AVON DALE TRAMWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 230, 29 September 1931, Page 10

AVON DALE TRAMWAY.

OAKXEY CREEK DEADLOCK,

TRANSPORT BOARD BLAMED.

The Oakley Creek dispute, which has been responsible for the discontinuance of the construction work of the Avondale tramway extension was discussed at last night's meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council, -when the opinion "was expressed that- tie Auckland Transport Board was solely to blame. The Mayor, Mr. W. P. Stilwell, presented a report reviewing the negotiations between the board and the local bodies concerned. He said that when the present council came into offiee last May the widening of New North Road in the vicinity of Oakley Creek was in process, and tenders had been invited for the culvert. The question then arose as to who' should pay- the £3072 involved, Jifid whether the culvert was adequate. The City Council and the Transport Board were Requested to bear portion of the cost. The-city agreed to contribute 22.8 per cent of the expense, but. the Transport Board declined, and the - Mount Albert Council decided to ! suspend the work. " Subsequently the engineer to the Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board was- asked by a conference of local authorities concerned to .prepare a report allocating the cost.- Subject to a Transport Board contribution, Mount Albert accepted its allocation, the City Council differed, but was now understood to agree, and Mount Roskill declined. The- Transport Board was asked to find the amodnt. declined by Mount Roskill, but negotiations- to that end failed., ' The council's solicitors had advised that, as the culvert was incidental to the widening of the road, a commission to allocate compulsorily the cost could be appointed. If the Transport Board could contribute to the cost of alterations to the Avpndale overhead railway bridge, in connection with the same tramway, track, it • could also contribute to the work at Oakley Creek.

Mr. W. Fulton said-the blame was with the Transport Board. He thought it scandalous for the board, to assist the City Council with the Avondale bridge alterations and to neglect Mount Albert.

Mr. V. Coyle said it was desirable to vindicate the honour of Mount Albert. Any suggestion that the new council had broken faith should be dispelled. The report was adopted, and it was decided to forward' a copy to the Transport Board and to make arrangements to :&4 to be brought before :t.