[June 2, 1908 – Auckland Star] The interest which Mr. M. McLean has taken in the matter of the extension of the tramway service to Mt. Albert has led to the question being re-opened.
At last night’s meeting of the Mt. Albert Road Board it was reported that Mr. Walklate (tramways manager) had accompanied the chairman of the Board (Mr. Coyle) and other members of the Board on a visit of inspection to the route of the proposed extension to Mt. Albert railway station, or as an alternative to the Morningside crossing.
The surroundings were viewed from the summit of Mt. Albert, and Mr. Walklate expressed surprise at the extent of district which would be served by an extension, as proposed, and said that he would be writing to his Home directors shortly upon the subject. Although Mr. Walklate had not committed himself to any definite statement, there was every reason to anticipate the proposal would receive every consideration, and, probably, be taken in hand at a date not distant.
TRAM TO MT ALBERT.
[January 9, 1912 – Auckland Star] The work of extending the tramway system from Kingsland to Morningside is at present in progress, and an effort is now to be made to secure the extension of the line from Morningside to Mt. Albert, to a point generally known as Olsen’s corner. The matter was mentioned by Mr M. J. Coyle (Mayor) at the meeting of the Mt. Albert Borough Council last night. He said he had asked the manager of the company whether Mr. Tegetmeier (chairman of directors) would be prepared to receive a deputation from the Council, and an affirmative reply was given If the Council were prepared to urge the construction of the line for the benefit of the ratepayers at the other end, of the district a deputation should be appointed, and perhaps ratepayers most vitally interested could be invited to attend.
Mr. E. Turner pointed out that the cutting down of the road near St Luke’s Church, because of solid rock foundation, should be a costly undertaking, and he suggested that the Council should not be called upon to bear any portion of the expenditure. The company had shouldered the cost of similar work on the Onehunga line and as the company would reap the benefit from the tramway to Mt. Albert they should do the cutting down necessary. “Local bodies have been too soft with the company,” added the speaker.
The Mayor: You want the trams.
Mr. Turner: Yes, and they want our money.
The Mayor did not think the company would bear the whole of the cutting down required, but mentioned that any sum the Council was called upon to pay for cutting down on a line as far as Olsen’s corner would be a mere drop in the bucket in comparison with the amount the Council would receive in increased ratable value in a few years. The Mayor and Messrs. Clay, Ellisdon, Turner, and Harris were deputed to wait on Mr. Tegetmeier this afternoon to urge the construction of the extension mentioned.