THE COUNCIL AND THE TRAMWAYS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 61, 9 September 1904, Page 2

THE COUNCIL AND THE TRAMWAYS.

SOME MEMBERS IN REBELLION. SHORT-LENGTH TRAMLINES. ' SUGGESTED CHANGES. Two motions lending up to whether or not Iho 4 City Council should 'do its own' business or delegatdpt to some one else were on tho Council's ordor-papcr lasfc ovening. The first was tnbled by Councillor Keono, who moved, "That tlio Electrical Engineer be instructed to prepare an estimate of the cost of extending tho tram from tho present terminus at Oriental Bay to the kerosene store." Tho mover said tho present line had not been carried us far as was authorised by tho Order-in-Council — by whose authoiity it had been shortened ho did not know. Tho terminus provided by tho Order was not as far as the kerosene storo ; it was at tho Melrose-city boundary, and that spot was too narrow to be suitable for a terminus. The extension to the store was a matter of only three or four chains. Tho cost would not prove to be very large. It would be very useful to residents. Councillor Jorgensen seconded. Ho supported tho estimate, whether the extension was made or not. In reply to Councillor M'Laren, who objected to going beyond tho Order-in-Council, the Mayor said one could not go beyond an Order-in-Council without getting a now one. A Councillor : This is only a question of ascertaining the cost. The motion was carded on tho voices. Councillor Barber moved, "That tho tramways be oxtended to pointe originally decided on — namely, the quarry at tho lop of Aro-streob and tho kerosene store, Roseneafch." The principal uso Councillor Barber made of his motion was to protest against any officer acting beyond his authority Without consulting, the Council. Tho Ordcr-in-Council provided that tho terminus of the Aro-street lino 'Should be at the quarry. But some mysterious hand had-^-and not for tho first timo— altered the resolution of tho Council, and the lino had not been constructed to tho quarry. There should bo no power on tho part of any officer to go behind an Order-in-Council or a resolution of the City Council. Another case of going behind the Council was that the horse-tram system was withdrawn without notice to the public or to the Council. Tho Council might have decided, if it had tho chanco, to keep the horso trams | going another month. Surely' it- Wits j tho business, of tho Council, to decide 1 questions of policy like that. Tinkering things, liko reports that lights wero out, wore placed before the Council, and questions of policy were decided apart from the Council. . With regard to shortening of tramlines, the Ordor-in-Couneu, with the authority of tho ratepayers' vote behind it, should not have been altered save by resolution of the Council. Even after the bungle in connection with tho tramway at Post Office square, another mistake was made there after tho relaying, as the polos wore put •in t/ho wrong plncos, and hftd to be taken out and placed differently before tho cement was hard. At Oriental Bay, also, tho lino did not run ns far as the Molrosecity boundary, a* provided by tho Ordcr-in-Couucil. If the Council was to bear tho brunt of mutters of this kind, and was not to bo allowed £o hayo a voice with rospoct to rhom beforehand, ho would not accept tho responsibility, and would resicn 'his seat -and .explain tho reasons to the doctors. Councillor M'Laren, socpnded. Ho thought that in tho exigency of a, work not being carried out to tho oxtont intended, such ft thing should first' bo reported to tho Council. Ho supported tho objections of Councillor Barber. Councillor Keono spoko in similar terms. • Councillor Smith Said tho two rases of shortening roferrcd to woro so insignificant that thoy woro not worth passing a resolution. Another length of rails would complete tho Aro-stroot lino to the torminna. i Councillor Barbor: Two or three chains. Councillor Smith stud it was not chains. If it took orio length, it would not tako two. Tho matter was vory small. No doubt tho Enginoer had his reasons. It would havo been bettor had ho reported to the Council ; but such a song about so small a matt or was liko putting a horso to break ft thread. At Oriontal Bay the formation might bo U chains short. Why, ho could not say — Councillor Barber: But you ought to bo ablo to si\y. • • Councillor Smiti did ■ not think it would mnko any drfforrnco to the public. Councillor Godber would support the resolution oil principlo, notwithstanding what Councillor Smith had said. Tho oiflcor who nltprod tho route may havo had good 'reasons. If so,, ho should have reported them lo ,tho Council. •Tho Mayo* 'thought th'ero had been a groat dc'al of < cry about very Httlo. Ho aid not think thoy woro right in assuming that tho tramways wpro not to bo laid over tho uncompleted parts. (A, Councillor : Wo are told tho section is to bo passod in a fow days.) lie admitted thoy might bo asked to pass a section before tneso partß word laid down. It had already been statod that tho noncompletion at Oriental Bay was because sbmo widening wotild bo required at tho tfr/minus. At Aro-stroot, thero wns a v6ry nasty bond boforo tho quarry, and ho understood tho work had stomped thore ao t}rat tho car ' moving up might bo ablo to sec the car ahead. Councillor Jorgenaon said that, in view of tho Mayor's remarks, ho would movo that tho Electrical Engirieor bo requested to report to, tho Council his reasons for not completing the sections at Afo-street and Oriental Bay. Tho Mayor : You mean, fov not completing thorn up to tho present. ' Councillor Cohen seconded. Councillor Wiltshire askod if the Public Works Pepartmont would pass a section as completed wbon it had not been completed in accordance with tho Ordor-in-Council ? The Mayor : I oon't know. Councillor Barbor, dealing with the argument that the Oriontal Bay 'terminus (as fixed in tho Order) needed widening, said his -improsttion was that the road beyond tho present torminuswas widor^ not narrower. As to tho -statement, that a bond- at tho Aro-stroot quarry would provont ono car seeing another, tho obstruction could bo removed with a bit of bxeavation. And if thoro wcro reasons for these things, why woro they not roported? Tho Council hod been kept in tho dark about many things, which ho had got from tho Public Works officials. If thoro was not enough money — Tho Mayor said thoro v- no suggestion of that. Doaling with tho Mayor's statement that it must not bo assumed that tho parts not laid would not bo laid, Councillor, Btvrbor said this wus no temporary halt, jocauso strainer-polos woro placed at a different anglo to other poles. As lar as tho overhead wires woro concornod, tho strainor-polos showed tho sections wero intended to bo completed. Any ono with a grain of sonso could see that. Councillor Jorgonson's amendmont was carriod by 7 votes to 5. For : Tho Mayor, and Councillors Cohon, Evans, Jorgpnson, Luko, Smith, ivnd Wiltshire. Against : Councillors Barbnr, Frost, Godbor, Koone, nnd M'Laron. The amendmont was Vhon put as the

