TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 112, 14 May 1929, Page 8

TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS.

■ — EARLY START WITH WORK. POINT CHEVALIER AND DOMINION ROAD. FIFTY NEW TRAMCARS. As soon as the preliminaries are completed the Auckland Transport Board intends to go right on with the first part of the programme of extensions made possible by the recent ratepayers' approval of the loan proposal. It is expected that 300 men will be employed. The board, at its meeting this morning, decided that local residents would be given preference, the idea being not to encourage unemployed to come in from other places. Mr. A. J. Entrican said he had heard that men proposed to come even from Sydney. The board approved a programme which will cost £210,000, the works to take from 18 to 20 months. In the- current year it is estimated that the amount required will be £120,000. Point Chevalier and Dominion Road extensions are the first works on the list. They will be put in hand concurrently, and at the earliest possible date. Eemuera extension will be the next. The board also approved the building of 25 new tramcars, of which 20 will be built by contract and five in the board's workshops. Tenders are to be called as soon as possible for the overhead equipment and cables necessary. The board approved of the principle of preference to British goods, but Mr. E. H. Potter's motion to confine tenders purely to British firms was negatived. Tenders for the rails will close on June 11. It was decided that the excavation work in connection with the permanent way construction be cai-ried out by contract, and that tenders be called, the date of commencement to be two weeks prior to the landing of the first shipment of rails and sleepers. The platelaying, etc., being skilled work, will be carried out by the board's own experienced staff.