THE CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17846, 29 July 1921, Page 7

THE CITY COUNCIL.

TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS.

POINT CHEVALIER REQUEST.

NON-COMMITTAL POLICY.

The Auckland City Council met last evening, the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, presiding There were also present Mrs.' K. H. Maguire, Miss E. MelvUl e , Messrs H. D. Heather, G. Knight, P. M Mackay, J. Robertson, G. R. Hutchinson, \\. J. Holdsworth, F. W H Brtnsden, T. Bloodworth, J.' Dempsey J. A. C. Allimi, G. Baildon, J. B. Paterson, J. A. Warnock, H. N. Baguall M. J. Bennett, J. \v. Hardley, M. J. Savage, MP., and the Hon, P. J Nerhecy, M.L.a

Ite matter of tramway extensions was v s .u.i; br.un> it.e uiuiiti. it m.,i came up in the torm of a request from Point C.',e,a.i.er resiuenta for an extension of the <>:<y Lynn service to teat district. A deputation representing the district and aso the Avondale road district was received, and on its behalf Mr. M. J. C y..e> urged claims for tramways. "He J.U.KI uuit at present the residents were eitinly dependent upon motor-buses, " •-■(!•. cut up the roads bad'.y. A large w'-rki.i- population uihab.ted the two distn, is, and it was felt that tramway exie .510..S we:e more needed there than in suburb* where there were already tramway facilities. He expressed the opinion that the Government ought to cr. :tribute toward the cost of the proposal extension because of the State institution there. The valuation of the hitter was over £100.000, and being Government propertly the local bodv was practically losing £600 a vear in" rates •liner speakers supported the request. On Avondak's behalf it was stated i-.iit in spite of an inadequate railway service it had the second largest booknigs of any suburban station iin New Zeaand. The trams would be of great advantage to the district. There was a large population near Point Chevalier werth catering for. The matte?- was referred to the Electricity and Tramways Committee. Subsequently the Electricity and Tramways Committee brought down a recommendation that consideration of requests for further extensions be deferred until JatroaHy, 1922. and that replies to requests from the Mount Eden and Mount Albert Borough Councils be s.int notifying them of this decision. It was recomn>ended also that these local bodies should be informed that their representations were receiving the ful'est attention, but that the matter must be largely determined by the money which the council could provide to meet the cost of any such extensions; that under the present conditions no further commitments could be undertaken, but that the council honed to be in a position to deal more definitely with this important question in a few months. In addition it was recommended that to the Mount Albert council ft should be pointed out that no tramway extension to Edendale could be considered until the railway bridge at Kingsland had been constructed. These recommendations were adopted. The city electrical engineer, Mr. A. VTyllie. having reported that he had obtained sufficient steel to enable the work of building the new power station to proceed, it was decided to authorise the Stores Committee to call for tenders for the supp'y of materials. In connection with a request from the Grammar School authorities that the council should acquire the corner of Mountain Road and Kiyber Pass with a view to widening the street corner, the WorVs Committee reported that it had no recommendation to make.

The Labour Day Celebration Committee •was granted a donation of £10 toward the cost of Labour Day celebrations. A request from various hands in the city for the use oi the Town Hall on Sundav afternoons was decßned on the ground that the demand for the hall by relieious bodies rendered it impracticable.

Mr. C. Bland was appointed assistant traffic inspector, out of 68 applicants for the position.