TRAMWAYS.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 60, 8 September 1905, Page 5

TRAMWAYS.

THE RIVAL ROUTES. ALTERATION OF TWO SECTIONS. The following report was submitted to the City Council last night by the Tramways Committee of that body .— (1) That the following clause be struck out of the Tramway By-laws:— "Every person shall enter or depart from a carriage by the hinderiaost or 'conductor's' platform, not otherwise," and that the following clause be substituted in lieu thereof: — "Every person shall board or alight from a carriage on the open or near side, and not .otherwise." (2) That they be granted power to make all necessary arrangements with respect to procuring the necessary wood-working machinery and stock of timber for the temporary workshop, also that they be empowered to employ a skilled, carriage builder as foreman in charge of the Construction Department. (3) That the necessary steps be immediately taken to obtain, under the provisions of the Public Works Act, all land required for tramway purposes. (4) That the Mansfield-street section be altered to end at the corner of Pirie-street. (5) That the Constable-street section end at the corner of Pirie-streef. (6) That no action be taken with reference to the extension of the Aro-street section to the corner of Lambton-quay and Willis-street. Clauses 1, 2, and 3 were adopted after slight discussion. Councillor Luke moved as an amendment that clause 4 be deleted. He felt sure that the great bulk of the Newtown artisans would walk the distance involved sooner than pay the extra penny. Those extra pennies meant a big thing every month to men who had hard work at present to make both ends meet. The working classes should be encouraged to use the trams ; not discouraged. Councillor Winder thought it was quite right to consider the Newtoira workpeople ; but he thought that the people living in the congested district of Te Aro should also be considered. Besides, they must look at the financial aspect. The tramways this year were likely to land us in a loss of over £9000. (Voices: No, no!) Well, they had already spent £72,816, and the estimate of revenue was only £63,000. Councillor Cohen said Councillor Winder was astray in his calculations. There ■vras likely to be a surplus of £2000 on the year's transactions. Councillor Ballinger supported a change of sections. He had always objected to there being varying lengths of sections. Councillor Murdoch thought the suggested alterations were quite proper. As to Councillor Luke's objection about the twopenny fare, let/them consider the case of people from Thorndon, They, too, were running the twopenny risk. Councillor Biss, in reference to Councillor Winder's remarks concerning expenditure, said the amount of last month's expenditure was considerably swelled by exceptional matters. „ The Mayor said there was no need to look with pessimistic view on the matter of tramway finance. He quoted figures and facts to chow that the expenditure in five months of the year now elapsed had been proportionately heavier than that to be met in the months to follow. Expenditure had been £11,000 over the estimate, and receipts within £200 of the estimate Oa the other hand, the four worst months of the year had been got over. As to the general trouble, he was inclined to think that it would be a good solution to revert to the old twopenny fare, with a card giving eight rides • for a shilling. Councillor Frost objected to discrimination in favour of Newtown. Why should Newtown havo a section of 187 chains, while Constable-street had only 40 chains and Aro-street 84? It was grossly unfair. Councillor Gibbs favoured the alteration. Workers at Thorndon were being penalised in favour of those at Newtown. Councillor Morrah made the point that the Newtown (section had been made unduly 'long in the first "place. On division, the clause was retained by nine votes to six. , The other clauses were all adopted os the voices, without discussion.