WILLING OR NOT?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 418, 28 July 1928, Page 13

WILLING OR NOT?

POWER BOARD AND TRANSPORT never approached - ?*? at is hardly an estimate of the said Mr * W. J. Holdsworth, jrman of the Auckland Electric-

Power Board, when he was asked for his opinion on a clause in the transport commission’s report.

The clause was: “Further, there is no evidence that the Auckland Power Board, as at present constituted, wishes, or is willing, to take over transport, and we are of opiniofi that tho transport difficulties of the district would not be likely to be removed by handing them over to an unwilling authority. In our opinion these objections are fatal and justify us in eliminating this method.” Mr. Holdsworth said that when he was giving evidence before the commission the question was asked him, and he replied that the board had never considered the possibility of taking over the transport. It was well worth considering, because the Power Board had big interests in the undertaking, owning, as it did, all the suls-stations, and generating the power. “The board has not stated whether it is willing or unwilling, simply because it has not had an opportunity of doing so,” he continued. The board would have to be approached first and then it would consider the position.