TRAMWAY TRAFFIC.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13397, 14 April 1909, Page 5

TRAMWAY TRAFFIC.

It is understood that Monday's traffic on the tramways constitutes a record aa compared with any previous Easter Monday. Th© exceptionally, fin©, weather experienced, no doubt, con-' tributod to this result to a very largo extent. Complaints havo been mad© regarding passengers having been kept waiting for lengthy _*eriods for r©turn cars from Sumner and Wainoni, but owing to the heavy demands made on the Board's rolling stock, and to th© fact that a large proportion of the passengers carried were women and children, it was found impossible to run cars to time, but all that could- lie done in th© ciroumstances was done to transport the crowds as expeditiously as possible. An idea is prevalent that some lines were kept short of rolling stock in order 'that, the traffic to the racecourse could be coi>cd with. Tin's, it is stated 1 , was not the case. The available rolling stock was as fairly as (TMssibl© apportion-d between 'the different lines; no cars or trailers were taken off any line to supplement those apportioned to tho Riccarton line. Tho delay, of an hour which occurred to a steam tram at the racecourse was duo to th© boiler having no water. When th© engine-driver went to fill np at the tank at tho racecourse, he could get no water, and a bucket brigade had to be organised. It appear- that th© caretaker had turned off the water under .th© misapprehension that no more steam cars would requir© water. This eo-i.t.-ngencv was one that ocn.d not hay© been foivseen. The demands made on the system on Monday emphasised the necessity for a greater length of double lines than at f*resei-t ©_i_ts, and for additional rolling stock. Additional cars are at present under construction, and slKwid the ratepayers agree to the Board's extension proposals, somo of tlie inconvenience caused by the absence of double tracks will disappear.