EXPERT WANTED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 93, 21 April 1911, Page 3

EXPERT WANTED.

TO REPORT ON CITY TRAMWAYS. TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ARRAIGNED. SUB-COMMITTEE AT VARIANCE WITH COUNCIL. . COUNCIL'S ENGINEERS TO REPORT. The important question of the management of the municipal tramways, or rather of the traffic department, which was mentioned by the Mayor (Mr. T. M. Wilford) at the recent opecial meeting of the City Council, came up again before the council last evening in connection with the following report of the Tramways Committee: — '"On the 26th January last, the council, on the recommendation of the Tramways Committee resolved as follows : — "'Thai the sub-committee set up by this ccmmittee, and conskting of the Mayor, and j Councillors Frost and Smith be empowered to hold a conference with the representatives of the Tramways Union, in order to discuss the demands of the i | union in connection with the proposed new agreement." ! "In pursuance of the above resolution, the sub-committee has to xepcrt that it had had several interviews with the executive of the Tramways Union on the subject. In order to obtain full information on the matter, Councillors Frost and Smith, accompanied by the assistant electrical engineer (Mr. Gable) visited Auckland and Christchurch to investigate the conditions under which the Tramway Undertakings in those cities are conducted. A copy of their report was sent to all councillors at the time. | The sub-committee, after a careful consideration of the subject, has arrived at the conclusion that it is not in a position at the present time to submit recommendations to the council covering the union's demands, as the question, in it« opinion, is one involving the manner in which the. Traffic Department of the Wellington city tramway system carries out its functions, and one on which it is necessary ihat expert advice should be obtained. "It therefore recommended that the Mayor be empowered to engage the services of a traffic expert to investigate and report upon the traffic management of the city's tramway undertaking." MAYOR EXPLAINS. "It is well known," said the Mayor after reading the recommendation, "and it has been proved to the sub-committee of the council appointed to deal with this matter, that a report is required from an ■expert on tho traffic management of the city tramways. We has-e had a considerable amount of enlightenment upon the position of things during the course of the conferences with the tramwaymen, the study of various rosters, and the running of trams on particular routes, deemed on the one hand inadvisable and on the other to be requisite, and many details I think it- at present not wise to make public. The sub-committee feels thai it is hardly in a position to make a. recommendation to this council as to •what should be done in regard to new traffic management, but it asks that the best expert m Australasia may be obtained and given cart© blanche for the fortnight or three weeks he may stay in. this cit-y to investigate the whole of the traffic management. He would then b© asked to bring down a report after consultation with the heads of departments and, if necessary, with the union men with' regard to the running of traffic and the traffic roster. The City Council might then be put in a. position to see exactly where the loss is takjng place and where- profit should be made. And moreover, when the question .of tile proper way of controlling the traffic cod | cern comes up for consideration, Instead of being merely councillors who would [ report to the council as to how traffic arrangements should be carried out, we should have an expert report to guide the council as to what should be don© in, regard to the present management. Also the report might be a further guide as to the line to be laid down in the future administration of this very important concern. The sub-committee is convinced that the traffic management requires looking into and that the best way is to have an expert's opinion and report, so far as the city of Wellington is concerned. "I move that the recommendation be adopted." This was seconded by Councillor Trevor, who thought that , it was time there was some management of the tram system. He thought that a roster he saw some years ago was much more preferable than- the on© in us© now. It was time that some economy was looked for. In thß long run it would j be cheaper to have the expert's report. MOVING TOO FAST. Councillor Fletcher thought they were moving just a little too fast in this matter. Before any outside opinion was sought on th© running of the cars th© council should obtain from its own engineer a report upon the working first. This was dv© to the officials running the trams. He was s-ure that there had been many suggestions mad© by the council's officials in the past that, if adopted, would have resulted in a better working of the system. Councillor Shirteliffe agreed with Councillor Fletcher that the motion was rather sudden. Th© result might be of doubtful value. Personally he would like to know a. little more of the evidence that had guided the sub-committee before he could discuss or vote on th© motion intelligently. If there was anything wrong with, the traffic management the logical course was to get their opinion verified by their engineer. Tho cost of getting the report might be several hundred pounds, and it would come from an Australian, whose experience might not apply to the conditions of Wellington. For the further enlightenment of th& council he would move that the council go into committee to discuss the matter. This was seconded by Councillor Atkinson. The amendment was lost by 8 votes to 5. the aye© being : Councillors Cohen, Luke, Morrah, Atkinson, and Shirteliffe. Noes: Ths Mayor, Councillors Fitzgerald, Fletcher, Frost. Hindmarsh. Smith, Thompson, and Trevor. MAYOR'S MOTION OPPOSED. Councillor Fitzgerald' said he would j oppose the original motion. Everybody recognised that the weakest spot in the system was ii* the traffic department, j but could they get a competent man in Australia to report on the system? The Mayor. Yes. Councillor Fitzgerald said he did not agree. The whole trouble locally was over the meal reliefs, and they did not have these shifts in Australia. The Mayor &aid that the system in Brisbane was similar to the Wellington one. Councillor Fitzgerald enquired where in Australia the committee thought it could get a competent man to do what was suggested. The Mayor said there was one, in a large town in Australia, and, in answer to a further enquiry from Councillor Fitzgerald, Mr. Wilford said that the town was Brisbane. WRONG FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. Councillor Fitzgerald 6aid that there ■was much comment as to th© running of the cars here, and he ventured to say that the system wa-8 not being conducted- as it should be, They, had

