AUCKLAND TRANSPORT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20242, 30 April 1929, Page 12

AUCKLAND TRANSPORT.

FINANCIAL LOSS ARRESTED,

" THE TWO ENDS ARE MEETING."

NECESSITY FOR EXTENSIONS.

"Two years ago tho tramway and motor-bus undertaking was losing about £I2OO a week, while to-day the two ends aro meeting," said Mr. J. A. C. Allum, chairman of tho Auckland Iransport Board, in an address at the luncheon of tho Rotary Club yesterday. "The transport undertaking is not the undertaking of the board, it is tho undertaking of the citizens," continued Mr. Allum. "If we can get this idea in tho minds of citizens it will be to the intorest of everyone. Transport is vital to our civilisation, and tho most important portion of modern transport is tho conveyance of passengers. "I want to make the point that tho most important form of transport is that which takes the worker from his home to his employment and back to his home, said Mr. Allum. There had been some discussion on tlio control of public transport, but the control of such a public utility was necessary to provide a reasonable sinking fund and interest on public expenditure, to ensure uniformity of fares and timc-tabJes, to safeguard the payment of fair wages, and to provide safety in public vehicles. While, however, public services should bo controlled, it was not meant that there should be any monopoly. In Auckland a licence could be granted to any motor-bus operator, and this made for security in private enterprise, while if through the subsequent growth of any district it was found that the service was not adequate, it was competent for tho board to grant additional licences on the same route. At present the board had licensed 35 bus servicos, 22 of which were private.

The policy of tlio board was to license and provide reasonable transport facilities for tlio whole of the area under its control, while at the same time it was recognised that it was a trading concern, and owed a duty to make both ends meet. As a general rule it had been found that tramcars were more suitable for the more denstly-populated districts, while the buses could best be run in the sparselypopulated areas. The total number of tramcars owned by the board was 205, and on these over 60,000,000 people were carried annually, while the 55 buses carried over 5,000,000 persons. This meant that the board transported the whole population of Auckland each day. The tramcars covered over 6,000,000 miles a year, while the buses ran about 1,825,000 miles. "A number of extensions are now necessary," said Mr. Allurn. "If you vote for the greater loan, vote for the smaller one. i am not asking you to vote for the loans at all, but if you decide that the larger one is worthy of your recommendation the board wants you to vote for both. May 1 suggest a greater feeling of optimism. Our own optimism and a greater feeling of courage will do more lor this city than any tiling else.'MOUNT ROSKILL APPROVAL. RESOLUTION BY PUBLIC MEETING. The Auckland Transport Board's loan proposals which are to bo submitted to a poll of ratepayers on Wednesday, May d, were explained by the chairman of the board, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, at a wellattended meeting of residents of Mount Roskill in the Methodist Hall, Green wood's Corner, last evening. Mr. E. F. Jones, chairman of the Mount Roskill Road Board, presided, and Messrs. M. J. Coyle, G. G. Ashley and J. Wood, members of the Transport Board, were present. At the conclusion of Mr. Allum's address, a motion approving of the loan proposals was carried.