POINTED CRITICISM

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 595, 22 February 1929, Page 16

POINTED CRITICISM

POWER IN WAITEMATA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETS

At a meeting of the Waitemata Chamber of Commerce, held at Devonport last evening, Mr. T. Walsh presiding, there was some pointed criticism of the Waitemata Power Board’s proposals to give the outer areas of the board’s districts reductions in charges for power without making equalising rebates to the inner districts.

The square mile of Devonport is the backbone of the power board’s system and when it came into the board’s district the chairman promised that at the first opportunity the price of current for lighting w'ould be brought back to 6d, a unit rate then in use at Devonport. As the inner areas are carrying the outer, it was contended that before undue allowances were made to the outer districts and before the surplus profits were disbursed in increasing salaries of the staff, the consumers waiting for the promised reduction of lighting charges should be considered.

The reluctance of the Waitemata County to put the road to Silverdale in order after several years of agitation has led the chamber to decide that the Highways Board be urged to take over the road and form it, collecting a quota of the cost from the county. The reply of the Telegraph Department that it would supply telephone facilities at the wharf if someone else supplied the booth, was regarded as trifling with the subject. The Minister for Telegraphs is to be approached and at the same time requested to extend the present' telephone booth facilities at Milford.

The Harbour Board is to be approached to provide adequate room for the obtaining of tickets by motorists travelling from Devonport. At present they have to leave their cars and cross the line of inward traffic in a most inconvenient manner. The board is also to be asked to supply some form of lifting-gear at the wharf. Now all sand and similar cargo is man-handled and an extra levy of 9d a cubic yard is levied by shipowners.

A proposal that the Takapuna Grammar School should be placed under a separate board of governors was examined. The chamber originally set up the movement to have the school built. The idea was considered excellent if the necessary finance could be arranged. In the meantime the Auckland Board of Governors is to be asked to invite the help of a North Shore advisory committee, and stops will be taken to see if it is possible to have a direct representative of the North Shore on the present Auckland governing board.