THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1923. MUNICIPAL PROGRESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18567, 27 November 1923, Page 6

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1923. MUNICIPAL PROGRESS.

1 Continuity in municipal progress is the keynote of the statement made by the Mayor on behalf of himself and the City Council last night. Mr. Gunson struck that note at the beginning; quite naturally, after traversing the activities in hand andin contemplation, he returned to it for his conclusion. The issue for the ratepayers was put clearly and simply. They are to decide whether the work in hand is to be completed before- fresh commitments are made, or whether a policy shall be entered upon allowing progress to continue smoothly and without interruption. The past record of civic growth, the constant call for extensions of municipal services, and the certainty that this process will continue combine to make the strongest argument' in favour of these proposals being endorsed. The remaining factor is the degree of confidence felt by citizens in the present Mayor and Council. Mr. Gunson asked that they should be judged by their works when it came to assessing the value of future policies shaped by them. On these grounds; they have established a sound claim to public confidence. However much opinions may differ in points of detail, it cannot be disputed that the business of the city is conducted with vigour, cave, and a due appreciation of the needs of present and future. The Mayor explains the almost unbroken unanimity of the Council in its public proceedings by stating that it is the product of discussions held before announcement is made. This plan, he claims, preserves the dignity of the Council, and enhances its efficiency. There is something to. be said for his argument, but it is not necessarily conclusive. The discussions if made public might have an educative value in civic politics. Other public bodies reveal their differences of opinion as well as their points of agreement without necessarily losing efficiency or dignity. The Corporation is an aggregation of individuals; there is interest and some value in knowing the degree to which individual as well as combined ; judgment, is reflected in the work it does. This is seldom possible under the present system. The point is not vital, however. What calls for immediate consideration is what the Council proposes to do, not how it has reached the decision.

. Of the scheme prepared for submission to the ratepayers,'first attention must naturally be given to tramway extension. Everybody uses the tramcars, everybody is interested in the development of transport facilities in city and suburbs. The need for continuous effort in keeping pace with the growth of population and the extension of the urban area is too well recognised for the case to require much pleading. Auckland has learned what follows a break in tramway development indeed the City Council, with all its improvements and extensions, is still working to overtake arrears. The experience of utterly inadequate services has not left any desire to undergo it again. In addition, housing problems, suburban development, and the relief of overcrowding are all dependent, more or less, on the growth of the tramway services. The extensions proposed have been long demanded, and there is little question of the new lines paying their way. The additions to plant, equipment and traffic-handling facilities are necessitated by the increased size and complexity of the system. The works in hand or authorised are expected to be completed by November iaext year. If a new programme is not then ready for commencement, plant must stand idle and staffs go out of action while a fresh scheme is devised. The city cannot afford to permit this interruption. The details of the proposed new works have already been discussed thoroughly. In tramway development it is not a matter of looking for work to undertake; rather is it a question «f determining the relative urgency of these tasks which are clamouring to be done. The scheme advanced has been adopted after full discussion with j those most concerned. There should there/ore be no difficulty in deciding that the tramway portion of the programme must proceed.

In the remaining works for which authorisation is sought, there is nothing which can be remotely de-

scribed as a luxury, or as going beyond the plain needs of the city. The water-supply is a service in which provision must continually be made for the future. It is too late to plan I when the available supply has been proved inadequate. An abundance !of pure water, always at hand, is important for the comfort and health of the community, as well as for the needs of industry. A statement of • accounts given by the Mayor shows the waterworks account to be in a healthy condition, making extension possible without any anxiety over finance. Recollections of dry summers in Auckland with insufficient water supply should be sufficient to ensure approval of the present policy - of keeping ahead of requirements. Prosecution of drainage operations to completion for the whole city area is another scheme requiring little argument in support. The more Auckland grows, the more its population swells, the greater the need for a thoroughly efficient drainage system. Its bearing on public health is even more direct than that of the water-supply; they are complementary services. The stone-quarry loan is a small item compared with the others. Concrete roading has come to stay, and for the making of concrete metal chios are needed. That alone is sufficient to justify the securing of supplies, this being the purpose for which the money is intended. The statement in which the Mayor explains the four loan proposals is copiously informative. The citizens are asked to endorse a policy which will extend beyond the term of the present Council. That is no defect; indeed it is a merit. Though councils come and go the city's growth continues, and it is necessary that plans should be laid for kr oping pace in municipal service with the increasing needs. Continuity of policy must meet continuity in growth.