NO. 10 TRAM.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19376, 31 July 1928, Page 7

NO. 10 TRAM.

REINSTATEMENT DESIRED.

MEETING AT NORTH BEACH. A further meeting of residents of North Beach was held last night in the Ozone Cafe with a view to bringing pressure to bear on the authorities concerned to have the No. 10 tram service reinstated. Mr F. Parson presided over a very large attendance. The chairman saiu the present was one of the most important times in the history of North beach so far as transport was concerned. At the previous meeting a number of residents of outside districts took part in the proceedings, but in respect of the present meeting it was desired that no one except residents of the districts concerned should participate. He urged all the speakers to regard the question from a broad point of view, excluding anything parochial. He drew attention to the fact that the trams cost the Borough nothing, but it had to be remembered that the borough had to face expenditure in the matter of road maintenance so far as buses were concerned. . .

Mr B. McKenna presented a petition signed by residents and ratepayers praying for the reinstatement of the service. Be had found, he said, that certain people along the route of the tramway system had held up its development. It had been desired to acquire certain property with a view to shortening the route, but too high a price was asked. There was no doubt tnat the meeting held in the Peace Memorial Hall had stimulated interest in the matter. It , had been alleged that he was interesting himself in the question because of his association with the New Brighton trotting course, but he would give this an emphatic denial. At the same time he did not want to see this, open space lost to the borough. "Suburban Suicide." Instancing the value of good transport service, Mr McKenna said that it should be remembered that it was the improved service in Wellington that had induced people to leave the hovels ifney had occupied in the City and go to live at Miramar. Mrs Hucks, or the Ozone Cafe, came to North Beach in pioneer days and built what _ was probably the finest private hotel in a seaside resort in the Dominion dt the time. Because of the cessation of the No. 10 train service, there was not a living to be got out of it. The petition had only been taken round since Friday, but nearly 400 people had signed it. The bus v. tram service was purely a business proposition between Mr Bussell, of the Inter-City Bus Service, and the Tramway Board and should not stand in the way of the borough's progress. Unless the tiam service was reinstated it .would mean that all the people from the City would be taken to New Brighton and few would come to North Beach, and unless the rein statement of the train service was obtained the _ borough would commit "suburban suicide. Prayer of the Petition. The petition requested the omnibus licensing authority to refuse any application for a bus service through the Wainoni district beyond the Bower bridge for the following reasons: (1) That the present bus service to North Brighton is not required and if continued, in our opinion, will result in the withdrawal of the tram services to North Brighton and an increase of bus fares. , (2) That owing to the present unsatisfactoiy position people are leaving the district, a,nd property values are raoidly decreasing. (S) That it is advisable that all transport services in the district should be in the hands of the Christchurch Tramway Board. "When the petition was read a voice said, "God help us all." . Mr McKenna moved that the petition be adopted. ~ w In seconding the motion, Mr W. Thompson said no has service would_bo adequate for a seaside resort like North G. Waller asked whether, in the event of the Tramway Board agreeing to put down the tracks again M> would be necessary to put the question ' replied Mr Thompson, adding that all that would be necessary would be for the Board to apply for an Order-in-Council. ' ' I Buses Advocated.. . :

Mr R. Stringer said that when the tram service was discontinued the borough lost its heritage, ■ 'but we got something better," he added. A voice: How much is your brief worthP . . Mr Stringer, continuing, said it was the people outside the district wno voted the No. 10 system out. Ho considered that if the No. 5 system were continued to the trotting ground it would meet the position as far as tne club was conoerned. As for the op®" ion expressed that passengers would be dumped at Brighton he would maintain that if the same fares .were charged to North Beach people would come on to that suburb. , . Mr Stringer moved as an amendment "That this meeting requests the licensing authority to license whatever buses may be necessary to enable the Inter-City Bus Servioe to carry tne traffic in the future." ■ "I can't accept that," said the chair- ! man. , • , „ "Very well, I will get round it,' said Mr Stringer, who then moved "That the Tramway Board be requested to extend the No. 5 route to the racecourse." j This was seconded by Mr Marden. A lady present complained that women with push-carts were not allowed to travel on buses at a certain hour owing to it being used by business men. ... "They should be home cooking their husbands' tea,'' said a voice., "They belong to the frying pan brigade," said another. "Gone to the Pack." "This place has gone to the pack," said Mr J. N. Clarke, who said that if the tram was not allowed to run again it would sound the death-knell of the district. He appealed to the residents to regard the question from a broad point of view and to ahow some civic pride. At one time it was a common sight to see hundreds of people in North Beach and trams with trailers attaohed running to the place, but now a very different state of affairs prevailed. Mr D. N. Adams said that although he often enjoyed travelling on the buses, they did not provide a sufficient service, therefore it was necessary to get the line reinstated. Mr McKenna stated that the members of the Board were anxious to reinstate the No. 10 servioe if the people desired it. Mr E. A. M. Leaver stated that Mr Frank "Thompson, General Manager of the Tramway Board, had told him that he was not in favour of the No. 10 tram being reinstated, being in favour of the No. 5 route.

"With all its faults it was the No. 10 route that built up North Beach," said Mr MoKenna. He wanted all,differences to be dropped so that the line could be reinstated. He was deeplv indebted to Mr Leaver for arranging the meeting on Saturday night week, for had it not taken place the petition presented that night would never have been signed.

The amendment was lost on a show of hands and the motion carried.