LIKE OLIVER TWIST

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 796, 17 October 1929, Page 11

LIKE OLIVER TWIST

PETITIONERS ASK MORE OF TRANSPORT BOARD DOMINION ROAD TRAMS “The petitioners in this case are like Oliver Twist —they like what we have done for them, but ask for more.” This remark was made by Mr. G. G. Ashley at Tuesday’s meeting of the Transport Board to Mr. P. S. Battley, who presented a petition of 1,066 residents urging that the new section on the Dominion Road tram extension provisionally fixed by the board at Halston Street be moved further out to Marsden Avenue or at least to Kensington Avenue. Mr. Ashley’s remark was prompted when Mr. Battley said the petitioners were very grateful for what the Transport Board had done, but asked in the name of justice that the stop be moved further out. On behalf of the Mount Eden Borough Council, Mr. W. H. Nagle said that the proposed third section from the city, namely from Valley Road tq Halston Road, would be a short section of one mile, compared with 1.17 miles for the average section throughout the tramway system. The fourth and last section, that from Halston Road to Mount Albert Road, would be 1.11 miles. The chairman, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, pointed out that there was a long section between the General Post Office and Symonds Street. COUNTER-PETITION A counter-petition by shopkeepers of the present terminus at Balmoral Road was presented by Mr. L. A. Tozer. Why should persons wishing to shop at the Balmoral Road centre be penalised by having the section advanced so far as Kensington Avenue from the centre? Mr. Tozer asked. The proposed stop should be retained at Halston Road, which was nearer the shops. To Mr. M. J. Coyle, the speaker said he thought there was an ulterior motive in the first petition. Mr. Coyle: Do you not think the board should heed more seriously a petition with 1,066 names than one with only 100? Mr. Tozer: That 100 represent only the shopkeepers. Anyway, it is easy to get 1,000 names. Mr. Coyle: Our policy is to give ear to the welfare of the greatest number. The board in committee will consider the petitions.