TRAMWAY BOARD.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13227, 22 September 1908, Page 2

TRAMWAY BOARD.

t The Christehurch Tramway Board met yesterday afternoon. Present--i Messrs A. "W. Beaven (chairman), Geo. |T. Booth, W. lleece, J. A. Flesher, J. A. Staples, D. Sykes, and J. Richardson. CORRESPONDENCE. Tho Premier wrote acknowledging receipt of tho Board's resolution relative [to the Local Bodies' Loans Act I Amendment Bill. ! Mr W. \V. Tanner, M.P., who also acknowledged receipt of the resolution, said that tne Bill had excited un- | favourable comment in Wellington, but I he hardly thought it was meant, to ap ply to large corporations. ; Messrs G. A\itty and T. H. Davey, M.iVs, also wrote acknowledging re- | oeipt of the resolution. The letters wore received. The secretary of tho Tramway Employees' Lnion wrote stating that tho Union had. formulated a reierenco for submission to tho Board regarding the terms of a further industrial agreement, a copy of which was enclose-. The Union also offered to tend delegates to confer on the matter. The letter was reterrcd to tho Works and Traffic Committee*. A RICCARTON REQUEST. Mr W. J. Guutrip, lion, secretary of tho Lower Riccarton i'rogress Association, wrote bringing unuer the notice 01 tlie Boaixl the question of tho e_tension of the _d section irom .Uande-' ville road to Clarence road. A deputation waited on th© Board regarding tho matter. Mr Alien, who headed the deputation, said that th© proposed change would not prejudice the Board, and would not bo departing from the mile per section policy. Thero was a good deal oi feeling in tho district that the section at present was too short. The Rit-carton people also desired to havo an overlapping section from the West belt to the Hospital, for that would tend to improve th© traffic on tho line. Mr Kingsford, tho other member of the deputation, sakl that tho majority of tho people who used the iirst penny section wore holiday people on their way to the park, whereas those who went beyond wore residents and workj, ")-, r-vl *'—'- :'• "M ' -'-. sidored in the mattor of fares and sections nioro so than tho holiday people. Tile _nairman, in rupiy, t>am mat any alteration of sections was a matter of extreme difficulty. In most cases whero a section had been lengthened it was found that a largo number of people had walked from a still further distance, and the Board, therefore, wero losing 2d and gaining Id. The matter was one entirely of revenue. The Riccarton district was on its own, and it had not so far paid its way, so that any concessions that wero given to that district might mean a rate. The Board would consider what the deputation had placed before them. Tho deputation then withdrew, and tho matter was referred to tho Fares Committee to report. THE FREE'ZONE. ' Pursuant to notice, Mr Staples moved that the Fares Committee should consider the advisability of abolishing tho present freo city zone. Mr Sykes seconded the motion, winch was carried without discussion. _^ Mr 0. M. Gray, M.P., *rote stating that ho was opposed to Mr Staples s motion relative to tho abolition, of tho present free city zono. A DEPARTING MEMBER. Mr Recoo stated that the meeting would be his lost before h© left for England. Ho did not propose to stand for re-election in June next, but he would havo returned to Christchurch two months before tho elections were held. It had been tho custom for members who were going away for some months, to resign, and ho, would' do whatever the Board wished in the matter. If the members thought it would be better for him to resign ho would do so; if not, he would bo pleased to do all ho oould in the way of obtaining information relating to tramway matters in England, and report to the Board on his return. Mr Staples moved that Mr Recce should be granted leave of absence during his visit to England. Mr Staples said that Mr Reeoe, whilo abroad, would be able to gather a large number of suggestions and ideas which would be of great value to the Board. The motion was seconded by Mr Richardson. . Mr Sykes said, it would bo a great mistake to allow Mr Recce to resign. His largb experience in tramway matters would enable him to secure much vaiuahle information for tho Board). Ho was sorry tliat Mt Recce did not intend to stand for re-election. Mr Flesher said it would bo a public calamity if Mr Recce wero to go off the Board. Possibly he might be induced to reconsider his decision and again stand for election next year. Tho chairmen said that Mt Reeoe's services while in England' would be of great value to the Board, for there were many things in which h© would be able to advise tho Board when he returned. Ho hoped that when tho elections cam© round again, Mr Reeoe would again oonsent to be nominated. Tho motion granting Mr Recce leave of absence whilo away was then, put and carried unanimously. Mr Recce, in returning thanks, said that he intended to visit America and) the Continent, as well as England, and he hoped to be able to bring back something of value to the Board. THE HALSWELL EXTENSION. r ":e Works and Traffic Committee reported that it had! been in correspondence with the Halswell Road Board with respect to tho boundaries of the special district to be created in connection with the loan for the Halswell tramway. It had been decided that the district should be the whole of tho Halswell road district, with tho <xception of a portion of the land belonging to tho Cashmere Trustees on the Ceshmere Hills, and the portion of tb© Cashmere Hills settlement on the '.test of Dyer's Paes road. It wa_ decided that those lands should be reserved for a special district for a line up the Cashmere Hills. It was also decided to exclude tho Tliorrington block lying on the west side of Colombo street and bounded on the west by tho Heatheote river, as by the exclusion of the hill land, that block became geographically detcched from the rest of tho district. Satisfactory arrangements had been mado wheroby the Halswell Quarry Company guaranteed to make up any deficiency in the event of the traffic on the line not being sufficient to pay interest and sinking fund for a period of ten years. The Board had also completed an s~rangement with tthe Quarry Company for th© haulage »f all th© metal from the Halswell qu/rries. That would remove the present objectionable practice of using traction engines for the purpose and wonld also be a considerable relief to all th© road authorities so far as the maintenance of the road? were concerned. The report was adopted. ACCOUNTS. Accounts totalling £11,163 13s 2d, which incliKkd wages and salaries £1115 9s 10d. interest £7542 os 2d and £1062 10s, and coal £i 55 18s lld, were passed for payment.