SATISFIED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 219, 16 September 1935, Page 8

SATISFIED.

TRANSPORT CONTROL.

MINOR RECOMMENDATIONS.

REPORT BY COMMITTEE.

"We believe tho board has every reason to be well satisfied with the administration," is in brief tho finding of tho administration inquiry committee set up by the Auckland Transport Board to make an examination into the administrative organisation of tho board. Tho report was presented a-t a committee meeting of the whole board this morning, and was later adopted in open Iboard. Air. H. G. lv. Mason presided.

The committee reported that the whole expenditure had been reviewed. Evidence on a wide scale had been taken, .and the operations of various departments had been inspected. In comparing the Auckland figures with those of other tramway systems, it was found that more than a casual examination was necessary to mako tho comparison a useful one. Figures for the Wellington tramway administration did not give ground for supposing that substantial economies could readily bo effected in the Auckland administration.

The committee found that tho work of tho traffic department was made exceedingly complex by provisions of an agreement with tho employees designed to secure varying rights of employees according to varying grades of seniority. This meant division of employees under four different rosters, and it was believed that efficiency as well as good feeling could bo promoted by a change to a universal rotary roster system.

The committee gave consideration to the problems of the board's omnibus services and costs. It appeared desirable that the provision for writing off the cost of the omnibuses should be increased to complete their payment at an earlier date than was at present provided for.

Payment by Police Suggested. Policemen in uniform and other police officers were carried free on the trams and buses, and although it was not unusual in other systems, the committee had been unable to learn of any adequate reason for it. It recommended that the Police Department be asked to make payment for that service.

The- committee carefully considered the question of whether the number of ticket inspectors was excessive and considered that the number did not appear excessive when the magnitude of the Auckland undertaking was considered. No economy in this sphere was recommended.

In connection with administrative officers the committee found that in 1020 there were 21, that number now being reduced to 17. The recommendation was that the board should give consideration to some merger of office when any position fell vacant.

The committee recalled that in 1928 the Auckland Transport Commission investigated the undertaking and made a favourable report. Apart from charges for interest and sinking fund, wages and exchange, operating expenses and charges which were £244,685 in 1028, had been progressively reduced to £121.167 in 1933, a reduction of 50.5 per cent.

With such economy exercised in a system which had already been reported upon so favourably, it was not a matter of surprise that the committee had been able to find little room left for further economics.