THROUGH THE BASIN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1155, 16 June 1911, Page 6

THROUGH THE BASIN.

A TRAMWAY PROJECT, ' 1 A REPORT AND ; SOME COMMENT. 1 The proposal to ran cat's through the Basin Reserve was tho subject of a report presented last cv.ening to tlie City Council by tho Electrical; Engineer (Mr. 8. Richardson). The report' is as follows:— "I estimate that the saving which might bo effected by running througli the Basin Reserve would not exceed , per annum, and, in order to effect this, a fairly heavy expenditure would have to bo incurred in running "'the;new lino through tho Basin and dismantling the present line round tho reserve, and making tho roadway good. When this is., taken into consideration, the saving could only be'a very small one." Councillor Barber said a previous engineer (Mr. -Wright). had v estjn)ated that a saving" of iEIoOO per year would be effected if the cars were run through the Basin Reserve. Councillor '"Fletcher: "Wright was wrong." ; .Councillor Barber: "No, he was not." Continuing, Councillor Barber said he understood that, in making this estimate, tho Electrical Engineer had taken no account of the saving of time that would bo effected by shortening tho ear journey. In any case, the saving indicated by the Electrical Engineer would provide interest on a loan of <£13,000, considerably more than was required to make the reclamation at Kilbirnie which had been advocated by a deputation that evening, 'faking tho cars through the Basin Reserve would confer a very great advantage on ■residents .of South Wellington, and an equal advantage oh the sports bodies of the city. 'With, existing tramway facilities,, it was .no more, difficult, to reach Kilbirnie Reserve than it was a few years ago to reach the Basin Reserve. Councillor M'Laren row to a point of order,, contending that the report was hot matter for discussion. It simply conveyed information. • Councillor. Smith.said he ,hqd given Councillor Barber' "a little rope." Councillor Barber said tho matter should not havo been dealt with by a committee at all. ■■■ The speaker had himself called for tho' report'. " H; would move: — That tho. Reserves Committee take : into consideration ' tho . question of running -the' cars through the Basin Reserve in conjunction with the request of Kilbirnie residents for a new .. .rfsorvc,in their suburb. . ; Tho Deputy-Mayor declined to take the motion, ruling that it was.irrelevant. Councillor Cameron said he would like to havo the electrical engineer bring .down a full report upon the proposal under disenssion. ' Ho was quite satisfied that the report presented was all wrong. . Councillor Fitzgerald asked if Councillor Cameron was to be allowed to make a statement like that. , 'Councillor Smith said he could rot allow a resolution to be put to that effect. ' Councillor Cameron-: "Mr. Richardson : has already informed us that he does, not know how these figurrs are arrived at." I Councillor Smith: "I beg your, pardon. 1 Ho pars that he, has not got the details ' here." ' ■ The formal adoption of the report, at this stage, put a stop to the discussion.