TRAMWAYS CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19717, 17 August 1927, Page 14

TRAMWAYS CAMPAIGN.

A LIVELY CONCLUSION.

POINT CHEVALIER MEETING.

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE PASSED. The campaign in explanation of the City Council"s new transport policy and the proposal to borrow £500,000 for tramways and transport development was concluded at Point Chevalier last evening, when the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, presided over an attendance of 250 persons. Messrs. 0. Mcßrine and M. J. Coyle, members of the City Council, were subjected to a considerable amount of interruption during their addresses in explanation of the policy and proposals, but the interjections were mainly of a goodhumoured character.

" More money is wanted for an extension of the business, and not, as the press and others have said, for an extension of the debt," said Mr. Mcßrine, who pointed out the ratepayers had paid not one penny through the rates for tramways purposes, as the tramways had always paid their way. The extensions proposed were justified by the expansion of the city and suburbs; in some cases, the tramways nxtensions were long overdue.

Critics had asked why the loan proposals were not being put as separate issues, said Mr. Mcßrine, but if the proposals were itemised, one could imagine a Point Chevalier resident voting for the extension of the tramway system and voting against a similar proposal for Remuera.

A Voice: They have motor-cars there Another Voice: The Herald knows something. The result, Mr. Mcßrine said, would have been that not a single proposal would be carried. Again, extensions might be approved, and the extra tramcars required might not be authorised. Critics, Mr. Mcßrine declared, were making an insidious attempt to throw suspicion on the loan.

- Reference to the manifesto issued by the City Council, commending the loan proposal to the ratepayers, was made by Mr. Coyle. This had been decided upon at a meeting called to discuss finance. "I hesitate to think that any councillor so far forgot himself as to give away information as to what happened at that meeting," said Mr. Coyle in referring to questions asked at the previous evening's meeting at Grey Lynn. "If I got information'in confidence like that, I would be ashamed to give it away." In-urging ratepaj T ers to vote in favour of the loan proposal, Mr. Coyle said:— "Do your level best at the poll to-mor-row, because I believe this will be the turning point." "Was it not private enterprise thatbuilt Point Chevalier ?" asked a member of the audience when questions were invited.

Mr. J. A. C. Allum, chairman of the Tramways Committee, admitted that private enterprise had started the development of Point Chevalier, but added, "You can thank your lucky stars the City Council is running the service to-day. Even yet, we have notices hanging over our heads from certain undertakings we might have to take over." "There is no security for Point Chevalier until a permanent form of transport is established," Mr. Allum told another questioner. "Are we going to pay as much as Onehunga residents when the line to Point Chevalier will be over a mile shorter ?" was another question asked Mr. Allum explained that Onehunga was one of the old services and operated under a deed of delegation. The aim was to provide transport at a penny a mile, and in being charged sixpence for 5| miles, he did not think Point Chevalier residents would be suffering any great hardship. "The money is running out and men have got to go," replied Mr Allum to a further query. "More men. will have to go if the loan is not carried. If the loan is carried, we will be able to reemploy a considerable portion of these men." A vote expressing thanks to the speakers and confidence in the loan proposal was carried, with only a few dissentients. RECORDING OF VOTES. LIST OF POLLING PLACES. Polling places for to-day's tramway poll are as follows:—Concert Chamber, Town Hall; Chamber of Commerce, Swanson Street; St. James' Hall, Wellington Street; Franklin Road Methodist Sunday School,-Ponsonby; Leys Institute, Three Lamps, Ponsonby; Heme Bay Road Mission Hall; Church of Christ, Ponsonby Road; St. Columbo Hall, Great North Road, Grey Lynn; Francis Street Meeting House, Grey Lynn; St. Peter's Hall, Great North Road, Archhill; Point Chevalier Hall, Point Chevalier; Armstrong's Hall, Point Chevalier Road; St. Benedict's Hall, East Street; St. Sepulchre's Hall, Khyber Pass Road, St. Mark's Hall, Remuera Road; Remuera Library, Remuera Road; Remuera tram terminus; Epsom Library, Manukau Road, Epsom; St. Andrew's Sunday School, St. Andrew's Road, Epsom; Parnell Methodist Hall, Parnell Road; St. Stephen's Native School, St. Stephen's Avenue, Parnell; Epsom tram depot; 65, New North Road, Eden Terrace; St. Kevins Arcade, Karangahape Road; No. 1, Garnet Road. Grey Lynn; Green Lane Congregational Church; Victoria Park Pavilion; St. Cuthbert's Hall, Faulder Avenue, Grey Lynn; East Street Hall, Newton; and Nathan's old warehouse, Shortland Street.