SUBURBAN TRAMWAYS.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 17, 20 July 1905, Page 6

SUBURBAN TRAMWAYS.

TO THE EDITOK. Sir, — "H.A.H." writes a remarkably clear letter giving excellent reasoning in favour of the tunnel scheme, ivith respect to both North Kilbimie and South Kilbirnie. I wish he wotiid hummer away I as forcibly in favour of a. double line, the extra initial cost of which would return'to the city a vastly larger revenue than a fangle line. * Wellington, with its rugyed^ hills, demands w\ equally bold enterprise on the part of engineering. Kelburne stands out as a strong instance of a hard}' enterprise of a few private citizens resulting in renuvnevatm success. Why should the city not follow the sound example of shrewd business men? The double line is {he only way to make the proposed route pay. It would mean more frequent service and a very much bigger traffic. At emrgencies — Saturday aiUmooni and holidays — three or four cars could run together in train fashion. Again, it would b3 far cheaper for the city to pay for ths ' consequent widening of the roads now than, say, five yours hence With a double line of tramway this tunnel scheme would doubtless soon lead to extensions not yet mooted, for after getting through the tunnel a large district could be served by extending a line to the left as well as to the right. The great area of land embraced in the suburb of Rosenenth would thus come to be built on, and so another of the healthiest parts of Wellington would be brought into play in this ever-increasing problem, of getting cheap house accommodation close to the centre of the city. One is surprised at the extensive area of land here waiting for the busy builders. The views from all parts of Roseneath/are very fine. The wants are a tram system, water, and drainage. Tliese '■■ atts bound 1 to come in the long run, and the sooner they are faced and supplied the better probably for the city as a I whole. At any rate, I thrust- the idea forwaid in hopes of its strengthening up the tunnel scheme, and as a strong motive for the exlra outlay of a double line of tramway.— l am, etc, LONDONER. Wellington, 181 h July, 1905.

TO THE EDITOK. Sir, — With an eye on increasing city revenue, would it not pay to have a special service of trams ,within an inner radius of the city, and 'run at very frequent intervals Also to extend tlie penny sections rather than decrease them? The penny sections might be extended, say, from town to Pirie street, so that either Courtenay-placc or Cubaslreet car would ser.ve equally ; also from town to top of Willis-street, at foot of Aro-street; and from\town to top of Cuba-street ; nnd similarly in the other direction, to make the penny sections from Cuba-street and Conrtenay-placo (or Pirie-street) run to Davis-street and Hawkstone-slreet respectively. I expect the present system was devised to catch the extra pennies of some of the well-to-do class that live along these routes ; but after all is said and done, there axe many of the working class paying high rents along these routes who J would much more frequently use the train*, if thus brought more fairly, within their financial reach. Common sense would seem to urge that fares within the city proper should be cheapened to mset the higher rents, and faras «.o tho outlying districts should be hardened owing' to the lower rents, and so augment, tho tramway traffic. The rolling stock at present is quite unable to cope with tho demands of traffic. It looks, too, as if even with the orders that aie still to be filled, no provision has been made for emergency traf- i fie. \ ' Your much read columns have done a good deal to wake up the community to a due sense o£ the importance of running the city on business lines. I consider our late Mayor deserves far more credit llum he has got for the progress of Wellington during his long term of office. But I know that without the strenuous efforts of tho Evening Po3t this progress would probably not have been realised. — I am, etc., ' " PROGRESS. Wellington, 18th July.

TO THE KDITOK. Sir, — I see the Mayor considers a tram route via Elizabeth, Brougham, and Piric streets the best. Of course Ido not blame him if ho can save and yet give us a better route than via. Elizabeth, Brougham, and Queen streets, but to save a. few thousands and give us a line over a higher grade, more especially a. lino over which in a fow years there will be very heavy traffic, is false economy, and we naturally want ihe easiest grade to make the lino a success as to speed, even if a, few thousands more are spent. It is easily seen that, the grade to the mouth oi the tunnel via Pirio-ctreet would be too stiff — first a tight pinch up Broughamstreet from the entrance of Queen-sheet to Pirie-street corner ; then again very heavy from opposite Tutchen-street along Piriestreet, and, after negotiating a high grade to mouth of tunnel, you would then have a descending grade through the tunnel, and anything lyit a level tunnel ia most undesirable. Up Queen-street and through Bixon Grove is a natural valley, and your tunnel can be' driven low enough lo make it even right through; also there is 100 m enough after crossing Austin-street to have' a siding. This route is comparatively flat all the wny. — I am, etc., PBACTICAL. Wellington, 17th July.

Mesorg. Macdonalcl, Wilson and Co. will ccII to-morrow, at their rooms, at 2 o'clock, under instructions from the holders of tho bill of lading, an iiwoico of ladies and gentlemen's gold watches and other jewel* lory, no detailed iv the advertisement.

Mr. W. H. Ballinger, of Wellington, Avho is taking part in the Bisley Meeting, was a competitor at the annual meeting of the Scottish- Rifle Association afc Darnley last month. In the Bannockburn match he finished fourth with a score of 66, and won £M (the winner made 68), and in tho City of Glasgow Match he gained 63 points, or j six bslow the top score. Now Zealand State coal ]»_ specially advertised in this isßue, a .shipment being duo here next Monday. The coal will be sold at 22s per ton, and particulars are given in the. advertisement. An auction Balo of family residences ia announced by Meesrs. Macdonald, Wihon and Co. to be held at their Exchange Land Mart on tho 3rd August. They comprise the family residence in Hill-street, Nc. 14-, containing nine rooms with modern conveniences, in occupation of Hon. Edward Richardson, C.M.G. ; adjoining the latter property the family residence, No. 16, containing nino rooms, in the occupation of Mr. Aloj'aus Macdonald; also, on Wellington-terrace, "Lancaster House," containing fourteen rooms. An advertisement appearing in the auction column gives details.