PEOVIDING FOR TNCREASED TRAFFIC.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 255, 25 October 1907, Page 3

PEOVIDING FOR TNCREASED TRAFFIC.

The secretary to the Auckland Electric Tramway Company, in a letter from London, acknowledging receipt of a communication from ;the City Council, stated that the directors had noted that the additional cars provided during the last few months had not proved sufficient to meet the demands of the travelling public. The letter continued: "My board submit that to a considerable extent this has been owing to the large number of cars temporarily laid up for repairs, the position having been accentuated by the recent rigid enforcement of thc by-laws against over-crowding. My board have already taken steps to largely increase the rolling stock beyond the 69 cars licensed at the date of your letter. The trucks and -electrical equipment for thrcs cars are at present in course of transit, and the car bodies for at least two will be ready for them on arrival. During July, orders were placed for a further 10 trucks and electrical equipment, and our general manager -was instructed by telegraph to get the necessary car bodies constructed locally with the utmost expedition. As we recognised that the construction of these bodies will keep the local builders fully employed for some months, we have ordered from builders in this country five more complete cars and equipment, which are promised to be ready for shipment within five months. This will bring the total number to 87, or four more than specified in your Council's requirements; and, as you are aware, will represent an addition of 28 cars to the number owned at the commencement of the present year, when our chairman was in Auckland. We fear it will be impossible to get the additional cars available by the date mentioned by your Council, owing to the time required by the manufacturers for supplying trucks and equipment. But, subject to the local construction of the car bodies, we have every reason to anticipate that 80 cars will be available by the 31st of March next, and the remaining seven by the 30th June, and every effort will be made to have the whole of the cars in service at the earliest possible date. With regard to the provision of further plant at the power station, as our general manager has already informed you, a new 600 k.w. set, increasing the capacity from 1525 to 2125 k.w., will shortly be installed. One new boiler unit has already been shipped, and a further one is in course of construction. The letter further expressed satisfaction that it was proposed by the Council to amend the by-laws so as to permit of a limited number of passengers being carried in the cars, and concluded by stating that the object of the company was to keep thc tramway system in a high state of efficiency; also, that the measures now being taken would leave no ground for dissatisfaction on the part of the Council or the travelling public. The letter was referred to the committee.