TRAFFIC CENTRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 206, 1 September 1936, Page 12

TRAFFIC CENTRE.

report by mayor.

SCHEME FOR DEVELOPMENT.

increase in outlay.

A report on the proposed municipal transport centre was presented to the Auckland City Council by the Mayor, Mr Ernest Davis, last evening. In the course of his report Mr. Davis said that in accordance with the recent dec.sion of the council to increase the required for the development of the municipal transport centre he had made representations to the Minister of Finance for authority to add to the amount which the council was empowered bv existing legislation to borrow. without taking a poll of ratepavers, for the establishment and operation of tlie terminus. As a result of the consultations with the' Minister and officials of Treasury, he was now in a position to recommend the council to instruct the city solicitor to make the necessary amendments in the empowering clause for inclusion in the relevant legislation. "In the course of my interview with the Minister, I explained that, in the original Empowering Act, the sum wl.icli the council was authorised to borrow, without taking a poll, for the establishment and operation of the area, was £20,000," said Mr. Davis, _ "but this had since been found to be insufficient, with the result that the council had decided to seek authority to increase that sum by £15,000. Also to be considered was the application made to the Postmaster-General for the acquisition of a small triangular strip at the back of the Post Office for the widening of Commerce Street, the price for which the Department had set down at £4068. Thus, the total amount involved would be £39,000." At the instance of the Minister, the town clerk and the city engineer conferred with the Secretary to the Treasury, and explained the reasons for tlio application. It was pointed out that the original £20,000 was set down as a tentative figure, but the estimate, when prepared by the city engineer for the works finally contemplated, amounted to slightly over £30,000. The first year's rent of £3000 w\as also included, and the balance of the £35,000 was for incidental expenses.

"The Treasury agreed to facilitate the incorporation of the amending' clause in the relevant legislation on condition that the council, when it seeks sanction from the Local Government Loans Board for the actual raising of the loan, substantiates its claim for the inclusion of the first year's rent of £3000 in the loan," continued Mr. Davis.

Advice has been received from the Postmaster-General that the Department is prepared to lease the strip to the council at an annual rental, calculated at 4} per cent on the capital value, £4008, namely £173. "My recommendation to the council is that it accept the lease of the Post Office property on the terms offered rather than acquire the land. As, presumably, the rental will be paid out of revenue, the amount the council is authorised to raise by special order will require to bo increased by £15.000 only, and I recommend that the council instruct the city solicitor to submit the amending clause for inclusion in the relevant legislation."

The report was adopted