THE SYDENHAM TRAMWAY EXTENSION.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10213, 8 December 1898, Page 5

THE SYDENHAM TRAMWAY EXTENSION.

FORMAL OPENING OP THE LINE. The Sydenham tramway extension has ■ reached the Port Hills, and yesterday there was a gathering of members of all thrmterested local bodies at the foot of the Hills to celebrate the event, and drink prosperity to the Christchurch Tramway Company. Two trams, drawn by an engine, left the } Square at 3 o'clock, loaded with come fitty representatives of the City Council, the Sydenham Borough Council, the Seiwyn County Council, the Heathcote, Halswell nnd Spreydon Road Boards, and Directors of the Company, arid went to the "Hills, where in » marquee erected on Mr Chas. Clark's land were the necessary auxiliaries; both liquid and otherwise, to the art of speechmiikmg. On the way down many comments were passed on the smoothness of the line, which is infinitely better than any of the other lines in the vicinity of Christchurch. , The toast of "The Queen" having been honoured, Mr R. M. Macdonald said that the gathering was for the formal opening <>f the line in an informal way. They would all agree that the line supplied what hid been felt as a want for some time. (Hear, hear.) It was an easy and cheap way of getting to the hills, and he thought.the Company would never regret their enterprise in having laid it. He hoped that perhaps some day it would go further up the. bills.. (Applause.) x " '• " Alv J. Hadfield (Mayor elect- of Sydenham) apologised for the absence of Mr ' *3» Forrester (tie present Slay or), and went on to congratulate the Christchurch Tranway Company on the expeditious manner in which they had got the line through. : •' ■Hβ believed they would have no cause* to regret the work, and that the hills would eventually certainly take premier v>ilaee' as a I health resort over both New Brighton "and i Sumner. The reason he had been asked to propose the toast of the Chrietchurch , Tramway Company was because the Syden- | ham Council was the local body chiefly in* terested. He would like to clear away-j a I few misapprehensions regarding the action of the Sydenham Council when it was first proposed to bring the line through. The Council had always recognised that the line would be a beneficial one, but die misconception arose through the action 'of another body outside the Council. The Sydenham Council merely wished to obtain the best conditions possible for the borough. Hβ asked those present to drink success to "The Christchurch Tramway Company." After the toast had been honoured, the Mayor of Christchurch, Mr Chas. Louisson, proposed the health oi "The Directors of the Christchurch Tramway Company," and thanked them for the pleasant outing they had had. It had giveu them a good op--1 portunity of judging the benefits that were likely to accrue from the extension of* the line. It had been suggested that the Christchurch Tramway Company were goinr* to make a fortune through: the extension of the line going through Sydenham, and he hoped he would be excused if he said that the Company might perhap3 pick up a fewcrumbs from the little' municipality of Christchurch, as well as from the large- and influential one of Sydenham. (Laughter.) They, of course, were all aware of the splendid spending powers of the borough of Sydenham. (Laughter.) Possibly the cars might, oome' empty as for as the town belt, and at once be filled by an immense concourse of people bound for the hills, but he would suggest to the Christchurch Tramway Company that they might perhaps reserve one cor for the people of Ohriafcohurcbv (Loud laughter.) The line, be considered, would be an advantage to the* whole neighbourhood. It would be another lung to the city, and enhance the value of. property in the surrounding boroughs, which would always get a corresponding advantage , out of it. It would be something towards the great scheme initiated lately for municipalising all the public works, gas-works,, water works, tramways, &c. . (Laughter.) In the meantime he hoped and trusted the' Tramway Company would reap the \ full benefit of their enterprise. Be was not one of those who believed in being taken away as soon as an enterprise became successful, and he hoped the Company would' reap the advantage. He trusted there would be a large amount of traffic on the line, to the mutual advantage - of the •Company and the inhabxtanta. "" "" Mr R. M. Taylor said thafc,whjle''endori». ing the later remarks of the Mayor .of Christ- " c'lnircb. with reference to the success of the ' Tramway Company, be entirely' disagreed with the manner in which he Lad thought proper to deal with the borough, of • Sydenham. Sydenham contained, 10,700 • souls, and they were gradually creeping* up* upon the municipality, about which hie Mayofral friend talked so muph. soon',-unless the Greater Clirisix&jzrph scheme was given effect to, Christchurch would.have/ to get Sydenham to take them, in and cup» port them. (Laughter.).". The. way "in. whixSx the Mayor of Ohnstchureh had misconstrued *. and alluded to the remarks of'the Mayor to! Sydenham was entirely uncalled for.. ..Hβ did not know whether the Mayor bf.Gtewtr • church (had tad something which, had/ die- - agreed with him. ' (Laughter.) ~ « „ .»