motion in plftcn of Councillor Barber's motion, and waa carried. OTHER MATTERS. Councillor Smith objectod to tho waste that was being made by tho woodpavers in chopping up wholo blocks -to nt places 'where portions of blocks were required. Ho thought the men should bo advisod to bo more economical. Mr. P. R. Dix mndo an application to the City Council to arrange a special siding for tho now electric sorvico on Lnmbton-quny opposite Johnston-street, for tho convenience of patrons of the Theatre Royal. The npplication has been referred to tho Electrical Engineer for a report. Councillor Luko moved : "That until tho city tramway service is oxtended lo Kilbirnio, tho rollection of an oxtra faro for tho Constable-street scrrico bo susponded'.*t Sneaking to his motion, Councillor Luko said the present charge wns an imposition. Tho section wns only 27 chains in length, as against other sections having lengths ol 130, 142, 115, and' 67 chains. The cars wero now •running' np and down the street empty.) Tho four best days had only produced a revenue of £4 16s, which would not pay. Councillor Barber, in seconding, the motion, said that people who desired, to go from Constablo-streot to Victoria". I^all had ,to pay 2d. Councillor Jprgensen criticised a return furnished by the Electrical Engineer. From that roturn it appeared that the section had a return of 25s per day. For this 12 men had to bo employed, and thoy mado 64 trips por day. If there wns a liberal revision of ' the present charge moro traffic would result. Ho suggested that Id should bo chargpd for tho roturn trip on tho section', or tiokots sold giving 12 rides- for 6d. • Tho Mayor said that if Councillors grantod the free use of tho Constablestreet section the city would lose from £600 to £700 pec annum, based upon a winter periods returns, and nearly double that amount if based upon a summer revenue. Tho present system should bo givon a fair trial boforo any change wns mndo. Councillor Smith had all along boen of opinion that only id should bo charged for tho section. Oa Councillor. Evans raising a point of oraer that Councillor Luko could not bring up his motion without soven clear days' notice, owing to tho carrying of motion involving tho rescinding of a proviously carriod motion, tho Mayor sustained the point raised, and Councillor Luko said ho would give the necessary notico of motion asking tho Council to rescind its provious motion. Councillor- Luke nlso moved: "That the Council instruct its officers to run the necessary 'buses to meet the convenience of tho Island Bay district in connection with tho terminus of" tho electric car service at Duppa-strcet. The mover said that as tho Council hnd driven the private 'bus service off tho road it should I supply the need itself. "Ought not we to oxtond tho same privilege to Kilbirnio and Brooklyn? asked Councillor Evans. "Wilt tho ous traffic, to Island Bay pay working expenses?" Coun-, cillor Wiltshiro also put a pertinent question,:, "Has not tho Connoil already authorised the sale of all its horso tramway and 'bus plant?" 'Councillor Smith said the Council could still keop a couplo of 'buses and somo horses. Councillor Barber, whilst favouring the motion, said tho propor thing to do wns to push on tho construction 'of tho extension of tho electric lino to tho Bay. Tho Mayor said a deputation of residents of tho Bny had tola him that ono 'bus would sorvo their purpose. Tho motion wns carried. "Is it your intontioq to stop tho 'bus service to Uppor Willis-street from tho Govornmont Buildings, your Worship?" asked Councillor Frost. Tno Mayor said ■■Jfcs," because it »vould presently bo found impossiblo to talco the 'bus through Willis-Ktroet- "Yon could go round Cuba.stroct way," was tho reply. Tho Mayor snjd thero was no encourngomont to do so. "Pooplo rodo up from tho Buildings, kept tho 'bus waiting nearly an hour, and thon walked back to savo 2d!" was tho retort of his Worship. A petition signed by 120 residents of Mom and Hall streets and neighbourhood was presontod to tho Council nskj incr thnt a stopping-place bo fixed at tho i Hall-street and Moiivstrcot junction. The potation was referred to tno lSlocIrirnl Enqincor. Councillor M'Laren expressed tho opinion that tho section from- Mnnsfioldslrcet to Vettch nnd Allnn's corner or, to Courleritty-plft«! was too long for Id. A revision of the sections should take tho Constablo-strcot suction into conaidcraton.