TRAM TRACKS RENEWAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20596, 21 June 1930, Page 14

TRAM TRACKS RENEWAL

AID FOR UNEMPLOYED.; TRANSPORT BOARD'S SCHEME. BANK OVERDRAFT PROPOSED. The Transport Board's scheme for tho relief of unemployment involves the expenditure of a sum, to bo obtained by bank overdraft, on the rcnowal of tho tram tracks. Tho rccont visit to Wellington of the chairman, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, and the manager, Mr. A. E. Ford, was to interview tho Primo Minister, Mr. Forbes, 011 tho question of obtaining a Government subsidy, which is now being offered to local bodies on tho increased basis of £2 for £1 on labour costs. " There is no quest ion of raising a loan for this purpose," said Mr. Allum on his return yesterday. " Tho Transport Board can finance its share of tho cost to a reasonable extent out of its presont resources with tho help of an overdraft authority. " Tho board is very concerned about tho unemployment situation in Auckland and this is its proposal to help. Tho board considers that if tho Government will grant its increased subsidy of £2 for £1 to tho board, as it docs to tho City Council, borough councils and other rating authorities, wo can put certain track reconstruction work in hand forthwith. This work must not bo confused with mero maintenance; it will involve tho actual relaying of tho tracks to tho higher standard demanded by present-day traffic conditions. A great deal of this work has been done in past years, but tho romaindcr of tho work can, and in view of present financial circumstances must, wait unles tho Government assists the board by a subsidy 011 wages. It must bo clearly understood that the board is taking this action, solely as its contribution to tho relief of the unemployment situation and thero is no intention of raising any additional loan for this purpose. " I very much regret that publicity was given to tho matter before the Government had been able to inform tho board of its decision," added Mr. Allum. "It was intended to give a full report when the board was in a position to stato exactly what it can do with tho Government's help." Mr. Allum said that owing to the prevalent of unemployment the board had retained tho services of tho maximum number of men, with tho result that tho various tramway extensions wore all ahead of schedule time. Of the extensions remaining, work was commencing on the first section at Mount Eileu and a start was about to be mado on the first section of Richmond Road. As tho back of tho construction programme would bo broken by tho end of the financial year, with only Edendalo and tho second sections of Mount Eden and Richmond Road to do, it would bo necessary to make some provision for retaining the services of the men at present engaged on these works. This could be met very largely by a comprehensive scheme of track renewal.

Tho amount of labour cost involved in track renewals varies, but on tho wholo it averages out at approximately, half the total cost of tho work, the other half representing the cost of materials.