TRAMS IN ALBERT STREET

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1050, 14 August 1930, Page 1

TRAMS IN ALBERT STREET

BUSINESS MEN jOEFER £5,000

TRANSPORT BOARD APPROACHED

L VOLUNTARY BETTERMENT LEVY

WILLING to give practical help toward its objective of trams in Albert Street, the West of Queen Street Development Association has a scheme to offer the Transport Board £5,000 toward'the cost of constructing the tracks, which the transport manager estimates at approximately £3 °Members of the association have agreed to offer the £5,000 as betterment which they anticipate will result from f the running of trams in Albert Street.

The director of the association, Mr. A J. Hutchinson, and the secretary, "Mr George Jackson, met the chairman of the Transport Board, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, in interview this morning and put the scheme before him. Explaining how the idea arose Mr Hutchinson told The Sun today that ,55 West of Queen Street Development Association had held a special meeting to consider the report of the transport manager. Mr. A. E. Ford, which was recently made public. It uealt with possible alternative routes to Albert Street as a means of relieving tramway congestion in Queen report indicated that after Mr. Tord had investigated all other possible methods of relieving Queen Street the proposal to operate a tram service in Albert Street offered the only real solution. This was in accord with the previously expressed conviction of the West of Queen Street Development Association, said Mr. Hutchinson.

CITY TO BENEFIT It was therefore proposed that in Tiew of the fact that, although the whole city would benefit from the operation of the new tramway service, an immediate benefit would accrue to the business firms operating in the vicinity of Albert Street itself, a voluntary betterment assessment should be accepted by the Albert Street firms. This would be in accord with the suggestions submitted recently by the Town Planning Committee of the Auckland City Council and would also be following the practice of numerous English and American cities. The 60 businessmen at the meeting Inanlmonsly endorsed the proposal and an assessment was agreed to on a basis in proportion to the estimated value of the property holdings of the various firms. It is anticipated that if the co-operation of the few remaining firms which were not represented could be secured a fund sufficiently

large to yield £5,000 betterment would be rajsed. SPECIAL RATE Asked how the City Council would regard the association’s offer to another body, Mr. Hutchinson remarked that he could not see that it had anything to do with the council whatever. He understood that there w'as legislative provision that where a major proportion of ratepayers in any area were willing to agree to a betterment levy for their locality, ibis could be done, and a special rate struck. The Development Association had more than the required majority. This practice was common enough in America. At this morning’s interview, Mr. Allum said that the Transport Board was still considering various means for relieving Queen Street of tram congestion, and was intending to bring down alternative schemes, continued Mr. Hutchinson. Mr. Allum appreciated the spirit which bad prompted the offer from Albert Street, and agreed that it was time" that people were willing to help themselves if they wanted anything done by a local authority which resulted in direct benefit to them. INCLINATION TO HELP “There is always a very strong inclination to help those who are willing to help themselves,” said Mr. Allum when asked what he thought of the scheme. “I am sure the board will receive with satisfaction the suggestion of the Albert Street property owners that they shall be specially rated to provide a portion of the proposed Albert Street extension. The Transport Board is now giving this matter its earnest consideration and is paying due regard to the points of view of the various interests. The board’s officers at the present time are preparing definite schemes to relieve Queen Street congestion and as soon as the work is completed, will be in about three or four weeks’ time, the board will be able to announce its decisions.”