TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 222, 19 September 1930, Page 6

TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS.

..... mi*M, WU no. " - CLAUSE IN LOCAL LEGISLATION 3&r * (To the Ediier.J In an innocent-looking clause in the 'Loeaf ; Legislation Bill now before Parliament tie Auckland Transport Board seeks authority tovary the programme of extensions far -vrhich' the'loan of £526,000 was' raised, should oeea sum demand any variation. To grant such a request would create a dangerous precedent •It would give local ibodks power to increase - capital expenditure on public undert&kW witihont giving ratepayers any say ia i| e "- : matter. One sentence in the 4 clause in questioi re-ds: "Among other things, these variationsinvolve linking up existing tram routes instead of forming new joutes and thus saving «©. siderable money." That is to say. for instance, the board miglt be induced to nse unexpended local money to lay a tramway track aloW a street, connecting existing lines, irre°. speetive of its value i-o the community at large. In view of the Dominion-'wide onterr against local body extravagance it is hard to understand hew the Auckland Transport Board could ask Parliament for po-srer to involve the community it serves in any further capital - expenditure on the tram-pray "system. Parliament will be-doing a service t,o the comrfcrv if it refuses to give any local body aa&ority to spend money of important public undertakings without the specific sanction of e v ratepayers who foot the bilL EAIES.