GREY LYNN AND THE LOAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 192, 16 August 1927, Page 8

GREY LYNN AND THE LOAN.

VERY LIVELY MEETING. COUNCILLORS BOMBARDED. MR. ALLUM HITS BACK. There were some amusing passages at tbo Grey Lynn Library Hall last evening, when City Councillors were explaining to-morrow's poll of £500,000 for tramway works. Obviously there was a good deal of real sympathy among the large audience for the buses, but there was not so much fierce antagonism to the tramway proposals as such. Mr. George Bpildon. the Mayor, presided. Miss Melville and Mr. M. J. Coyle both spoke well in favour of the loan, explaining that the council members were all as one concerning them. It was when the chairman of the Tramways Committee (Mr. J. A. C Allum) took the platform that the questioners got their ammunition ready. Mr. Allum was in good form, and, as he had the whole subject at his finger ends, he was never stuck for an answer to the showers of questions that fell on h;m. Some of the interrogators got up time after tnue, aud the proceedings degenerated into something very like the cross-examination in court. Occasionally half a dozen spoke at once, and time after time the Mayor had. to order people to sit down,or to close their remarks, but the uproar was not half so vicious as it sounds, and there was more laugher than bitterness. Mr. Allum plainly told the audience what the result would be if the poll were not carried. Incidentally, he mentioned that 120 men would be.out of work, and, while he quite agreed that was not argument for carrying the poll, it was a reason why people should get prejudices out of their minds and judge the poll issue purely on its merits. He assured the audience that the council had given the tramways policy months of very close attention, and were solemnly convinced that the extensions and other works provided* for in the loan were absolutely essential for the proper carrying on of the service, taking into consideration the growth of Auckland. Mr. Allum replied with some heat to one question which drew from a person in the audience, *TTou are our servant and must stand criticism." Mr. Allum jumped up, and when the uproar subsided, shouted: "Your servant, never; your representative, but not your servant!" A Question About Salaries. Somebody wanted to know why the general manager of the trams was getting £1500 a year, and a woman's voice suggested it would be better to cut down Smetf the salaries of the -big ones" and give the lower paid men more wages. Mr. Allum and the Mayor refused to discuss the matter, and when ajroice suggested that there was nothing wTong the pay of •Wβ**"" the highest to the Mr. AHum retorted, "Don't yout Well, reonsiaer .It is darned bad taste, and I refuse to «Hseusa the matter here!" This was not the only side issue raised by the clamouring questioners, one per-r sfetent person even wanting to know, why the council had "turned down John Fuller's offer of £900,000 for the civic square," and why £43 *»«"£»*. been iSud for bush land on the coast when some alongside had been sold a few weeks later for £3 or so. , = Mr. J. R. Lundpn,; who had been a prominent cross-examiner at all. these meetings, wanted to know whether it was » fact that Messrs. Knight, Paterson and Murray had that day at a special meeting of the councillors refused to sign a manifesto approving of the loan? Both the -Mayor and Mr. Allum refused to say what had taken place in committee, and the Mayor added that it was strange how Mr. London got to know about such matters, all committee business being supposed to be con> fidential. Both assured the meeting that none of the councillors opposed the loan. ■ , :•.■•?.';' Mr. Lundon pressed his point as to certain councillors refusing to sign the manifesto, which Was intended for. publication as an advertisement. Mr. Allum protested and said it was the sort of stuff some of the critics,of the loan had to resort to. A voice: Good stuff! - Mr. Coyle: Gutter stuff! For some time the : questions were bandied about and the Mayor frequently had to call for order, . ,

Diversion of Money. Two matters upon which several questions were asked were the diversion of money previous borrowed for Kemuera and Point Chevalier trams. It was explained that £60,000 had been diverted to pay for the* buses the council was compelled to take over, and that diversion had been approved by Parliament, so the meeting could take it the matter was perfectly in order. Sir. Lundon was not satisfied, however, and sat down complaining'that the money for Kemuera had been earmarked. Mr. Coyle: Then you got it in the earl In answer to further questions. Mr. Allum said that £400,000 out of the £500,000 would be spent within the city boundaries. All the money would not be raised right away, the work being spread over several yean. At the dose of a long and lively meeting a ratepayer moved; a- vote of thanks to the speakers and confidence in the loan. Mr. Lundon moved as an amendment ■that the speakers be thanked, but that the time was not opportune for raising half a million of:money.' ". ■' '■ -• '> ■ When the amendment was put the chairman declared' it lost, but a count was demanded and he declared there were 39 for the amendment and 57 against;' :-" ; ' ■ ' ■'■■ ■ f *'"':'■ ' : ~ ■ Thie was challenge* with (Considerable uproar from the "opposition," and the meeting eventually broke up with people rather hazy as to what had been carried and,what had not. : »-•, ■', - '. . '