THE TRAMWAY COMPANY.

Press, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4686, 9 August 1880, Page 3

THE TRAMWAY COMPANY.

TO THB BDITOE OP THB PBESB. Sib, —Your recent correspondent, " A Ere* quent Passenger," is apparently under the impression that there can be no two opinions as to the benefits conferred upon Christchurch by the Tramway Company. In the first pl&oe it is merely begging the question to state that the company, under their contract, are compelled to keep a certain part of the street under repair, as that would have to be done whether the company had their present monopoly or not, ao we are neither 'better nor worse off in that respect than we should be had the nuisance under which Ohristohuroh at present suffers never made its appearance. In the second - place, how can the engines be fitted with " sell-acting breaks that will not allow of a greater speed being run than from eight to ten miles an hour/ when I hare myself seen them travelling on the Papanui road at perhaps fourteen, certainly twelve miles an hour ? To many, undoubtedly, the tramway may be a great convenience, and it is probably also the meant of increasing the value of their ' property to .others ; but, on the other hand, to say that it ie not an unmitigated nuisanoe to some, a source of danger to equestrians and those driving horses, and the means of decreasing the profits of shopkeepers, publicans, &0., would be to state a deliberate untruth. It cannot, therefore, be as your oorreipordent wishes us to believe, "a public boon." Take for instance those having carriages and driving their own horses, others who can afford a shilling for a Hansom, livery stable keepers, farmers, cab-drivers,' omnibus owners, shopkeepers, and publicane. These, surelyj rep- eeent - a very large and influential section of the Ohristchurch public, comprising amongst them come of the heaviest ratepayers, and I will wager if you were* I' take a pUbiteite of this portion of the community you would find them unanimous in their condemnation of the huge network of unnecessary iron which a weak and incompetent City Council has allowed to enoompass this unhappy town. The sooner, therefore, we have members of the above Council of " fearless and independent characters," the sooner we shall be likely to get rid of an incubus that has been forced on us before we were aware of what we were being committed to. Anybody who has witneeaed as I have, the numerous accidents that have been caused by the tramway, the utter disregard to life and limb that characterises those in charge,, and the selfish manner in which those in' authority monopolise the traffic of the streets, to the exclusion of those who have to earn their daily bread therein, will I am sure agree with mc that the tramway is by no means an unmixed good. And all this has been done under a Council which only two short years ago was so careful of our lives and properties that we had under penally of a heavy fine to walk our norsee over the very spot-*-one of the most crowded in the city—whore this favored company is now allowed to execute a. « fljing ehont!': There can be no doubt that these sapient city fathers of ours have allowed themselves to be misled by a few speculators who hare now got a monopoly of their streets, the result being loss and inconvenience to a large section, if not a majority, of residents within the city, and eerioue lose to many without, such, as farmers, for whom now there will be small encouragement to breed horses or grow pata. Thia being the cate, every member of the City Council who. is an advoerte of the Tramway Company should be

heartily ashamed of himself, and I trust that at the next election of councillors the ratepayers will by their votes show their opinion of the supporters and their appreciation of the opponents of a system whioh has cut up and disfigured their beautiful city. Thanking you, sir, for inserting this and apologising for its length, Yours, &3., |L -- i a M , W. W. D.

TO THE BDITOB OT THH V BBSS,

Sib, —The correspondence on this subject is amusing, no reason being given on either eida pro or con. "A Frequent Passenger" evidently is a shareholder, otherwise why all the blow about keeping so much of the streets, and the quality of the rolling stock. His stating how well it answers in other places is all very well as an inducement to people to invest in shares. It would be futile to argue whether the tramway is a boon or a nuisance. I think the point now is, ought the City Council to give up the whole city to the company. Is b'ae city entirely independent of the surrounding country ? Let mc go into any shop I may the cry of the trader is for fine weather, to ailow country folk to come to town. How many people reside within driving distance of town, the majority of whom4b>mußtfW*nl&re"convenient to drive their own trap. Sorely the city could afford to keep one way open for them, It is all very well to say ~ that horses can be accustomed to tho tramway—Yee, young horses that meet it frequently, but not aged ones, such as country residents allow their wives and daughterstodrivejn once every week or f ortnight^SESrtSey > spe"n3rnioney). ' By giving up Oxford terrace to the Company, the Council leaves no entrance to the city for country folk to ride or drive by. Why is it that every storekeeper is averse to the tramway using the street that hia place of business is in ? I freely grant that it is a boon to many who use the railway, also to suburban residents, but it is most decidedly a nuisance to country people living within driving distanoe'of town, Iβ the city inde pendent of them ? Although I may 'be considered "as mad as a hatter," I ask for one entrance into town for XourtF&uly, .__ A OovxTBY Resident.