TRAMWAY BOARD.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17064, 8 February 1921, Page 4

TRAMWAY BOARD.

:—: TESTERDAY'S MEETING. T!ie Christchurch Tramway Board met yeetorday. Present—The Hon. J. Barr, M.L.C,. (chairman). Me3srs, S. A. Staples, D. Sykes, W. J. Walter, H. Pearce, A. S. Taylor, J. AVood, jimi G. T. Booth. The Henthcote Comity Council f<>rw;i«lfd a cheque ior £2O, at its share o( the cost ot' the maintenance of and repairs to 2\"ew Brighton bridge, and repudiated the account sent by tie Board for £53 14s 3d. The general manager explained that, at a conference, in October, 1018. between members of the Board, Xew Brighton Borough Council, and llc-athcMe Ooimty Council, it was agreed that tie cost of niuipt-enanqe should be equal J v divided between the abovementioned three bodies, but lie Heathcote Council had stipulated, that it-n contribution was not to exceed £2O in nny one year. The cost oi maintenance work last year was £165. Tho bridpe ha<l been erected by the Tiamway Board, which was the controlling body. The letter was received, and the Board decided to give the mutter of the allocation of the_ cost of maintenance further consideration. A request by- the "Wojfeion Fete Committee that the 2d section should, on the occasion of the Woods ton Fete, be extended to tlie Park gates, was acceded to. The Works and. Traffic •Gcmmiltee'e report, which wan adopted, stated that it w«* n?ceߣ«ry to renew the present destination eign ecreens on cars. New routes, wonjd be named as. follows: —Spreydon. South Brightoii, K.ilmoro street E., Bryndwr. When North Beach core need Shirley road, Barbfldoes street, and Beuley avenue, the Richmond cajp wquld be extended! to Shirley, but tho committee proposed to retain the name "Richmond." lie Board had anticipated a- portion of the Arbitration Court's November bonus _by paying Jd an hour aa from the pievioua August 16th, the figure being baaed oil the cost of Uvintf averages up to that time. When the Court announced tho November banua aa 9s, or 2id per hour, tho Board immediately p«id tho difference, und notwithetanding that the November bonus, aa the 'result of oti ecror arisin? out of miFundHrstanding in the Government Statistician's office was eoon reduced 1o lis por week, or Jd per hour, the Board oontinaed:- paying the 9s bonus until January 3rtL Tlii-a increase wa-a at the rate ot £l4, C&0 per annum. On Januarr Srdi the Board accepted tlie Court's corrected bonus of 3s per week, but at the s-omo time Teetored a, "merit list," which, meant that, motormen and conductors with over eight yea/ra' service, and with good record*, received Id a.n hour art excess of ft ward requirements. Tlie /Onjiom lhaid requeeied the oommittee to restore the 9s per week bonus, but the committee oould not Bee its way to accede to the request. An Ordex-i-n-Council had been itsiied, providing for the duplication of the track in_ Bealey avenue and BaAiado&s street, new line in Warrinffton ftreet «,nd Shirley load, new lime m Lichfield eiroet, a,nd a short extension ol the Clanford stroet line. lAnotier OrdeMnCouncil for a new lino in_ Manchester etoeet, duplication of part of Biccattom line, extension of Coronation street Inio, etc., but tliu> had been held up as a result- »{ a protest by the City Council respecting Manchester street. The committee wtls making another effort to convince the CJouncil tKafc liso oi Manchester street coula not be avoided if the congestion in Oa-tiicdxal gquate wafl to be relieved, fl-nd that reoont t.iack renewal work in rt>he iSquare, with much inoonvenienoe to the public, had emphasised the adviaability of having, an alternative track between the north end south ends ot the .City. . , , , , Regarding renewal work, the report stateci that the cost of material and labour had advanced considerably since' .the lines -were laid down. The Board'* renewal reserves were based on replacement at approximately original costs.' The bad given the Board' power to borrow the difference by a special order loan. . This the committee proposed should be done. The Depreciation and! Sinking* Fund have agreed to finance the matter. Becent tracJc renewal work had cost £27,187. Tie original cost woe £11,316, and the balance to bo financed was £15,851. ■ The land required for the car ehed alia repair shop extension was being taken under < the Public Works Act; £II,OOO was being At the reQuest" of the Christchurch City Council tie Board) was running a bua to the Bromley ■ Cemetery on Saturday and 'Sundays. It was arranged that if,' Biter three months' eixperiment, it was decided to oontinue the service, the two bodies should.' share the if aijy, on a basis to be agreed upon. Three monthe W had revealed the loss which the Bopd anticipated would occur.- The committee, however, recommended tha»t the service ehould be continued providing the Council chared the loss with the Board in equal, proportions.