THE LARGER ISSUES

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 141, 16 June 1936, Page 6

THE LARGER ISSUES

The need for a wider recognition of the general responsibility for civic amenities was outlined in the Mayor's statement presented to the City Council last night when he presented the case for a fuller measuie of co-operation between the local government authorities on the southern side of the harbour. He proposes the establishment of a Metropolitan Committee from the 17 local authorities from Henderson to Howick, and southwards as far as Otahuhu, to discuss the control of the larger civic amenities. The co-operation of the Power, Transport, Hospital, Harbour and Drainage Boards will also be sought, In the initial stages such a committee could be little more than advisory, unless under the new local government amalgamation proposals announced, but not defined, by the Hon. AV. E. Parry, mandatory powers be conferred. But even witli such poweis unanimity of action would be difficult, and the development of a body on the lines of a Metropolitan Board of Works, to co-ordinate services in which all are interested, would probably be necessary. Mr. Davis has pointed out that many of these sei'vices are of as much importance to the suburban resident as to the city ratepayer, who alone carries the burden of annual loss. The necessity for redistributing the burden will be admitted by fair-minded Aucklanders, whether dwelling within the confines of the city area or beyond them. The proposal is of outstanding importance, and it is only necessary to mention the first item for consideration, provision for an airport, to realise this.

DEFICITS ON THE TRAMS. By recurring' deficits the Auckland Transport Board has built up an accumulated loss on its undertaking' which now runs into £130,000. The latest addition of £16,180, taken by itself, is not large, but viewed as part of a general trend reveals a. weakness in the finances of the tramways which seems difficult to remove. It is six years since the Board succeeded in balancing its accounts. Over that period various efforts have been made to close the gap by changes in the scale of fares, by the sale of bus services which were an unfortunate venture oil the Board's part, and by economies, but the net result is that the tramway system still continues on an unpayable basis. In the past year there was an increase in revenue of £'22,100, which showed that the Board was beginning to share in the improvement in general conditions, but this was more than absorbed by the expansion of £'29,970 on the other side of the accounts. Thus the net result of the year was a further deterioration. In a budget of over half a million, where revenue arid expenditure are within 3 per cent of a balanced position, it should be possible to bring the two into line. There is some proiyise that the accounts will be squared this year, but the estimates make no provision for a 40-hour week, and fire therefore liable to be upset. The estimated increase of over £40,000 in revenue is already almost completely absorbed by current increases in expenditure. There is no certainty that costs can be reduced by such means as the waiving of rates on tram tracks and a reduction in the unfortunate added burden of £20,000 which the Board has to bear for overseas exchange. Hence the financial forecast for the present year shows little, if any, real improvement. The Board operates a tramway service which has been extended beyond the immediate needs of the suburban population, and this appears to be the root cause of its difficulties.