SUNDAY TRAMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 229, 25 September 1903, Page 3

SUNDAY TRAMS.

(To the Editor.)

Si r> —I cannot say I admire tbe spirit of "Fresh Air's" letter in yonr issue of the 22nd. It exh.ibi.t_ too much venom, chiefly directed against the religious community. Also, to compare the short services h.lcl in the open air, morning and evening, to the din of the cars, which will run the best part of the day, less the hours of worship, is to my mind simply nonsense. Then be attacks these open-air preachers' doctrines, saying, "frenzied speakers," who, by the way, preach only death, not life/ What has a man's belief to do with it? We are are not prepared to take "Fresh Air's" advice re voting I cannot let Mr Hansen's letter about the attitude of the employees pass without comment. Out of 229 employed, exclusive of the power-house, 9 did not vote, 2 were ill, and 2 refused' from

religious principles. Now, Sir, why should this be used as an argument in favour of ''Sunday trams," or why should these men by their vote establish, a precedent? Do they, think that they will always hold these positions, and that no one else will ever follow but what are prepared to do Sunday work? I do think they might look at it in another light—that is, b y voting in favour of "S.T.'s" they settle for others who follow the question of Sunday work, and so get in the thin end of the wedge. Already some want to improve, by having football matches at Cornwall Park. Next move, extend the lines to Green Lane, and let us have a little horse racing too. —I am, etc., W. BARRACLOUGH.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —It makes me tired to see the number of objectors to Sunday trams that harp on the saving of Sunday labour.. If they had only ordinary reasoning power they would _e_ tlhat the strongest argument in favour of Sunday trams is the amount of Sunday labour they would save. For every two men employed on a car let them consider the number of men and horses which were employed on Sundays to move even a ..mall proportion of each car load. This is assuming that not nearly so many travelled b. fore a>s do now Sunday cars are running on some roads. ( Let these sticklers for no Sunday labour for a few tram men interview the host of liven* stable drivers and' grooms, that tibey would, if they had tiheir way. condemn to a continuation of long Sunday hours they have hither-o had. They would then hear something which would astonish them, and find ouit that in their unthinking ignorance they had been unwittingly standing in the way of a very substantial reduction of Sunday labour, both in men and horses, instead of, as tihey imagined, presenting its increase by their senseless outcry against Sunday trams. And are not Hie hon.es also to be considered? Everyone knows how hard horses are worked in Auckland owing to the hilK Anyone with a spark of feeling in him would bail with pleasure the idea that a large number of horses would be saved-the Sunday toil under the stinging las.) of the average Sunday driver thr I they have hitherto had to endure. —I am, etc..

REFORMER