AUCKLAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 145, 13 March 1908, Page 4

AUCKLAND.

March 10. Tramway' Delays: Litigation. Tlio delays in tho tramways service'aro becoming matters of constant occurrence. Another series took place yesterday. The breakdowns occurred at tho busiest parts of the day, and hundreds of citizens who usually talio advantage of tho tramcars journeyed'on foot, or in the trains where possible, to and from their homes in the suburbs.. The cars throughout the day reached their destinations by spasmodic efforts,- weary waits of anything from a couple of minutes to a half-hour being- followed by nerve-rjicking bursts of speed, tho motormen bndeavouring to malco good the timetable. - ■ ' '

Tho Mayor (Mr. A. M. Myers), on being intervied, stated that, a special meeting of the Tramways Committeo appointed at the last meeting of tho City Council had been held, 1 and it had decided to tako - action against tho Tramways Company with a view to ascertaining whothor tho torms of tho deed of ' delegation had been fulfilled in a manner. Tho Committee felt that, in view ,of the frequent delays that had occurred recently, the'time had arrived to put the law in ■ operation, and allow tho Court-to settle the question as to whether tho Tramways Company had carried out its obligations.. ' Tho Committeo wero satisfied that they could not accept the excuses mado by the Tramways Company any longer. The Committoo:;.would imeet again to-day to receive a report from tho City Electrical Engineer, who was instructed this morning to supplement a, report already handed in by him, ' i

In the course of an interview, last evening, the general manager of the Tramways Company,. Mr. / J. ( J. Walklate, said that !the Company. had been very unfortunate.'and had had a pretty bad break up. One of tho circulating . pumps which wa3 used for driving water into: the condeiisers broko down on Sunday evening, and the . spare one which had been fitted up, had failed that morning, while the other was not workipg properly. This,- of' course, was a tremendous handicap, but all hands] possible were now engaged in effecting repairs. Questioned as.te when the service would be likely to regain its normal condition, -Mr. .AYalklato „ said that ho was not then able to givo'a definite reply. , ""We are' leaving-no ; stoneiunturned in oi'lr efforts to right matters," ho concluded.

An Incident Explained. The case of the young girl who, it was alleged by! a member 5 of' the,. Trades and Labour Council, Was 1 recently ordered out of, bed at the Auckland ; Hospital, was niontioriccj at the meeting of the Hospital Board yesterday. The Hospital Committee reported that, according to the girl's own, statement', sho was hot a resident of- tho Auckland Hospital district, and was therefore not eligible! for admission. Mr\! P. \M. Mackay stated that ho Jiad.received a letter from tho father of the girl, in whicti'he (the father) regretted that the matter;had got into the hands of tho .Pijess through'some persons not minding own business. • I do not," ho .'said, " ahything off 'the case excopt that, my, daughter wrote to her 'mother on tho subject; and that tho, latter was awaiting a further letter from her ; and- I feel certain that had it boon necessary for nio to' come to Auckland; and interview, your Board on tho -matter I .should' have received, every consideration from'them. . I trust that your Board will not attach, any/blame to mo or my wifo for any articles that have appeared through, tho Press." ; The Board, took no action ;in ,the matter.

More Light Wanted. The address delivered by Inosi Ugwalubu, a, converted native, from Now Guinea, at the Methodist Homo and "Foreign Missionary meeting last night; was 'characterised by originality. ' Ho pointed out, that, only onehalf of the'lights ; in 'the ;church wero> burning.' " Why' haven't' j-oti lit..them, all?'! ho asked. ''I think that if you know tho Great Chief was coming to-nignt,-Jthere would - '"not be a.. dark'-'lahip ' .in this - , place.. ''You would have eron the space under the seats lit up.'' ■ (Laughter.) The nativo, howover, was not abashed by : the.-mirth his- remark produced,! and-went-on .to say that at New Guinea his brethren wero in half light and half darkness. ' " Oh," ho" concluded, "como and light thoni all." ' (Applause.)

Enteric Fever. . - ' 1 No fowor than fifty-fivo cases of enteric fover wero roported to tho Health Department for February in, Auckland , and- Suburbs.. The proportions wore • about even—namely, City twenty-eight,: Suburbs" twonty-sevon. ' March 11. • A Broken 'Bus Window.

A peculiar matter came'beforo the Devonport Borough Council'last'night.' A letter was received from Mr. W. J.; Geddis, of Lake Takapuiia, st'ating that tho' 4.50 p.m. 'bus from Devonport to'the lako was crowded to its_ fullest capacity, many of, tho p'assongers being women and children. When ascending tho upper part of Duder's.Hill, a portion' of ono of tho windows fell out. The driver at ohco pulled up, and refused to proceed until ho was paid ss. as ;tho valuo of tho window. The driver maintained the window " must have been broken by,, a lady liassonger on tho.insido seht or by a male passenger outside," but both of them declared that they had not touched it. For nearly a' quarter of an hour' the 'bus stood at a' standstill, and somo of the passengers left' the 1 vehicle and proceeded to walk to Takapuna. Finally, a young man paid the 55., rather, than see the womqn a'nd children walk home, althouglrho was in no way responsible for tho broken window. Mr. Geddis appeared at tho meeting in support of his. letter. 1 Tho driver, who was also present; said-that'lie only asked'for 3s. 6d. for the) broken- window, while a witness on his behalf mentioned that tho 'bus only romar'ned at a standstill for about five minutes. Tho' assertion of Mr. Geddis was endorsed by Mr. D. Goldie, who was also a passonger_on tho 'bus. : After discussion, it was unanimously resolved to cancel (tho license of tho driver; .: :l