-'- Mr Louisson—l rise to a point of order*. ,' What I have had just now< has .agreed jWitU mc exceedingly, well. (L<>ud laughterV) ,j Continuing, Mr 'Taylor ..said,;* Well, it looked like it. The tended to make the line pay 1 , and he hoped that flhey would r *do so. Invfact,.he"j?*a sure they would, seeing, "tiiat ( , through one of the richest boroughs in .the colony. , (La&ghter.) All Sy&enhanv asked . was to he treated courteously Md'fjijrly, and she would never complain. _.- ' v •*, \ '' (t • -,", - > Mr Malcolm, on behalf, of • the['Heath«se •■',' Road-Board, said tho body-.ihe,Tepi»seitfed.,V was one of those interested in the .line, 'Mid* '■< they had felt Hha need..of- the atfeneibn'foff,, ■' some time. Now it was ■ completed, Mmy , ], looked forward to deriving come"benefit from it. " !- ■ -; : v. • Mr B. M. M&cdonald returned thanki 6a • behalf of the Directors, and asked tfce Hoiu; \ J. T. Peacock, , as one-of the »harehsd&s|iir" the original Company , , to say afefrwofde. ': Mr Peacock, said it, was part-of the;eater» prise of the company to forward li&es in all parts of Christchurch, J% boast- ' ful to say it,' but enter'pn^ge^nerall^'created success and pro^erity^ l : * own case. He had had the ffc.'toe ,• successful to. some extent,' and Kβ pointed out that the early settlers had/no conveniences like the presents' -' "*' ' t ,rf, * ,' \, 'MrChas, Clark/ tfho wae pe>ct)coed.upon ' to speak, could- not plead tfiftt he - unaccustomed to' public speak&vg, , bui/,Ji9 generally had had to say wJM heiwaa told," and that veiy often<." was hot the (truth. . (Laughter;) He had - bought, the kod pn which they were in the. year 1 ' aad l it! gave him great gratification that ih& tramway had at last reached 'so- far CthaCtliey must go further,, they must go_over the Eille. - (Applause.) Tho new line was one.of tb*,, , ; best and smoothest he bad-ever iH.velledjon/'ii'. and h5 knew none to compare '', reason was that it wap under the '": a man who understood his!busine*e, and lie hoped they would continue to have the ear- , vices ol Mr R. 1 M* Macdonttld vior- wany ■ yeaw. ("Hear, hear," and - applause.)' Hβ proposed Mr Macdoriald'e' health. - - f . The toa«t was honoured with cheere fat Mi and Mrs Macdonald/ In reply, Mr Macdonald said that perhape, the company had not made money, it had not gone baekVard* ■i'The TcdhijFany intended to pnt a good service new line, and at the New Tear there would be an even better one/ • Now that .people could get bo easily to the foot ot the hilla, he had - no doubt they would buy titea attd settle there. • , s -'"'' ' - Mr Johnson, of Spreydon,' said b# trusted the line would be shortly laid round in that ' - direction. ' • '. . V' ' - Mr Quaife; of Halawell, made -a ethbrt speech, wishing the Company prosperity. * Mr W. Dunlop. (Seiwyn County Coubcii) '>. apologised for the absence of the'ehairman , through indisposition, and that although the line would no doubt pj»y ultimately,' it probauiy would not do present. He hoped to see the .company - «x« - tending their lines from time' to' tjme. , . - '' J Mr-Murray (Sydenham) 'proposed ' the health of Mr Wood, the'traffic manager of tho,company, and congratulated him on/the . time-table which had been prepared. >•"': ' ~ The toast was drunk with and Mm-Wood/• ' <' s *; :''"'^''*^ , 'k,fc^> Mr ySaod. said the -company tu> expeoae to lay the line jro|Wf]||^^g

beet material had been used. Hβ believed the directors had given the pubnc the best service and time-tablo possible. The health of the secretary of the company, Mr H&ctlond, was then drunk, and tho party retoirned to town, the steam tram bringing them up in about fifteen minutes.

The first excursion on the new line to tho foot of the hills, which left the square last night shortly after seven o'clock, was well patronised. There were two trams, eaclj containing four cars, and each tram was well filled with passengers by the time they left Sydenham. Tho Stanmoro Band ac« companied tho excursion and contributed a well selected programme. The favourabl* state of tho weather made the trip an enjoyabl< one.