A TRAMWAY CONNECTION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 162, 2 April 1908, Page 5

A TRAMWAY CONNECTION.

NEWTOWN-KILBIRNIE. A UNANIMOUS MEETING. , The "meeting of about fifty ratepayers, held in St. Thomas's Schoolroom, Newtown, last evening, to-urgo the early construction of a tramway lino fioui Constable Street to K.il-. birnic, eonncoting with tho-present service, wis rilost unanilnous as regards its object. Mi V 11 IVBarber;,Mi';, who was voted to tho chair, said that the meoting had been callcd m compliance with a largely-signed requisition. When lie was a member of tho City Council three years 3go bo advocated •the double connection with Kilbirnie, and he.,' was glad that the residents had now takoh'tW matter up with a view to having the ■■ Constable Strcfct connection made at' the. earliest possible moment. The whole district south of the Basin Reserve, including Scatottii* and- Island liay, would' benefit by tho construction, of this lino. : Tho' severance of I\6'.\uaiv'a from Kilbirnio' considerably interfered. with' tho progress of the former district.- It, meant . loss of business to tradesmen: and constant inconvenience to other residents. r .ln tho area -lie had mentioned there' was a- population of about ;20,000, who were all interested in obtaining more; con-, veaie'nb contiGctioir"-with Miramar and • Seato'un. Ho was: glad to see so large; a proportion pf ;; residents present. ' Mr. Barber; enlarged on the beauties of. Lyell Bay, and statod that wlien tlie present'-tram service was extended to 'that place' it would become a very popukr_resort.* The cost of the new "connection, via- Constable Street, • would not' be.an exorbitant-one, and as the trams, were maiking a fair profit,; it, was eii-. tirely reasonable 'that ,tbo district should ask tho City. Council for this extension: Ho .thought that-'it . would '-be better .if .they did-not'-discuss the' question 'of route 1 at this Mr. R. il'Kenzio- moved:: I'That in. the opinion of . tliis, meeting it is in the, interest ■ of the residents. of 'South- Wellington that, the tramway should" bo extended from'.Con- , stablo..Street;'tb Kilbirnie; and that'a. dc- : , nutation "be . ajjpointed.: to} wait upon the City Council, to urge the carrying out of the desired work, at, an early 'date." ... The mover , said he thought' that this. was only :a' just request; : It Vwould bo. absolutely .impossible for all -the traffic to go through. tho Kilbirnie tunnel when the extension to ,'Lyell Bay was finished. Botli/candidatos for' the Mayoralty had , expressed .their , desire ,to see tlfo Kilbirnio sen-ice linked up with that of Constable Street, but ho did riot think that the residents should rest'satisfied with that; ,The subject was just as important to the residents of Kilbirnio and Miramar .tothose, of. Now.tiiwii.'' .- He that/ tlie membors 1 of , the. deputation, should ' form:: a' permanent' to take; furtber- steps in the .'.matter if; necessary.. Mr;-'A. A.. George, 'in, seconding .the. motion, said that there was a: unanimous and enthusiastic feeling m Newtown m favour of ,' the ;-line. ' v '; 'Mr. T., Chegwin.said he had an idea that, the Cjty Council had broken faith with-,Now--town^in. this, matter.- -There,.was 'no;:doubtthat' it was originally intended to. construct this;, lino before now; and; indeed, tickets were actually printed. - ;. i -'-., ~\< ■ Another speuk'er referred to' the loos of ; trade', suffered. by ' Newtown;' shopkeepers for' want'of a convenient 'connection with Mira- . quarter off {considerably-,during recent; years. y, ; ;.A - Kilbirnio ratepayer enlarged oh tho-.iri-(ronyenienceysu'ffered; by v-Eilbirhie'' .workers • '.Who^^oinpio^'^Clay^^Nowtdini.';.:.. ' ''Mr:-'J. P.- Luke,;a. member of the; City . Council,'; ('said .'that , he '. quite'-, agreedwith' ' the desire'-for' a conneetion. : Iri-May,:last ho ■ had moved-'a- resolution • in the.: Council . with a view to expediting. the construction, nnd the result of :that motion .was.that a' report . was drawn up by the. City Engineer. He did nbt think'tliat 'tlib ratepayers of •Welling- ;■ ton-' would ssanctioriia / loan;: for' the- con'nectionv' he' considered Jthat there.' was no' 'need to borrow" for the project, as, tho work; could;bo 'perf6rmed;out' of'the tramway earnings' and- depreciation' fund.; The lost-returris' showed:,tKatV£ll;oo'p was; set.- aside.;for ;de- . precktion,,:aiid' : ;tliat; tho credit' balance for the-yearamounted :tb £6000. • '• • : The'motion;was carried unanimously,- and with applause. , >

Tho.following were appointed as the de- ' nutation; with' power to .add.to-their num- ' , • ber:—The . Hon. C. M; Luko, Dr. Cameron, ' Messrs. ■A. A.. George, 'R; McKonzie, T. 1 ChagwinrW. Brannigan,' A.- Beggs, :W. Wyho,: E. H; Fisher, Sexton,'J; Pollock, H.- . M'Leod,- J. Higginbotham; J. -G. ,Arbucklo,' J. Dillon, J. -Bell, W. Hall, H. S. ' - Gazzardj and the Chairman. ; • Tho: meeting concluded with a vote of ■thanks, to tho Chairman. ■ ~ . ;