TRAMWAYS EXTENSIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19779, 28 October 1927, Page 10

TRAMWAYS EXTENSIONS.

FURTHER LOAN PROPOSAL. INCLUSION OF AVON DALE. MORE ROLLING-STOCK WANTED. LOAN OF £420,000 SUGGESTED. Recommendations to submit loan proposals for raising £420,000 for tramway extensions, and improvements and the provision of additional rolling-stock provided a lengthy discussion at last evening's meeting of the Auckland City Council. On the casting vote of the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, the recommendations were referred to the Finance Committee for a report. The following programme of extensions and othei works was recommended by the Tramways Committee: — Surrey Crescent to Foint Chevalier Beach, 500 chains of single track, £140,000 Bemuera terminus to Meadowbank Hoad, 140 chains of single track, £36,500. Mount Albert terminus to Avondiil®, 320 chains of single track, £89,500. Improvements and additions to existing city lines, £154,000. The estimated cost of the extensions included provision for 17 tramcara to operate the new services, flotation expenses and contingencies. Loops on Present Routes. In addition to 17 cars for the new routes, tho tramways manager, Mr. A. E. Ford, recommended the provision of 33 cars to angment services on existing lines. Other proposals relating to present services were the making of a loop at Stanley Street to cope with Carlaw Fark traffic, a loop at Quay Street to overcome the present dead-end and ensure the quick despatch of cars, a loop at the new railway station, and a short length of double track connecting the Gaunt Street depot with Fafrteson Street. The total cost of these works, including the 33 tramcars, was estimated at £154,000,

Describing the proposed Avondale extension, a work that was not included ra the £500,000 loan proposals recently rejected, Mr. Ford said the route would be from the Mount Albert terminus, along New North Road, Station Road, Browne Street, across Great North Road and along Rosebank Road to its junction with Princes Street. In addition there would be a single track loop line at the terminus for race traffic. Quick Profits From Avondale. "Bearing in mind the already developed state of the Avondale district, contiguous to the route of the suggested extension, and the f "ct that the adjacent districts can be served by buses feeding this route," added Mr. Ford, "1 am of opinion the line should immediately become profitearning." If the electrification scheme for the suburban railways were carried out with a tunnel under the city to the northern suburbs, the efficiency of the railway into the Avondale district would be greatly increased, added Mr. Ford. If this scheme were not undertaken for a few years, however, the tramway development should be such that its profitable operation would continue. ■ln submitting the proposals, the committee recommended that each extension, together with new tramcars and accessories, should be made the subject of a loan proposal to be submitted to the ratepayers. It was further recommended, however, that no application should be made to the Local Government Loans Board for sanction to the loan proposals until the matter <pf the amalgamation of the Mount Roskill district with the city had been decided. This course was advised to enable ratepayers in that district to approach the council on the matter of tramway extensions to Mount Roskill, if they so desired. »Mount Roskill's Position. A further recommendation that each proposal should be placed before the ratepayers as a separate issue was deleted on the motion of Mr. J. A. C. Allum, chairman of the committee, who preferred that that aspect should be left open, pending the result of the Mount Roskill poil to-morrow. Mr. J. Dempsey moved an amendment that the recommendations should be referred back to the committee. In view of the pending poll in Mount Roskill, he thought it advisable to defer the whole matter until the next meeting of the council.

Mr. Allum said there was nothing to be gained by referring the question back to the committee. The only point which should cause discussion was the Avondale extension, all the other matters having been endorsed by the council prior to submitting the recent £500,000 loan proposals. Mr. A. J. Entrican declared that such matters should go before the Finance Committee. "It looks like a bait to mention Mount Roskill in the recommendations and it was a wrong principal on the part of the Tramways Committee," said Mr. J. B. Paterson. Finance Committee to Eeport. Mr. Dempsey's amendment was lost, whereupon Mr. Entrican moved that the matter should be referred to the Finance Committee for a report. "It is extraordinary that this proposal should be singled out for that purpose," declared Mr. Allum. It was* to say the leajst, not very courteous to members of the Tramways Committee, which had carefully considered the proposals, guided by the advice of its expert officers. So long as extensions were delayed, so long would bo deferred the day when the tramway finances would be on a better footing. He %vould not object to the matter being referred to the council in committee.

"We have been told that the general account of this city is carrying a large deficit from the tramways account," said Miss E. Melville. The Tramways Committee should take the reasonable view and allow the Finance Committee to function as it should. The amendment to refer the recommendations to the Finance Committee for a report found the council divided into two groups of 11 each, and the Mayor's casting vote for the amendment decided the issue.