TAKAPUNA TRANSPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 95, 23 April 1926, Page 8

TAKAPUNA TRANSPORT.

PUBLIC MEETING AT MILFORD.COUNCIL'S ACTION CRITICISED. *»',. THE MAYOR nq* REPLY. ' Obviously-looking for fun if not lor fight ratepayers of Takapuna tubS '■• ; out ia full force last evening S ■■ public meeting convened by the Milf ord . ■ '-■ Ratepayers Association to discuss -tK-X Borough Council's recent action in con ' nection -with the much vexed transport' ' question was held in the Picturedro™ Theatre* at Milford. A rumour thTt the meeting would be productive of some straight speaking had been heard since "'-"• the beginning of the week and-it was ; doubtless, partly due to this fact tbat' i W when Mr. A. Harris, MJP, totfk the chair, the large building was packed to *. the doors. Included in the gatherin" ' were a large number of people brought from Devonport free of charge' by the : ' ■■ bus propriety now in competition .with ' the trams, and also on the platform,- at the invitation of the association were the Mayor (Mr. J. D. Morison), melll . bers of the Borough Council, and representatives of both the Milford Rate- ' payers' Association and the Waitemata* Chamber of Commerce. "Although I understand that the council, in making the agreement with' the tramway company, had the pistol to "■'' their heads, I consider that their actionwas very unfair," said Mr. A. Warbrick*' : president of the Ratepayers Association • : Accordingly, he moved a resolution of ; very strong protest against the action lof the Mayor and councillors.in enteuint* into the recent agreement with" thevtramway company, wherein they pledged" the council, and inferentially the ratei payers, to oppose the granting of motor bus licenses to any company or-'in-dividual other than the tramway company- expressing strong disapproval of' . the action of the, council in embarkinn on a policy of such magnitude and. one which affected every ratepayer and resident, without a mandate from, the people; that the' granting of a monopoly. ] touching the question of transportation was not in tbe interests of the-.people; * ■{ and that the Prime Minister be asked to- ! refuse to consent to any other move- : ment similar to the recent one, that might be brought forward in the future. (Cheers, cries of "Hear, hear," afid stamping). Protest from Waitemata Chamber. ■ Mr. Wilbert Marks, president of the Waitemata Chamber of Commerce, said that as soon as his chamber had'learnt of the Takapuna Council's decision a message of protest had been dispatched to the Prime Minister. The chamber " had also decided to hold a meeting..of . . ratepayers at Takapuna, but in; that respect the Milford Association had done - tbe job for tbem.

In support of the resolution, Mr. Minchin, vice-president of the chamber,declared that he would be very surprised if the Government granted any monopolies. The. time of Takapuna's "early. "Victorian" tramway was up. The Waitemata Chamber's aim was to allow* the ratepayers a fair deal and he- did _ not think that the granting of a monopoly could be classed as •jsuch. He could '-. not .but suppose '.that ''■ the".-!--'company's promise of..naif their- -profits,, which, in his: mind,a was - but a mythical bribe, had affected .the courfciV and -influenced them -in 'their decision. He believed that a number of the ratepayers had voted'for the pre« sent concrete roads chiefly because they - had been .disgusted with the tramway service. . - Criticism of the council's action was made also by Mr. W. A. Beddoe, who stressed the opinion tbat monopolies' were not in tbe best interests of .the ratepayers, and Messrs. B. E. Williams, 2 F. Hel'dt and J- Guineven., .

A Question of Trust. On rising to reply to the . criticism,-.' the Mayor, who remarked that-he Ead been warned not to venture to them'eet- ! in<r without the protection of abody-,.* giiard, was loudly cheered. The. question, said Jir. Morison, was whether or ; ' not the ratepayers trusted the council..; (Cries of both "Yes" and "No.") He. y then detailed tbe events which led up . to the conference with the tramway company and the council's decision.. Speaking personally, the Mayor liked., the word "mononoly" when that mono- - poly was in the'interests of the people. His council had made an honest effort to reach an agreement- that would, ■!»■_./•-■ of most benefit to the ratepayers. It,. \ had been his opinion that ,the tramway company, if given monopoly of the bof* ough's transport, would electrify their plant and tbat the ratepayers would reap , the benefits of half the company's pro-- , fits. By encouraging buses the council would create traffic difficulties similar to those now being experienced in the; • city- - ... ' The latter statement was greeted with . laughter and shouts of "Rats!'| the chairman having to call the meeting to order. ' "yZZZz

Finally, Mr. Morison said that in the event of a monopoly being granted to. the tramway company, the proprietors of the bus - service would have beeii: compensated. Mr. C. Mackley said tbat the question , of transport had received the councils, deliberate consideration, and the agreement with the tramway company had. been arrived at after long discussion* The ratepayers, he said, might look at their grievances through a telescope. A voice: Through which end? (Much laughter. )- Mr. Mackley: You have tbe chance tonight of getting information. A voice: Who from? (More laughter). Mr. R. G. Greville pointed out thai, tbe tramway company paid for the upkeep of one-third the width of the roadway and also paid £uOO in rates. Another important fact to be taken into consideration was that tbe company, with the electrification of its scheme, would be a very large consumer of current. As a result, ihe householders lighting rates would be decreased. ail*. A. H. Wilkie, who said that he wished to see both electric tramwaysand motor buses in competition, and Mr. F. E. X Gandhi*, who stated that lie was convinced that the tramways would eventually return a profit to the ratepayers and Mr. G. H.. Matthews also spoke. , ■ • The resolution was then put to the meeting and carried on a large majority.