TAKAPUNA TRAMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 219, 13 September 1920, Page 2

TAKAPUNA TRAMS.

ELECTRIFICATION EVIDENCE. GENERATING PLANT. COMBINED POWER, LIGHT, AND TRACTION. The Takapuna Tram Commission «ontinucd its sitting on Saturday afternoon, and again this morning. Mr. -Morrison, continuing his evidence, said that though the excursion traffic at Takapuna vastly exceeded expectations, the progress of settlement in the district was not so much as was anticipated. The ftharehct-iers unanimously adopted the proposal to use steaim traction. If a sufficient sum 'had been written off for depreciation the cotnpany would not have made 5J per cent profit last year, and this year's outlook was gloomy. 'He thought the dividend should 'be 1\ per cent. The company -wanted a fair and reasonable return on its capital, and the great loss on its tramways was the main factor in causing it to seek legislative amendment to the deed of delegation.

Hugh Munro Witeon, .civil engineer, said he prepared plans for the undertaking. The track -was originally laid for electrification, and there was no faulty construction. He did not think the company would have been better off financially with electric traction.

Frank Krnest dc Uuerrier. chief engineer of the Auckland Electric Tramways, deposed that he had reported on the" Takapuna tramway system. He had investigated the question of electrification, apd liad concluded that under present circumstances steam traffic gave the most reasonable cost.

ELECTRK' TRACTION. To Mr. Could he said that tractive power was mainly a matter of finance.

Nothing was impossible to an engineer. He had always upheld electric motive power against all else, if the track were electrified he would allow only one motor and trailer up the Bayswater hill at a time, as if more were run it would require a much larger generating- plant. If a full boat-load of people were taken up the hill at once it would entail excessive capital expenditure. The steepness of the grade and its closeness to the concentration point " f traffic contributed to the difficulty. If the Takapuna route, were electrified he would want at least two boat*. In Auckland all routes ran up n hill, and this was a difficulty. But Takapuna was .worse because all the traffic in one direction had to negotiate the hill at the same time. If there was a combined board for lighting, traction and power at Takapuna the power could ho generated at a lower cost. He would like to see that 5,,-slem over there. Grades of one in twenty-five presented no; difficulties to electric traction. They were costly, but electricity could deal with them better than steam. | Mr. (iould raised the question whether it would mean a reduction in working expenses if the present steam traffic went only to the top of the Rayswater hill, and let the public walk up the grade. | Mr. de fluerrier said the point had never struck liim before. It would entail a certain reduction, he could not say how much, 'but tie was doubtful whether the Company would he allowed to do this. He had reported a scheme that really amounted to only partial electrification and he had suggested a generating plant of 450 kilowatt capacity. That would provide for all normal and rush traffic, hut it would not meet' the requirements of holiday traffic. Always in these things emergency conditions and

"the human factor had to be allowed for by provision of an excess of power. He believed in electricity over steam because it was more flexible. Rut he would not have had steam en the route at the beginning and that would have been suicidal.