TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 130, 26 February 1929, Page 16

TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS

CAREFUL CONSIDERATION NEEDED THREEPENNY FARE BOGEY

“The matter of tram extensions has to be very carefully considered in future with a view to conserving the threepenny fare. . . If we do not shepherd our funds as best we can, we will have to call upon the citizens for an increased figure.”

Thus stated the Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup) when replying yesterday to a deputation which asked the Tramways Committee to recommend an extension of the tram service at Northland.

Mr. S. E. Lambert, president of the Northland Progressive Association, beaded the deputation, and was supported by Messrs. J. N. Wallace (president), D. McLaren (secretary), and T. Gray, of the Civic League.

Mr. Lambert said that the purpose of the deputation was to ask the Tramways Committee to recommend the continuation of the Northland tramway extension beyond the proposed terminus, for a further quarter of a mile towards Seaview Terrace. “Rightly or wrongly, the residents of Northland feel that the difficulty over the Northland tunnel and the high cost of the work is, to a certain extent, acting to the detriment of the interests of the district," said Mr. Lambert. "They feel this should not be so, as the position is no fault of theirs.” Mr. Lambert went on to say that beyond the proposed terminus, there were 121 houses, and with an average of five people to each home, the interests of 600 people were affected. The ratepayers of the area felt that they were entitled to have the tram-lines constructed to a reasonable point. In addition to the interests of the residents concerned. •it was to be remembered that if the tram service were extended to the point sugSd, it would attract the patronage of visitors who wished to view the city and the harbour, while the wireless station would be easily accessible. _ n “It should also be borne in mind, said Mr. Lambert, “that it is the intention of the council to eventually extend the Northland line through the council s> land to junction with the present Wadestown system, and it is felt it would be wise to construct the other portion now while the men and plant are on the job. He asked the Mayor to arrange for the Tramways Committee to visit the distncti and hoped they would make a favourable recommendation to the council. Mr. J. N. Wallace supported the proposal and endorsed the remarks of Mr. Lambert. He said there was still a fair amount of land at Northland to build unon. Most of it was owned by the council itself. There was a large area there on which it had been proposed to build workers’ homes, but the scheme had not been, carried out. With regard to the request now being made, a largely-signed petition from the ratepayers had been obtained about twelve months ago, but it was felt that the wiser course would be to approach the Tramways Committee, in order that the ratepayers might get what they wanted without further te< The 8 Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup), in replying, said the Tramways .Committee could easily make a visit to the site concerned. “The main difficulty at the present time is the matter of finance, he continued. “We are sailing quite close enough. We have discussed this question of finance and the giving of concessions. The matter of tram extensions has to be very carefully considered in the future with a view to conserving the threepenny fare. That is the bogey that is always m front of us. If we do not shopherd our funds as well as wo can, one of those days it will mean we will have to call upon the citizens for an increased figure. We do not want to do that, and at the present time the finance simply would not meet the amount required for this work. Tramway construction is much more expensive than it used to be." . . The committee would, however, visit the locality, he said. He knew the place and exactly what was required. Finance was the trouble. One of these days the line would have to be carried through—there was no doubt about that. It was a matter for the future. It was too late .to be included in the loan proposals—the money would have to be raised by -a loan, ns the tramways finance would not stand it.