TAKAPUNA TRAMWAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 133, 7 June 1926, Page 6

TAKAPUNA TRAMWAYS.

ARRANGEMENTS WITH POWER BOARD. QUESTION OF WIRING ! i This morning a deputation from th. ' Takapuna Tramways and Ferry Com* pany waited on the Waitemata Power Board in connection with the matter of wiring for the proposed electric tramway. Mr. A. St. Clair Browne, chairman of directors of the company, said that ■the negotiations in this matter had been held up because the company had decided under old conditions not to go on with the electrification of the tramway. Since then, however, the Motor Bus Regulations had come into being and it was decided to proceed with the work. It was now desired to execute the old arrangement, with the board to share the poles for wiring both for supply current and for current for the trams. Some poles had been put in which would have to be altered, but there was not a great number to he replaced. It was asked that the wiring of the poles be not proceeded with by the board until the tramways company got the approval of the poles from the Public Works Department. If the poles had to be shifted after they had been wired, it would be a formidable undertaking. The board had asked for _ guarantee of £1000, but that was beyond all reason, for there were only about 100 poles to be shifted, and one pole had recently been replaced at a cost of £1 only. Under the old arrangement, the company had agreed to pay 12_ per cent on two-thirds of the cost of the whole outlay. The company would give any reasonable guarantee to cover the cost of the replacing of the poles The application for approval had gone "to the Public Works Department in Wellington, and an answer was ex* pected this week. It was merely asked that the board should not proceed'with the wiring of the poles until this approval had been obtained. The chairman of the board (Mr. H_yden) stated that the poles had to be concreted, and this would not be necessary but for the fact that they were to "be used for the tramway wire. Mr. Browne: You find the cost of concreting, and we find the interest on it? The Chairman: That is so. Mr. Browne: Then I am quite prepared to find the cost of concreting the poles, but it must be understood that upon electrification the capital cost is to be refunded. Finally the board agreed to refrain from wiring the poles until the 13th inst.. by when it was expected the Public Works Department would have given its approval of the poles, the managing director of the Takapuna Tramways and Ferries Co. giving hia personal guarantee up to £1000 to cover the cost of shifting poles.