WINDMILL ROAD TRAMWAY

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 13986, 8 March 1911, Page 5

WINDMILL ROAD TRAMWAY

CITY COUNCIL AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

A matter of some importance to the citizens was briefly discussed at the City Council on Monday night, and arose out of a letter from Mr W. S. Short, As-sistant-Under-Secretary, Public Works Department, who wrote: —"Replying to jour letter of February 17th, on'the subject of the Antigua street (Windmill road) tramway extension, I have to refer you to the Department's letter of September 24th, 1909, wherein it was stated that if: it was found, that the part of Windmill road (Antigua street) line between Moorhouse avenue and Hazeldean road required to be widened to give the Department\s standard clearances, and to permit the tramway being run thereon with safety, tho Tramway Board would he asked to widen that part of the said road to such an extent as was deemed necessary. In renewing the Board's application for an authorising order, in October last, the secretary stated that arrangements had been made with the Spreydon Road Board to widen South Crescent road, and that your Council had not come to a final decision as regards the widening of Antigua street. The matter was theu carefully investigated,'and the Epgineer-in-Chief advised that the Department\s standard clearances would jbe obtained without the necessity of any further street-widening. In these cirI cumstances, therefore, an Order-in-C'oiii!-cil was issued on February 23rd authorising the construction of tho tramway extension. Provision is made in the Order to safeguard the interests of tho public by .limiting the speed at which cars may travel between the junction of Antigua street with Moorhouse avenue, and the junction of Hazeldean road with Antigua street, and between the junction of Brougham street with Antigua street and the junction of South Crescent road with Selwyn street, to eight miles per hour." The Mayor said that the Department at fn-ot .st.'iMJ that the hi.c coit'd not be laid till the road was widened, 'i ho Council was being almost continually ignored by the Department, and any protests made were entirely ignored. Gradually the powers of the Council were being taken away, and they were being practically governed from Wellington. Cr. Dougall said that they had made their protest, and that was all they could do. On the motion of the Mayor, tho letter was referred to the Works Committee, j