THE TRANSPORT BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20088, 27 October 1928, Page 16

THE TRANSPORT BOARD.

Sir—Why will people endeavour to start more arguments about transport? The city ratepayers emphatically do not wish! to be responsible for transport in outside districts, where the people have no financial responsibility, and the residents in the outside, areas are willing to take some responsibility. Why, therefore, do a few disgruntled individuals wish to spoil an opportunity to bring both pai ties together. Let us all get behind the Transport Board idea and carry the poll next Wednesday with an overwhelming majority. Then lot everyone get behind the board and heln to make :it a success. Tkan.SI'OKT.

Sir,—l noticed a letter signed by Miss Alico Basten. For rny part, I consider Miss Basten has a poor opinion of her fellow citizen's intelligence. 'lhe press reports on transport matters in general, and the Transport Board in particular, havo been so good that no one should have any difficulty in recording his or her vote in favour of the Transport Board. I would like this opportunity to say that whenever I want any information to guide me in these matters, I never havo anv difficulty in getting it, and the Town Hall is staffed with officials who arc always ready and willing to help. ' Amused.

Sii,-—I notice with great astonishment a letter on the above subject over the signature of Councillor George Knight. I am quite an ordinary member of the public, but I do endeavour (o take an intelligent interest in public affairs, and I know that the establishment of the Auckland Electric-Power Board was no calamity, financial or otherwise. So far as transport matters arc concerned, I am of the opinion that the Herald has published excellent reports, which should satisfy any reasonable person that it is a wise thing to vote for the establishment of the Transport Board. The published reports show quite clearly that Councilloi Knight is entirely wrong in stating that if a "Transport Board is formed tho power is lost to ratepayers to elect members. I have seen it stated repeatedly that after next local body elections the local bodies may change their nominees on the board, and that in May, 1931., the board will bo elected by the electors in the usual way. Then Councillor Knight s statement that the Transport Board will havo power to raise money without the consent of the ratepayers is also quite incorrect, and, surely, as a councillor, he must know this. I have made further inquiries, and find that my previous understanding is quite correct, i.e., the Transport Board rnust submit, its financial proposals to the ratepayers, as the City Council and the' Power Board must also do. For my part, I have deplored the antagonism to the City Council shown bv some correspondents, but such effusions as Councillor Knight's letter do not inspire confidence. Satisfied.

Sir —ln your Fridav's issue there are letters from Mr. 11. P. Taylor and Mr Geo. Knight, on the Transport Board poll Tilr. Tavlor wishes that the new councils to be" elected the first week in May should bo able to appoint the members of the Transport Board. This is provided for in Section 6 of the Transport Board Act, which says that councils elected the first week in May can remove any member or members of the Transport Board before May 31 appoint others in their place. Mr. Taylor s point has been considered and provided for. Mr. Knight's letter contains many inaccuracies, lie says the appointment of a Transport Board takes the power out of the hands of ratepayers for ail time. On the contrary, the Act gives councils the powei of appointment until Jl#y, 1931, and after that date the board is elected by the electors of the various districts. Mr Knight goes on to say that the Transport Board will have power to borrow without the consent of ratepayers. This is not so, for the Transport Board, if it wishes to borrow, must submit its loan to ratepayers in the same way as a council. Mr. Knight has a copy of the Act and really should have read it through before committing himself to such statements. He says it was a financial calamity when the Electric-Power Board was. established. On tho contrary, electric light and power have been made available over the board s area, and it would have been many years before this would have been done by the city The control of the water supply by a board representative of the districts appears to Mr. Knight to be unreasonable. Most people would regard it. differently, and T venture to say that Mr. Knight will see this method established, llieto ters. which 'are regional, avci dealt with by boards elected for the purpose to an ever-increasing extent, and this does away with the element of profit made by one community at the espenso of another, which is always a source of friction. E. 11. Potter.

gj r> —ln your issue of October 26 appears'a letter signed Ceo. Knight, Councillor, under the above heading,_ which is so full of inaccuracies that I think the councillor has not seen the Transport Board Act, and has drawn on his imagination for the material for his Icttci. Councillor Knight says: Iho appointment of councillors is such that if they do not suit the citizens tlioy can be,, removed at tlie end of two years, but if a Transport Board is formed, the power goes out of the hands of the ratepayers for all time." That statement is not correct. If the Transport Board is approved by vote of ratepayers of both city and suburban areas at the poll on Wednesday next, tlio City Council elects six members of the new board and thr suburban bodies elect the other four. The members so elected hold their office until May! 1031, "provided that tlio local authority appointing or electing them may at any time after the first Wednesday in May, 1929. and before tlio 31st day of May, 1929, remove any member or member's appointed by such local authority and appoint another or others in. his or thcii places to hold office until the first Wednesday in May, 1931." So that appointment of members of the board for the period up to May next rests with the council now in office. Iho council to be elected next May can confirm those appointments or change one or any <>f them if they see fit to d<> so between the date of the next municipal elections and May 31, 1929. In May, 1931, the method of electing the members of the '.transport Board becomes exactly the same as is now the method of electing city mid borough councils, the board to be then elected, and each succeeding board will hold office for four years, not for two years only, as is the case with city and borough councils. Councillor Knight further states: "If you vote fur a transport board, then they will have power to borrow for these extensions without your consent." That statement is not correct,. The borrowing powers of the proposed board are exactly the same as the borrowing powers of the City Council, and are so set out in section *33 ot the. bill, which was passed bv Parliament, That is to say, for any loans to lie borrowed the board will have to gel the approval of the Local Codies Loans Board and tliji consent of the ratepayers. by a poll as is now the case with Oilier local bodies. Councillor Knight says, "it was nothing short of a financial calamity when the Electric-Power Board was "established." That is an assertion it would be difficult for Councillor Knight to prove, and he was a mem her of the City Council at the time, and diil not vote against the proposal to establish the Power Board That proposal was carried into effect, and what was the city's electricity undertaking was disposed of without the consent ot the city ratepayers first having been obtained. In the present case the consent of the ratepayers is being asked, and it is my opinion that the proposal should be heartily approved l\v both the ratepayers of the' city and Ihoso of the suburban areas. Thomas Bloodworth. October 2b, 1928.