EDENDALE ROAD LOAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18533, 18 October 1923, Page 10

EDENDALE ROAD LOAN.

•THE QUESTION OF MATERIAL. RELATION TO TRAMWAY. DANGER OF CONTENTION. 'CITY COUNCIL'S POSITION. With the approaching 'completion, of the Great South Road tuamway exten- : sion and the progress being made with the duplication of other sections of the service, tho remaining "big work under tho City Council's present tramway authorisation is the proposed extension along Edenaale Road, in the Mount Albert district. The Mount Albert Borough Council proposes to lay down- the carriageway in this road in bitumimscd macadam, but there has been some opposition to this in the district, the Mount Albert- Ratepayers and Residents' Progressive Association having proposed that . a -concrete road be laid down, and threatening to oppose the _ borough loan ' proposals in connection with tho work unless its suggestions are adopted. As nnv possible deadlock at Mount Albert isiikely to embarass the City Council in -its programme of works, the matter has received some attention by the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson. • . . Reviewing tho position yesterday, Mr. Gunson said that ;. recently the Mount Albert Borough Council had conferred . with the City Council, and a mutually satisfactory agreement was concluded after the" position had been fully explained.. The chief requirements of the City Council were for a deed of delegation on terms provided as to fares, etc., and as to the treatment by the Mount , Albert body of the roadway along the route of the proposed line. The reason for this was that the, City Council would construct the section of the road between the rails in bitumen, and unless the re- ' mainder of the road was given an equally good surface the whole of the traffic would bo driven on to tho tramway .* tracks. As the City Council would be responsible for the upkeep of the tracks, this was obviously a position which it cculd not accept.. Therefore the Mount. Albert body had wisely agreed to this condition. ■;' -

condition. •'■''."* /' Ordinarily speaking, tho ; question oi tile reading conditions in the district of (another authority will not •concern the City Council." said Mr. Gunson, " but for" virions reasons it' is a cardinal point in connection with the Edendal© extension. . The agitation in the district for a concrete road along this route is quite unjustified, as there is no warranty what.ever for the Mount Albert Borough . Council • "being called upon to incur the heavy additional expenditure involved m this class of road for such a secondary slrest. If this district was within tho city, tho •council would not consider .1 proposal to concrete such a thoroughfare. Considering 'the traffic it would • have to cany, a macadam r6ad with ft bitumen surface is quite sufficient, and the cost of such treatment all that is warranted. ..■■"';:•• "If the ratepayers- of Mount Albert ~ seriously intend to /have this necessary tramway extension, they will support the •Borough. Council's proposals, and not embarrass it with proposals impossible o» acceptance, .and which, if insisted upon. • will mean that the Edendalo extension will not be put in hand. The City Council has given precedence to Edendale over ;Moant Eden, Dominion Road, and Point Chevalier, ■ and _if there is any hesitation, one of these will be given precedence'/' Mr- Gunson added that "ho had that day " had a conference with, the ' Mayor of .Mount Albert, and he had made these ■ points perfectly .clear. The position must ' therefore rest with the ratepayers of " Mount Albert, who would \ understand from this pronouncement exactly what tho- position was. The City Council had ' already " arrived at agreements with ! the Mount Eden and Mount Roskill authori- '.> ties, and he thought the people of Mount Albert had better realise■'. the advantage of the .offer in respect to the proposed extension and not raise -contentions that might destroy. their prospects.