BOARD OF WORKS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12687, 8 July 1919, Page 5

BOARD OF WORKS.

POSITION OP TRAMWAY BOARD

The Tramway Board yesterday received a letter enclosing a report of the conference of local bodies to establish in Christchurch , a Metropolitan Board of Works.

Tlie chairman (Hon J. Bair) said that the question was a very important one. He was surprised that a- speaker ' at the conference had stated that the Tramway Board was making large profits and hiding them in reserves, t'or one thing, the hoard soon would have to put heavy renewals in hand, 1 and the whole of the Renewal" Fund would be absorbed. . The superannuation reserve might be in the same position. Ho_ thought that it was impossible to give a decision on the question at present. Members should study the proposals and discuss them at a special meetingMr H. Pearce said that he was not, opposed to the establishment •of a Board of Works, but he thought that the question should he thoroughly dis* cussed. He .moved that the letteishould be referred to, and be discussed at, a meeting on July 17. Mr D. Sykes seconded the motion. He said that trams were the working men’s motor-cars, and he thought that all tramway profits should go to increasing the efficiency of the tramway system. The Board of Works would be a. kind of enlarged City Council. People on the outskirts -would nob have any public services. It was robbery tq try to bring into a scheme people whom the scheme was not intended to benefit. He lived on the outskirts, and would like the outskirts to be left alone. . _Mr A. S- Taylor said that an extension of the drainage system was absolutely necessary. The question now was how the extension would be brought about- Drainage could not. be given to certain districts if they were left to themselves. It was the duty of all local bodies to finish up the drainage problem somehow. Ap authority should be established to say how much reserves the Tramway Board should set aside every year. Members ’ of the board then would be relieved of criticism in that direction. If the Board of Works was impossible, some other means of dealing with the problem should bo found. If the Tramway Board’s reserves were nothing 1 more than adequate, the board should show it. . • . ' The motion was carried.