PROPOSED TRAMWAY EXTENSIGN.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12827, 11 June 1907, Page 7

PROPOSED TRAMWAY EXTENSIGN.

■ —♦ . MEETING AT HORNBY. A very largely attended public meeting was held at Hornby last night, to meet Mr J. J. Dougall (district representative on th© ChriatchUrch Tramway Board), and to discuas with him the proposed extension of the electric tramway from Sockburn to Hornby. Mr W. H. Man-ire was voted to the chair. Air Dougall pointed out that tho Riccarton-oockburn area included portion of the Hornby district, and a large area of that was pledged for tire present loan. If. therefore, the Hornby ratcpayois decided to incur the rospunaibility of the extension, and to ci-ate a new area, tho other portion of the district, to which ho had referred, would bo doubly liable It was not at all likely that R-iccartou would bo rated for its tramway.' Tho trunk had been very good from the commencement, and last year a surplus ol over tuOU atx/ve working expense* had ro t.ultcd. A good deal oi that, however, had been due to the race ti-tiic. He believed that the line" would alway. pay interest and sinking fund, together with all other charges. The method to bo puisued in the case oi a new district requiring tramway extension, was by -petition to tlie Board, signed by a niajoiity of the ratepayers In the case ot tlie Riccarton line, a special Act had been pasted, enabling the money to be raised, and the line m that lespect was separate from Christchurch. If a mnjoiity of Hcwnby ratepayer signed a petition, they wcr.» entitled to bo incorporated in tlie tramway area, and thereupon became liable to taxation. In the city the area was thieo-quarters of a mile in all directions, but in the country it would be fair to extend tlie area considerably. After they wero incorporated the question would arise whether the ratepayers would become liable for existing loans. Tho Tramway Act did not couto.nplato such an area as Riccarton, and, speaking subject to correction, he would say that the Hornby ratepayers, if incorporated in a new area, might become liable for existing loans, apart Irom any new loans. Ho had obtained some figures from Air F. .H. Chamberlain, the Tramway Board's engineer, as to tho cost of a line from tho abattoirs along the railway, and stopping short at the railway lino at Hornby. Tho speaker explained that ho had not contemplated tho tramway's crossing the railway lino, as it would cost £i»00 for signalling apparatus, etc., and lGs a day for signalmen, and, therefore, ho would not advise that tho railway line bo crossed. Air Chamberlain estimated tho cost of permanent way at £6183, overhoad work £3687, on© car £1000, total £10,872; 4$ per cent, interest and i por cent, sinking fund would amount to £543 12s, and 3 per cent, depreciation to £326 3s 3d. Tlie length of the proposed extension was 108 chains, and as th© greater tho distance from the power-house tho greater the cost of transmitting energy, tho cost in that connection would bo somewhat higher than for the city. Tho cost of working per car mile worked out in Christchurch at lOd. An hourly service between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. would givo 34 single trips per week day, or 10,042 per annum, and 17 on Sundays, or 884 per annum, a total of 11,526 trips •>©r year, equal to 13,976 car miles, at a cost of £538 2s Id. At penny fares it would require to pay working expenses 337,883 passengers per annum, or an average of l_6 per day, making a single journey.. That was not taking into account the discount tickets. If these were reckoned in, at least 1000 passengers per day would be required to pay expenses. The question, therefore, to be answered was: Could tho district provide 350,000 passengers per annum? • Of course,, if tho line were constructed, it might increase tlie population, bub ho was doubtful if in the meantime the district! could provide the number of passengers required. Even Richmond was only doing a little better than 350,000 por annum. A petrol car system would probably bo cheaper, but the Board bad deemed this system inexpedient on account of the fact that these vohicles became ob solete so rapidly because of the frequent improvements. The Chairman asked if the Bonrd was prepared to extend the liiccartonSockburn line to the end of the rating area. He thought if the line ran along the main south road, it could be made to tap Islington and T.mpleton. Air Dougall pointed out if that were done a sub-powerhouse would havo to jbe established. Air W. S. Smith said if a route along I tlie Yaldhtirst road wero selected, ArchI deacon "Wilson's property, which would probably, be cut up by the Government shortly, would bo made to carry a very largo population, and fully 200 houses would go up. The Chairman pointed out that there was a substantial population already at Hornby, Islington, and Templeton. Mr Doug ill said the Board had no money to spend, and it would have to raise another loan. If tho Hornby people wero prepared to take the risk, the Board would undertake the line There must bo a new area, and a scpTfite line. The Chairman 6aid> tho sum of £11.000 ovor the whole*Riccarton-Sock-burn district would entail a very snirul rate indeed, even if the extension did not nay. Their representative on the Board "should have some littlo coi-sid-eration for tho people who put him in, more particularly after promising to look alter the interests of th.» Islington and Hornby ratepayers. Mr Doiigall, replying* with somo warmth, said that when.he was standins fcr the Board, he advocated co.iches to connect- the outlying districts with' the electrical system, but the Board would not listen. The Board had no power to raiso money—that must come from the ratepa3"ers He would willingly press the mattor upon the Board, and if a deputation from the district appeared in support cf the application, tne Board would take steps towards obtaining a poll in connection with t>e loan. He could assure them, however, that -if the Riccarton-Sockburn. area wei© included the proposal would b." disastrously defeated. It would probably be best to appoint a large committee to go into the whole question Li, lifter making enquiries, they discovered that there would not be a large deficiency, they might Qa.ll another meeting and ascertain if tne people wero prepaiod to go on with" the scheme. Air G. Witty, AI.H.R., said the Hornby people had had their chance to get their line from Sockburn, but had allowed their opportunity to slip by permitting the line to be taken round tho loop from Sockburn to Riccarton. If they could get hold of Wilson's estate and the Racecourse and cut them up, a tram would be required up the South road aa well as one to Hornby. After discussion it was resolved to appoint a committee to obtain all the necessary information to enable a future meeting to come to a conclusion upon the matter, the following gentlemen being appointed, with power to add to their number: —Alessrs W. n. Alonhire, F. Cross, J. Leslie, W. Smith, R. Watson, J. Corbett, A. J. Burt, F. Wilson, W. Bailey, A. Dnnnott, F. Price, S. Kinross. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Air Dougall and to the chairman.