ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 116, 17 May 1901, Page 2

ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS.

APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION Oi: 1 TIME.

THE CAUi>£S OF DELAY

At the meeting of the City Council last evening the following letter was received from Mr. Paul M. Hansen, of the Auckland Electric Tramways Company, asking for an extension of lime, and stating the difficulties •which had arisen 1o cause delay in the carrying- out of the installation of the electric tramways: "In consequence of various delays, "beyond my company's control, having occurred in the manufacturing and despatch of the first shipmer.t of rails, and in the placing of the contract, I am instructed by my company to apply to Your Worship and Councillors for a postponement of the dates when the line from the Three Lamps via College Hill and Beach lioad to the city boundary and the power station should be finished, viz., June 1 and December 1, J3Ol, "respectively. Tn order to show Your Worship and Councillors that my company has used its utmost endeavours to avoid delays and to expedite matters, and also to give you details of the various difficulties and obstacles, quite beyond my company's control, which had to be overcome, I give you ■the following1 short statement of some of the circumstances: As Your Worship and Councillors aro aware, the deed of delegation, vesting in my company the powers and privileges to construct electric tramways in your city, was signed on June 26, 100 ft. The Council and my company had every reason to expect that the same would ■be signed many months before. Nothing on our part was left undone to obtain same as early as possible, and the unfortunate delay was due to matters entirely beyond our control. My company was, therefore, 5-iot in a position before that date to begin making arrangements with regard to getting the plans and designs approved by your Council, or to place the orders for the rails and plant required. This was, however, done as Boon as such plans and designs had been approved by your engineer, but partly in consequence of the great distance between here and London some months had to be sacrificed before these matters were settled. To this unavoidable delay a great difficulty was added, on account of the enormous rise in the iron and steel market, in consequence of the formation of gigantic steel trusts?, and the South African war undoubtedly also largely contributed to increase the difficulties. However, this enormous rise was not allowed by the company to prevent it from ordering, but the additional fact that manufacturers expected an even further rise proved a considerable obstacle, and hence caused delay. It will be admitted that "both the rise in iron and steel and the South African war were, matters ■we could not foresee or control. However, my company was at last successful, and at the beginning of December, 1900, placed an order for rails •with the well-known Lorain Steel Company of Pittsburg for delivery in New York by February 15, and at the same time arrangements were made to ship the rails by a boat leaving New York on the 20th of that month. If this arrangement had been adhered to by the Lorain Company, the rails should have arrived in Auckland in time to enable my company to have the College Hill line constructed by June 1 next. However, the said steel company were unable to comply with the terms of their contract, and the rails were not delivered at New York until March 10. This delay not only upset the arrangements for shipping the rails on February 20, but also resulted in a further loss of time. Great difficulties were experienced in securing a steamer direct for Auckland, but at last my company succeeded in chartering the s.s. Cereda. However, this boat, having a carrying capacity of 3000 tons, had, of course, to make up her cargo before sailing, which resulted in her being detained until April 6 last, when I received the following cable message from my company: 'Kails and bonds were unavoidably detained; sailed 6th inst. in steamer Cereda.' Unfortunately the steamer Cereda is a slow bont, but as a faster steamer was not available at that time, a further delay of about a fortnight will thus be caused. Meanwhile Mr. Stewart, the engineer supervising the track construction has received cable instructions to prepare tenders, and as soon as the company's electrical engineer (Mr Carey) ■who, I am advised by cable received on the 7th inst., left England on the Ist of this month for Auckland, has arrived the work of laying down the lines will be commenced immediately the rails, ■which are now almost six weeks on their way, have been landed. As soon as possible after the deed of delegation •was signed by your Council and the various plans for track and overhead construction were approved by your engineer, they were forwarded Home, in order to enable the company to invite tenders for the whole of the thirtytwo miles of ftrack, the depots and power station. In connection with these plans a delay beyond my company's control was caused, viz,, the plans which were posted here and marked via 'Frisco, were by some mistake of the postal authorities not forwarded via that route, but by one of the direct steamers, for which reason they took eight weeks instead of four to reach London. Two more obstacles had then to be overcome, which caused further delay in the final settlement of the contract comprising the city and suburban schemes, viz.: In the first place my company experienced great difficulties In arriving at a satisfactory settlement ■with some of the suburban districts, ■which made it impossible for a long time to consolidate the system by placing a contract for the city lines and suburban lines at the same time. It was not until the end of last year that we were able to arrange satisfactory agreements with most of the suburban bodies interested, which, however, are only just now being finally settled, on account of the great delay in the issue of the suburban Order-in-Council. Tn the seefond place my company found it imposBible to secure a reasonable tender for the works unless a contractor's representative visited Auckland, in order to consider on the spot the peculiar features of the undertaking. However, to cause ?-s little delay as possible, preliminary arrangements were made with the well known firm of contractors, Messrs J. G. White and Co., Limited, tof London and New York. Their rev\-e----sentative (Mr C. Griffith Young, electrical engineer) arrived in Auckland at the beginning of last December, and after thoroughly invesigating the matter, left for London on January 5, in

