MR. MORTON SURVIVES CRITICISMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 674, 28 May 1929, Page 7

MR. MORTON SURVIVES CRITICISMS

Forcing a Transport Election

VOTE BY OUTER SUBURBS

BY a large majority the local bodies in No. 3 transport area rejected a motion last evening that Mr. F. S. IMorton be removed henceforth from membership of the Auckland Transport Board. Sir. Morton undertook to resign after May 31 and so bring about a poll of ratepayers for the election of his successor.

Mr. £?. I. Goodall, a member of the Mount Roskill Road Board, was voted to the chair, and Mr. A. Leese, clerk to the One Tree Hill Road Board, in whose offices the meeting was held, acted as secretary. Representatives were present from th-o Mount Roskill Road Board (S). Onehunga Borough Council (9). Ellerslie Town Board (3), Mount Wellington Road Board (4), Panmure Town Board (4) and One Tree Hill Road Board (6). The chairman explained that the conference had been called by the Mount Roskill Road Board, in consequence of the position which had arisen through M.r. F. S. Morton having tendered his resignation as a member of the Transport Board to the Onehunga Borough Council. On being asked to explain his action Mr. Morton complained that his experience on the board had forced him to the conclusion that he was wasting his time and his health by trying to secure improved transport facilities in the suburban areas. The people had always expected that the Transport Board would have been an elected body, instead of which the City Council had the preponderance of voting power. The board would not become elective until 1931. The existing domination by the city members was such that no matter what was proposed by the representatives of outer areas, they got nowhere. He and Mr. E. H. Potter had had to fight practically alone. They had received no assistance from even their own colleagues. The strain had broken his health, and ha was forced by medical advice to retire. He had written on May 10 to the Onehunga Borough Council, who had since asked him to reconsider his decision, and he thereupon decided to hold his hand as he saw that the opportunity had arrived to agitate for an elected Transport Board.

"There isn’t the si* htest chance of the outer areas getting a fair spin from the board as at present constituted,” he declared. "if 1 can be the means of bringing about an elected board I consider I shall have done my duty to the outside areas. I have done my best to bring about better conditions in Mount Roskill.” A Voice: Rubbish. Mr. Morton: But I have had no support. He had, he said, objected to the board’s practice of bolstering up its capital account by including revenue items. The sum of £57,428 for track renewals was placed in the capital account, whereas the item should have appeared in the revenue account. Again, the Ponsonby buildings, which appeared under capital at a valuation of £17,000, were sold for £551. The trams have never paid their way out of revenue since the Auckland City Council has had control,” he declared. "Mr. Allum has been challenged on this by a well-known Auckland accountant and he dare nbt reply. *T have opposed the tramway loan because the system has never yet paid its "way, and it is idle to expect it to pay now, when loaded with a further dead-weight of interest and sinking fund on a £500,000 loan. PEOPLE WILL REGRET

"The only solution now is either increased fares or a rate levied over the whole transport area. The people will yet regret ever having carried that ioan.” He contended that a oci flat rate would produce an increase in revenue of £120,000 a year, and asserted that the board had never challenged that estimate. Trackless trolleys which were working successfully in 21 British cities, could be installed in Auckland and give a better service than trams for onethird of the amount of the recent loan, and he was pleased to say that, owing to his advocacy of this system, the manager of the tramways had been instructed to submit a report on trolley buses. "I have failed,” he concluded, to bring about adequate and cheap transport, but 1 have done my best.” Mr. I. J. Goldstine (One Tree Hill)

asked Mr. Morton why he had decided to hold his seat on the board until after May 31, and why, as the representative of six local bodies, had he placed his resignation in the hands of the Onehunga Borough Council, thereby flouting the other five? "That resignation,” said Mr. Goldstine, "was not worth the paper it was written on”

Mr. Morton replied that he was originally nominated by the Onehunga Council. It was the largest local body, and he had asked it to take the necessary steps for the appointment of his successor. He had further intimated in his letter that he would defer his l'esignation to the secretary of the Transport Board until arrangements had been made for the election of his successor.

EXPENSE TO RATEPAYERS Mr. E. A. Pearce (Mount Roskill) strongly resented the action of Mr. Morton in not resigning prior to May 31, thereby putting local bodies to the expense of an election. He contended that Mr. Morton’s action would not make the Transport Board an elective body. The chairman wanted to know what i steps had been taken by Mr. Morton toward inducing the Government to have the Act amended. Mr. Morton: It’s not my duty to approach the Government. The question then arose as to whether Mr. Morton’s position should be discussed in his presence, or whether it would not be as well if he were to retire. A motion was however carried on the voices that Mr. Morton be requested to remain. Mr. A. Sanft then accused Mr. Morton of having worked against the interests of Mount Roskill in opposing the tramway loan. "His only criticism of the board.” said Mr. Sanft. "was distinctive. He had tried to destroy everything the board is trying to accomplish. He has done Onehunga more harm than good by advertising the cheap fares on the Onehunga. service. He is not a fit person to represent us.” Mr. F. W. Mountjoy (Onehunga): Put the best man in Auckland in Mr. Morton’s place, and he’ll do no more than Mr. Morton has done because of the dominating influence of the City Council. Mr. E. A. Pearce (Mount Roskill): All this talk about an elective board will take us nowhere. Mr. Morton having resigned, our duty is to elect another man in his place. Mr. Goldstine asked whether the meeting wanted to wait for an expensive election or to exercise its statutory power to remove Mr. Morton and appoint his successor. He advocated Mr. Morton’s removal to save expense. Postponement would not hasten an elective board. Mr. A. Sanft thereupon moved: “That Mr. F. S. Morton be removed forthwith.” Mr. S. Scarborough (Mount Roskill) seconded. WIRE PULLING Mr. E. Morton, Mayor of Onehunga, and brother of Mr. F. S. Morton, said that there had been too much wirepulling over this question. It would be a much cleaner method to let the people settle it by a poll. Cr. W. C. Hill (Onehunga): There’s someone here very a'nxious to get on the board, but lie’s afraid to meet the electors. In reply to a question, Mr. F. S. Morton said that he had definitely decided to resign after May 31. The motion was negatived on the voices. Mr. F. S. Morton, in thanking his supporters, explained that on receipt of his resignation, the secretary of the Transport Board would call for nominations, and lie urged that combined efforts be made to induce the Government to amend the Act in favour of an elective board.