Greater Auckland Progress

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 655, 6 May 1929, Page 8

Greater Auckland Progress

LOANS FOR LOCAL BODIES LOAN proposals totalling well over £BOO,OOO will be placed before city and country ratepayers on Wednesday, when the Auckland'Transport Board, the Mount Albert Borough Council and other local bodies will ask sanction for special loans for developmental work. Counties are also electing their new councils on Wednesday.

The largest proposal for the consideration of the people on Wednesday is the first loan of the Auckland Transport Board, totalling £526,000, which is required for tramways extensions to the outer suburbs, and the equivalent of which was turned down by the ratepayers when submitted by the City Council some time ago. ISLpver has there been such an ambitious scheme for transport development in this city as is contemplated over the next four years in the way of further tram tracks, raid the purchase of new rolling-stock for service to suburban localities. Fifty new trams are needed, and if the loans are sanctioned, tram lines will be extended to Point Chevalier, to be followed later by additions to Remuera ■Road, Mount Eden Road, and Richmond Road. The duplication of the Onehunga line, the construction of a siding at Stanley Street, and a loop at the Auckland railway station, and the enlargement of the tramways workshops, are also provided for. MODIFIED SCHEME Alternatively, the people will be asked to vote for a loan of £280,000 called the 2\o. 2 proposal, which embraces the first two years’ work in the developmental programme. This includes Point Chevalier, Remuera Road, and Dominion Road extensions; the Onehunga duplication; the Stanley Street and railway station -works: and 25 new trams, as well as modified enlargement of the workshops. This secondary scheme is to give effect to the most urgent works should the people be unprepared to undertake the whole. In addition to the city,"nine local body areas are concerned, the boroughs of Mount Eden, Mount Albert, Newmarket, and Onehunga; the road districts of One Tree Hill, Mount Ro skill, and Mount Wellington: and

the town districts of Panmure and Ellerslie. The voting strength in the total area Is 38,164, and in view of the interest which has been focussed on transport development in the past year, a heavy poll is anticipated. In Mount Albert borough, three loan proposals, totalling in amount £18,500, will be submitted, mainly for playing areas and recreation reserves. A pavilion and children’s playing fields would absorb £8,500 at the recently formed Gribblehirst Park; a similar sum is proposed to be spent for the development of the Morningside reserve in football and other sports grounds; and £1,500 would be earmarked for the improvement of the Mount Albert Domain, where access and beautification requirements are contemplated. The Mayor of Mount Albert says that if these loans are sanctioned, the new council will be enabled to work upon a comprehensive plan of improvement. POWER EXTENSIONS Further afield, loan proposals will be submitted to the electors in the Franklin Electric-Power Board district, where £75,000 will be asked for, subject to the approval of the Local Government Loans Board. It is proposed by the board to use this money for supplying power to die Franklin county, Pukekohe borough, Waiuku and Tuakau town districts. Road improvements and bridge construction required by the Waitemata County are expected to cost £20,000, and the people will be asked to sanction this amount on Wednesday. The Auckland-Helensville highway, running through the county, will absorb half this sum.

County elections, also, providing for the triennial election of councils, will be held on Wednesday.