OUR TRAM SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 196, 17 August 1906, Page 3

OUR TRAM SERVICE.

THE NEED FOR MOKE CARS.

EXTREME MEASURES ADVOCATED.

The City Council last evening received from the Finance Committee a report of the progress made by the Electric Tramway Company in the improvement of the service. The committee reported the receipt of an explanation from the Company that the delay in completing the additional car bodies had been beyond control, and asking that the time limit be extended in respect of the car bodies being built by the Cousins and Atkin Coach Factory. Another clause of the committee's report referred to a letter from the Company stating that the traffic inspector's report is correct in so far that they did make use of a truck used for a car previously imported, bnt in spite of this they did actually add to •the carrying- capacity by the addition of a new oar body. The committee had de- , cided to hold a special meeting on Tuesday after next to consider the question, the city engineer and traffic inspector to report on the requirements of the city as regarded the number of cars. The committee had also eonsilered an application that the Council should take the necessary steps to obtain a special Order in Council giving the Council the right to arrange that for certain cars each day the lowest fare will be 2d, but this question also they had deferred till Tuesday.

Councillor Knight expressed the opinion that it was an insult to the Councillors to invite them up to see an addition to the rolling stock, and then to show them instead a new car on old wheels. It was a good thing the city traffic officer noticed it. Hβ would oppose any further extension of time, for he was convinced that the Council was being played with. The time had arrived when the deed of delegation should be put into operation.

The Mayor said the Finance Committee recognised that the whole matteT was a very important one. and for that reason had decided to hold a special meeting. They had already called the Company's attention to the need of more cars. At the meeting on Tuesday every phase of the question would be gone into, and he hoped their decision ■would fully meet the exigencies of the nosition.

Councillor Parr said the Finance Committee could be trusted to do their duty to the city. There had be°n grave, continued, and flagrant breaches of the deed of delegation, and it. was the Council's duty, as the guardians of the rights of the citizens, to take early action to bring the company to book. There were two courses open: (1) To enforce the penalties; (2) to re-enter and take possession of the complete plant, and terminate the deed of delegation. Personally he was thoroughly in favour of re-entering and taking possession of the company's complete plant and terminating the deed of delegation, because he believed that unless they took that course they would never get complete satisfaction from the tramway company.

The subject was not further discussed pending next Tuesday's meeting.