costs of £37,840, the board met to consider how to finance the works, and their order. As a basis for discussion, Mr. A. E. Ford tramways manager, reported to the board suggesting that the works should be as follow: Capital Cost. Charges, £ £. Point Chevalier 92,050 7,364 Dominion Road 39,250 3,140 Railway loop 8,000 640 Stanley Street loop .. .. 2,500 200 Onehunga 2,650 212 Twenty-five tram cars .. 76,000 6,080 Ten buses 20,000 1,600 Plant 7,500 600 Expenses 15,500 1,740 £ 263,540 £21,076 The capital charges were on an 8 per cent basis. The estimated expenditure during the first year was £160,000 with capital charges amounting to £12,800. Mr. Ford considered that elimination or replacements would have the effect uf making the following savings: Henderson, Glen Eden etc. (buses) £8,000: I’oint Chevalier (except from Hall Corner to beach), £2,500; Dominion Road, £750, and decreased depreciation £3,752 a total saving of £15.002 against the £12,800 capital costs increase. The chairman, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, made the following statement: CHAIRMAN’S REVIEW "The board has now approved a programme of works all of which can be considered us urgent, but it is essential, both on financial grounds, and as a matter of public policy, that the prosecution of the works shall extend over three to four years. To attempt to carry out the work in a shorter period would render it necessary to augment the construction and executive staffs to an unreasonable extent. Also no concern can carry more than a limited burden of temporarily unremunerative capital charges necessarily incurred during the period of construction of extension works. Further, it is in the public interest to employ a relatively smaller number of men over a long period than would be the case if an unduly expedited programme of works were attempted employing a large number of rnen for a shorter period.

"This board has to deal with a most difficult problem; that it has the will to deal with the problem is obvious, and credit can justly be claimed for progress when it is remembered that the financial position this year is over £40,000 better than last year. It must, however, be borne in mind that ihe board has only just come into existence,, and the public can justly expect that we shall ask for no greater sum of money than is considered necessary to carry out the most urgent works.

"For these reasons I propose to ask the committee to recommend the board to seek the necessary authority to raise the sum of £265,000, which will provide for the first instalment of works recommended by the tramway manager in his report. These works will cover period of about 16 months from the date of commencement, and by the time these works are completed the board can, with the authority of the ratepayers, make arrangements for the carrying out of the next instalment of works. «

“The works now recommended, including the Point Chevalier and Dominion Road extensions, should i eceive the support of ratepayers, as all items can be considered as of the utmost urgency. The carrying out of these works will result in greater convenience to the travelling public and economy in the administration of the transport undertaking. • It is not to be inferred that there is any suggestion of delay in carrying out the balance of the board's programme. The works must be done in some order and the sooner the first works are completed the sooner can the balance of the extensions be put in band. “I feel that the transport position is clarifying and that calm and dispassionate consideration cf the position will cause all reasonable people to realise that it is in their best interests to support the undertaking which they own. "The board transports some 65.000,000 passengers in 27U vehicles, running .some 8,000,000 miles per annum. This is a great responsi billt> . which l am sure the public will bear in mind when considering criticism aimed at harming the undertaking.

"We do not pretend to be* perfect, and we welcome constructive criticism. but we are jealous of the undertaking and our only aim and duty is to preserve and extend it as a great asset and convenience for its owners—that is, the general public. REMUERA LEFT OUT Mr. A. J. Entrican inquired why Remuera extension had been left out. A loan had once been raised for this work and diverted. He thought this work should follow Point Chevalier and Dominion Road. Mr. Allum: All the works are considered urgent, but we have selected the most urgent. ‘I think the whole programme we have approved should go to the Loans Hoard and the ratepayers immediately," remarked Mr. Rhodes. “To place portion of the scheme before the ratepayers is to court failure with the loan. Even if it is not intended to do all the work immediately, I think we would get the whole proposal carried more easily than a portion” "I am bound to say that I do not think so,” said Mr. Allum. Mr. F. S. Morton said all the nearby western suburbs were rampant with discontent at their treatment, and no loan would be carried until this was remedied. Under the present position he could not advise his people to support the loan. A CRYING SHAME •What the people on Manukau Road have to put up with any afternoon after 3 p.m. is a crying shame," he remarked. ••Perhaps something a little more « xplicit from Mr. Morton would help us,” remarked Mr. G. Ashley. “Can he give us a lead?” Mr. Morton said Remuera had an »ight-minute service against 11 minutes on the Manukau Road, where there was three times the traffic. Apart from that the people could not pay the fares to reach the city. “If we all adopted the same attitude as Mr. Morton we would be in the same position next I year,” remarked Mr. E. J. Phelan. | "Our sole chance to help them is the step we propose—extensions and sufficient rolling stock to serve the demand.” Mr. Phelan deplored the system of decrying the city, and said that every