order to report to his company. He arrived there at the beginning of March, and a few weeks later my company was in a position to accept Messrs J. G. White and Co.'s tender for the whole of the city and suburban schemes. From the above explanation J trust Your Worship and Councillors will have seen that my company had to deal not only with various delays beyond their control, but had also to overcome difficulties caused on account of the great distance and various obstacles which so unexpectedly confronted them here and at Home. If Your Worship and Councillors consider the magnitude of the scheme, in conjunction with the great distance between the manufacturers and the place of delivery, you will no doubt agree with me that delays in such large undertakings are unavoidable, and, as 1 have shown above, one delay is often the cause of a series of others. The various delays thus experienced by my company amount to almost three months,' but considering that it will be the beginning of the wet season, which fact militates against rapid progress, when we _ will be in^ a position to commence laying down t'ae lines, I would most respectfully ask Your Worship and Councillors to grant! my company an extension of four months beyond those dates mentioiied j at the beginning of this letter, viz., to postpone the dates of the completion of the first line and the power house to October 1, 1001, and April 1, 1902, respectively. However, permit me to specially 'impress upon Your Worship and Councillors the fact that my company does not ask for an exten- ; sion of the final date, viz., June 1, 1002, , by which time the whole of the city scheme must be finished. This fact Mr Bingham especially emphasises In his last week's cable, in which he states to the ex-Mayor (Mr Goldie) that the contractors had undertaken to have electric tram cars running in the city by June | 1 1902. I take this opportunity of in- i forming you that the first shipment of rail accessories has arrived. The bill of lading for the second shipment has also come to hand, showing that 350 further packages will arrive by the Star of England, due at Auckland about June 1 and that work at the power station was started about a fortnight ago. Trusting that Your Worships and Councillors will favourably consider my company's request, which I would again resoectfully point out does not include any delay in the final completion of the city scheme by June 1, 1002, the date originally agreed upon. Mr Kidd moved that the letter be sent to the Legal Committee. Cr. Parr said the Company had undertaken by June Ist next to have the lines actually laid to College Hill and Parnell, and six months later to have the trams running on those lines. Under the penalty clause of the deed," it was provided that should the Company fail to keep their engagement the sum deposited became forfeitable. The Council would have to be very careful. The ratepayers looked to them to see that the Company were held strictly to their contract. There was a feeling that it was the greatest mistake the Council ever made in handing over their privilege to a private company (hear, hear), and it was the Council's duty to sec that the bargain was faithfully carried out. If the Council granted a modified extension, the penalty might be set loose, and the Company might claim their £1000 back. It was a matter requiring careful consideration, and therefore he would second the motion that the letter be referred to the Legal Committee. Cr. Garratt moved as an amendment that the Council decline any extension of time. Cr. Hanhan seconded. He thought the Council had parted with a splendid asset when they handed over the tramways to the Company. Cr. Patterson supported the amendment. If the Company was not prepared to keep to their engagement, let the city take over the work themselves. Cr. Parr said he was quite at one with the previous speakers, that the Company should be informed that the Council expect them to carry out their bargain to the letter. Cr. Stichbury thought the letter should be referred to the Legal Committee, and the City Engineer asked to give his opinion on the progress of the work. Cr. Rosser supported the amendment. The rise in the price of iron was a business matter between the Company and the dealers, and not one which the Council need consider. Cr. Masefield asked how it was possible to run the lines until the powerhouse was completed, and by the deed that need not be ready until 1902. He thought the Legal Committee should go into the whole matter. Crs. Glover and Hewson also supported the original motion, and Cr. Patterson the amendment. The amendment was lost by 6 votes to 5, and the motion carried. A further letter from Mr Hansen was read and received as follows: — "On September 25, 1900, you informed my company that your Council had finally decided upon four arc lights of 1000 nominal candle power, and two arc lights of 2000 nominal candle power. In reply to this my company points out the impracticability of having arc lights of different power in the same circuit, and it is for this reason that the deed of delegation provides: Four arc lights of 2000 nominal candle power, or eight arc lights of 1000 nominal candle power.' However, my conrpany being desirous of meeting your Council's wishes, has authorised me to inform you that six arc lights of 2000 nominal candle power will be provided at the places mentioned in your above letter, instead of only four as per the deed of delegation."