TAKAPUNA TRAMWAYS

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 250, 21 October 1926, Page 18

TAKAPUNA TRAMWAYS

COUNCIL'S PROPOSED PURCHASE. THE POLL TO-MORROW. To-morrow ratepayers and residents of Takapuna will decide by vote whether the Borough Council is to exercise its option of purchase over the Takapuna tramways and ferries. The rival factions are both confident of victory, and heavy polling is anticipated. Another well-attended meeting was held at Belmont by tho Mayor and councillors last evening, when a resolution favouring the purchase was passed. Mr. D. McClymont presided. The Mayor (Mr. J. D. Morisoit) said ho wished to make it clear that the tramway company had not first approached the council with an offer of sale. It was known that something like £."),000.000 was going but of the country yearly for benzine and rubber. The people of" New Zealand would'have to do something. In the case of Takapuna tho Government had brought electric power to the borough boundary on the understanding that the tramway system was to be electrified. Thus, if the council took over the concern it would have the Government behinu It. The conflict was not the trams against the buses, but rather one company against another. If the .tramways became the property of the borough it was proposed to run cheap excursions to the beaches between the hours of the peak loads. Experts who had studied the question were agreed that there were thousands of pounds to be lifted by this means.

Mr. R. H. Greville referred to Messis. A. Harris, M.P., and A. M. Gould as "two bogy men who were trying to frighten the people as if they w;ere a lot of children." He criticised Mr. Harris' statement that Takapuna was more heavily indebted than the other boroughs in -New Zealand as "sheer political flapdoodle." With regard to the value of the transit monopoly Mr. Harris himself had said that if the Act was gassed the monopoly would be worth £100,000. The purchase of the concern would not only bring down the rates by returning a profit, but would also increase the population and would be the salvation of the borough. The Central Ratepayers' Association, wh6se members were defeated candidates for the, council add their associates, had obstructed the council ever since the proposal was first mooted.

Mr. C. Mackley said that if the people let the monopoly go back to the tramway company the company would be able to Charge an extra penny fare. In 1921 the number of passengers carried was 1,740,000. With the extra penny fare this would mean an /additional profit of £7280. In 1924 the Company, with theTupuke and the old trams, had made £10,000 profit. Surely it was feasible that an up-to-date electrified .system, with the monopoly of the business and an increased population, would - show much larger profits.

Mr. A. H. Wilkie said that if tho people of Takapuna purchased the concern and electrified it they would not be dependent on benzine from other countries, but, as far as transit was concerned, would be absolutely safe for all time. r ., .. Mr. F. E. N. Gaudin said that he had heard all the views expounded by the opposition, party, and he was still convinced that a modern electric tramway system was the best thing, for the borough. The sum experts' reports was that, with a monopoly, the concern was a payable one. ..Finally, there was no chance of an increase in the rates.

At the conclusion of the meeting a resolution pledging those present to do their utmost to carry the council's proposal was passed, a few of those present dissenting.