time the people were approached for a loan they cut off their own noses, thinking they were getting one back on someone else. Mr. Ford said the Onehunga traffic, checked on Monday at Owens Road, showed an average of 24.78 passengers out and 25.1 G over the whole day in 56-passenger cars. Mr. Allum: Most of the other services are the same. We can’t give better service because we have not the traracars. Concerning Mount Albert to Avondale extension, Mr. G. Baildon said this was delayed pending further details. He thought the board should go for extensions to the workshops and Remuera, and make the loan proposal £300,000. £300,000 LOAN The chairman then moved that the board be recommended to proceed to raise £300,000. The savings on abandoned services would then approximately balance the capital costs while the construction was proceeding. He said Mr. Ford had been very careful with the estimates, and the savings had been estimated on most conservative lines, so that they were on safe ground. “TOUCH WOOD!” “There was never a more difficult time to estimate revenue and other things,” remarked Mr. Ford. “So far I have come out right. Mr. Phelan: Touch wood! Mr. Ford: I am. Mr. Entrican believed that the money could be raised at 5J per cent, and a 2 per cent, sinking fund was ample. CRITICS CASTIGATED “I am surprised at the ill-informed letters I am seeing in the papers every day,” he continued. “Personal illfeeling ha* enabled ratepayers to slap people in the face, but they have slapped themselves the harder. I say with due responsibility that the people have lost things they can never regain by turning down loans. “I agree with Mr. Phelan that it is time the people started to boost their city instead of giving credence to people who have done more harm than can be estimated. “For people to throw mud, and try to destroy the confidence of the people entrusted with their affairs is a crying shame.* “For anyone to say they won’t support us until we right things, and then refuse to give us the money to right them, is inconsistent.” Mr. M. J. Coyle strongly advocated speeding up the tramcars. The chairman said the speeding up of trams entailed a huge amount of revision of rosters—a task that would occupy months. It had been delayed owing to the delays that had occurred over extensions. ONEHUNGA BEST OFF The chairman asked Mr, Morton to give a lead if he could on his suggestion that the "board should put its house in order.” Mr. Morton reverted to timetables and fares, considering fares exorbitant. “Do you suggest that Onehunga is being penalised to pay for others?” “I do.” Mr. Allum: Onehunga has always had the cheapest fares on the tramway system. A Member: They pay less than a penny a mile while others pay over a penny. Mr. Rhodes again appealed for consideration for Avondale, and suggested that at least a mile should be added to the Mount Albert line. He moved as an amendment that a loan covering the whole position be sought. Mr. Allum: The question is this: Are we to seek the whole lot, covering work for four years, or are we going to ask the ratepayers for urgent works? Will we do better by going for the lot and risking being told that we are too greedy for a young body? If the money was given to-morrow and the works speeded up we might create a very difficult labour position. “If the £300,000 work is successful we will have no difficulty in getting the second half of the loan,” was the opinion of Mr. A. J. Entrican. Mr. Phelan supported Mr. Rhodes, and said even members of Parliament were prepared to go round the ratepayers advocating the loan. “I think it is weak-kneed to go for portion of the work,” remarked Mr. Rhodes. “If we are satisfied of the necessity let us go to the ratepayers and tell them so.' It is our only means of gaining the ratepayers’ confidence. The board decided to seek £300,000, Messrs. Rhodes, Morton and Phelan voting against it. The board will bold a special meeting next Tuesday to receive the report from the board in committee.