TRAMWAY PROPOSAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 252, 23 October 1926, Page 16

TRAMWAY PROPOSAL.

TAKAPUNA POLL CARRIED. A MAJORITY OF 325. INTENSE PUBLIC INTEREST. The poll held at Takapuna yesterday to decide whether the proposal of the Mayor and council to purchase the Takapuna Tramways and Ferry Company's plant, with a view to electrification, should be ratified, resulted in favour of the proposal, a majority of 325 votes being shown. Of the 3690 registered ratepayers and residential electors, 2424 recorded their votes. The figures were:— For the proposal irtfiT Against the proposal H'4Informal 1."! ■ Details of the voting are as follow:— For. Against. Takapuna .... 41 "40 Milford ISO in:! Belmont 138 J*i Bayswater ... 216 n ; City booth ... 420 414 Total 1367 1042 Voting was steady from the opening ol the poll at nine o'clock in the morning until the close at seven in the evening. A number of intending voters were surprised to find that their names were not on the roll. From the above figures it will be seen that with the exception of .Milford, every polling booth showed a majority for the proposal. At Bayswater more than 95 per cent of the voters were in favour of the purchase; while at Milford, where it was expected the opposition polling would be heaviest, the margin against the proposal was only 13.

A crowd of more than 1000 people tssembled outside the Council Chambers after the close of the poll to hear the results declared. Traffic at the Strand sorner was hampered by the dense crowd, but police control prevented any serious congestion.

After the results had been announced, the Mayor (Mr. J. D. Morison) i rddressed the people from the verandah of the Council Chambers, congratulating the voters upon their decision. On behalf of himself and his council, he thanked the electors for the confidence they had shown. Messrs. E. H. Greville, F. E. N. Gaud in, and G. Creamer also spoke. Mr. A. Harris, M.P., who had taken ihe platform against the proposal, said that it was not for him to question the "wisdom of the decision. He congratulated the Mayor and councillors on their victory. Mr. A. M. Gould, who had opposed the proposal, said that the returns were a tribute to the careful organisation of the supporters of the scheme. That partly had won the first innings, but, as one of the other side's batsmen, he would endeavour to win the second. He. congratulated the Mayor on the result of the poll. Mr. D. McClymont, on behalf of the Labour ■ party; also spoke. Now that the council's proposal has been ratified, the Local Bodies' Loans Act requires a second poll to be held on the question of raising the necessary loan money for purchase and electrification. As soon as the count at the Chamber of Commerce, Swanson Street, was completed, shortly after 7 p.m., the figures were telephoned by direct wire to Takapuna and posted on "Star Extras" outside the Council Chambers and in other parts of the district. The official figures were anouneed five minutes alter the "Extras" had been posted. The result was also announced by "Star Extra" at Fuller's Opera House and at several of the city picture theatres. THE OFFICIAL FIGURES. The official count of the votes for and against the Takapuna Borough Council's proposal to acquire the Takapuna tramways and ferries was made this morning. ■ The results are :— For the proposal 1372 Against the proposal 1049 Informal 14 Total 2435 The majority in favour of the proposal was 323.