MT. EDEN TRAMLINE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 77, 1 April 1913, Page 8

MT. EDEN TRAMLINE.

AN EXTENSION WANTED. TO THE THREE KINGS. The Mt. Eden Borough Council was last night approached by a deputation from residents and from members of ■the Mt. Roskill Road Board, requesting co-operation in bringing before the Tramway Co. a request for the extension of the 'Mt. Eden tram line to the boundary of the 'borough, near the Three Kings. ■Mr .W. H. Woodward Tead the petition it was proposed to -present to the Tramway Co. The petition stated that a house-to-house inquiry had elicited that in the district that would be served by the extension there were not less than 1,100 who would use the trams. A very considerable proportion of that number would be habitual users of the line. Further, it would serve a. district that was growing in population more rapidly than any other suburban district round Auckland, in -which a large number of subdivided areas -were heing disposed of and large blocks of land were in process of subdivision. It had been found that ■many people in the direction of Coronation and Selwyn Roads drove to town because they found the Onehunga cars too crowded, hut they intimated that they would use the Mt. Eden line, rather than drive, if the line wctc extended. -Also, now that the Mt. Eden Council was grading the main road from the present terminus out, it was an oppor- ! tune time for the laying of an extension.

Mr Woodward, in putting forward the petition, said that it was proposed that the Council should form v committee to join -with a committee from tbe Mt. Roskill and Epsom Road Boards, and a committee from the promoters of the petition, in forming a deputation to wait on the Tramway Co. The petitioners had heard it said that the company had its hands full of work that would occupy it till after the Exhibition, but even if that were so, it would he a good thing to have an undertaking that the extension would be the first work done after the Exhibition.

Mr 'Bagley, chairman of the Mt. Roskill Road Board, intimated that hi 6 BoaTd was in full accord with the petitioners, and he would, if necessary, request the Mt. Roskill ratepayers to assist the Tramway Co. in the matter of financing the extension.

The Mayor recalled thai wlien the Mt. Eden Council approached Mr Tegetmeier urging the extension of both ihe Mt. Eilcn and the Dominion Road lines, he had expressed the opinion that they should be the first extensions undertaken. Since then the Council had started work on the Mt. Eden Road, and the speaker quite agreed that the present was a particularly opportune time for the Tramway Co. to go on '-.villi the extension on that road. Personally, he was of opinion that the company would look on the request favourably, in view of the managing director's statement, and the (Mt. Eden Council might be able to meet them to some extent by doing t'lie metalling for the tram track simultaneously with the metalling for the formation of the road. At any" rate, it might be a matter for consideration whether they should not at least lay the sleepers and rails while the road" was being graded.

Crs. Batter, Jones, Meikle and Shackleford agreed that the Council should support the petition, while Cr. Davis thought that at the same time some of the shortcomings of -the present service "should .be mentioned.

Cr. Grayson said that, he remembered Mr Tegetmeier remarking on the Mt. Eden line that he knew of no district that offered a better opportunity for profitable extension.

The Council unanimously decided to support the petition, and it'was arranged that the Council should meet ropreacntativcß of the Mt. Roskill Road Board and of other interests to form a denut."tion next Friday afternoon to wait on Mr J. J. Walklate, the manager of the company.

A similar request from tho Auckland Committee was referred by the Onehunga Boroutrh to the Council in committee. The Mayor remarked that the Council gave a donation when the American iieet visited the Dominion, nnd he had no doubt they .would give one now.