TRANSPORT BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20088, 27 October 1928, Page 14

TRANSPORT BOARD.

POLL OF THE RATEPAYERS.

VOTING NEXT WEDNESDAY.

MAYOR EXPLAINS POSITION.

LOANS AND RATING POWERS. The proposition, "That the Auckland Transport Board Act, 1928, shall come into operation," will bo submitted to polls of ratepayers in tho city and in tho suburban districts embraced in the transport district next Wednesday. A statement for the guidatico of city ratepayers was issued yesterday by the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon. Tho poll, lie explained, was being taken under .the provisions of section 75 of tho Transport Board Act- to dctermino whether or not tho Act should come into operation. "Separate polls on tho same issuo will bo taken in tho suburban districts on the samo day." said the Mayor, "but, so far as the city ratepayer is concerned, the question to be determined is whether tho city shall hand over its transport system of tramways and omnibuses to a transport board, which will then be responsible for dealing with Auckland's transport problems. If Auckland city ratepayers aro in favour of this change of control, then they will vote for tho proposal, and if not, they will vote against it. Ratepayers' Responsibility. "I do not propose to canvass the merits of tho proposal for tho setting up of a transport board," said Mr. Baildon. "Theso havo been fully discussed before the Transport Commission and in meetings of tho council, all of which have been fully reported in the press, and citizens who take any interest in civic affairs havo therefore had amplo opportunity to form their own conclusions as to the wisdom or otherwise of tho proposal. Tho responsibility has been definitely placed in tho hands of the ratepayers and they must now discharge that responsibility according to their individual judgments." For tho guidance of ratepayers in coming to a decision Mr. Baildon recapitulated the main features of the now Act. Tho proposed transport district embraces tho City of Auckland, tho boroughs of Mount Eden, Mount Albert, Nowmarkct and Onehunga, tho road districts of Ono Treo Hill, Mount Roskill, Mount Wellington and Panmuro township and the town district of Ellcrslie. Provision is made for bringing in further areas with tho approval of tho Minister of Public Works. Constitution of the Board. Normally, tho board will bo elected by the electors of those districts as follows: —Six members by tho electors of Auckland City and four by tho electors of other districts. But the first board will bo nominated by tho local bodies within tho district—six by the Auckland City Council and four by other local bodies. This board will hold office until May, 1951, except that any members may be removed and others appointed by the respective local bodies in May, 1929. lhe board will elect its own chairman, who will hold office for two years. If tho proposal is carried the board will havo vested in it all tramway rights within tho district and, with the exception of existing omnibus services, which will retain their present status, the board will have exclusive control of all omnibus services running wholly or partly within tho district. I& will, also acquire all trie assets and liabilities of the City Council s tramways department, and will undertake to pay "all loan moneys raised by the council for that department, lhe depaitment will be taken over as a going concern as from the beginning of the present financial year, leaving the city with neither profit nor loss on its tramway department. Ratepayers to Sanction Loans. The board will have power to raise loans in tho usual way by taking a poll of iis ratepayers, and any loans raised byit will be a liability of the whole district and may bo secured by special rates over the district. If tho board should have a deficiency in its annual accounts, it may levy on the local bodies in tho district to make up the deficiency in proportion to the respective capital values of the constituent districts. A simple majority of the valid voles cast at the poll will'determine tho result. Tho votes in tho city will bo counted separately, and tho votes in all tho suburban districts will bo counted together, so that, in effect, there will be two polls, and the Act will noi como into operation unless thero is an affirmative majority in the case of each poll. Only ratepayers aro entitled to vote, bnfc wives and husbands of actual ratepayers may also vote. Ratepayers desirous of examining the provisions of tho Act can see a copy at the office of the town clerk at any time during office hours. MORE THAN ONE VOTE. ROAD BOARD DISTRICT POLLS. Tho riqht to cxcrciso more than one vote will be possessed by some ratepayers in the Mount Roskill, One Tree Hill, Mount Wellington and Punmurc township road board districts. Thoso districts possess ono roll for all voting purposes, tho franchise being on the property basis. It is authoritatively stated some ratepayers in the districts named will have as many as tlireo votes. Ellcrslie, being a town board, as distinct from Panmuro, which is a township road board, will hold its poll on the principle of "one ratepayer, one vote," tho system that will apply in the city and in the suburban boroughs. A ratepayer with property in tho city and in the suburban districts is entitled to exercise his vote or votes in respect to each ratepayers' roll on which his name appears.