several engineers who were receiving large salaries, and he. thought that- they wore competent enough to report on and rectify anything that was wrong. Our tramway system was wrong from top to bottom. The car-sheds were notbeing conducted as they ought to be, and the traffic department was not right, but whj- should the .investigation be confined to the traffic branch. Mr. Cable (assistant manager) was the ma.n who should be given charge of the traffic department. At present the council paid its traffic • mana-g-er the paltry sum of £275 for the most important work in the whole system. He would oppose the report because the council had not been taken sufficiently into the confidence of the* Mayor/ He moved an amendment that a report be obtained from the tramway engineers on the working of the traffic department. Councillor Cohen seconded the amendment. AN EXPERT WANTED. Councillor Frost, speaking as one of the sub-committee, said he was not surprised at the action of the council. The council wanted an expert opinion and not the opinion of Councillor Fitzgerald on the running of the trams. The expert referred to -was Mr. Badger, traffic manager of the Brisbane tramways. The- time was not ripe to go into the whole question. Councillor Shirtcliffo said something about a "backdown." Councillor Frost knew nothing about a "backdown." An expert was wanted. The tramways might show a considerably larger revenue than they did at the present time. The revenue increased, but the expenditure increased at the same time. The gentlemen referred to had given various reasons for this state of affairs. They 'had reported monthly, and it was no use going back to them. Outside evidence was needed. He agreed with Councillor Fitzgerald that the scope of tho enquiry should be enlai-ged. The painting of the cais had been reported, according to the "man in the street," as wasteful. The whole question should be discussed. The committee could make no recommendation until the whole question was considered. A WEAK SCEEW. The Mayor said it would be unsatisfactory for the engineers of the council to report on their officers. It would be unsatisfactory to ask the engineers to decide whether- their roster was better than that of the tramway men, which, it was said, would save the city thousands and thousands of pounds a year. The sub-committee did not feel competent to decide between the officers of the Tramway 'Department and the expert on the union side. They thought, thets* fore, that it would be better to call in an expert from outside. Personally he had nothing to say against the officers of the department, but there was a very, very weak screw which had to be tightened or taken out altogether. . Councillor Luke said if the Zoo required a man to come over and report on it, surely the Traffic "Department of the tramways' was important enough to justify tb& summoning of an expert. On the engineering side of the tramways it was impossible to improve it anywhere in the world. But the management of the tramways, so far as traffic was concerned, was a disgrace. He thought the present council should take th« matter up. Councillor Fletcher said_ he opposed the importation of experts Tf there were men in New Zealand competent to take the matter up. In justice to the officers, they ought to get Mr. Eichardson and Mr. Cabxt* to .send reports in. If they failed tc discover the weakness, then there would be time to call in the "world expert" who was managing tho Brisbane cars. Otherwise, it was a slight on the tramwaymen. The reports of the engineers had not received proper treatment in the past. Some had never passed out of the Mayoral chamber and reached the Tramway Committee. He referred to the Mayor's predecessors. THOROUGH INVESTIGATION WANTED. Councillor Hindmarsh said that as far as he could understand the union officials had convinced the Mayor that there was something wrong, and the Mayor could not make up his mind what to do. But Councillor Hindmarsh thought that the other side should be heard and should be called upon for a report. A special meeting of the council should have been held and the matter thoroughly investigated. Tho committee, he thought, had been somewhat frightened by the newspaper comment. It had been sai4 that there was a leakage, but he could not see anything to be alarmed at. The revenue had been satisfactory, perhaps not so good as a few years ago, when" matters weie more buoyant in the city. \ Councillor Smith thought that the Mayor's suggestions should be given effect to, and the matter handed over to the new council in some definite form, so that it need not go over all the ground again. It was manifestly unfair to ask the tramway engineers to report 0:1 their own work. He had nothing to say against the officers ; he thought they were actuated by a desire to do the best for the city. What was wanted, however, was the elimination of dead running, and an independent report on this would be of interest and value. Councillor Shirteliffe thought that the engineers should work out the council's roster and the union's roster and report to the council on the matter. They were competent to do this, and should do so. He was not one of those who said the Wellington system was a wrong one. It had achieved great results in a few years. If any one analysed the returns of the various systems of New Zealand, it would be found that Wellington was in a favourable position. He would admit that some alteration vyas required in the traffic arrangements, but the council's engineers were competent to report upon what was required. - FURTHER DETAILS WANTED. Councillor Atkinson contended that the- whole matter t-hould have been conducted in committee, when full information could have been laid before councillors. It was a serious matter to engage experts. He would vote against the proposal. Councillor Barber thought that those who were responsible foi the administration of the trams should have reported, on any matter that required reporting on without being asked. He thought that a report of an expert should be obtained even if it did cost £500. He -had nothing against the council's officers, and was favourable to a postponement until further details were obtainable. Councillor Atkinson asked if the Mayor would supply further details. The Mayor said that he could not make cert-m information public. He was not going to make any reflection on T any officer of the council. •Councillor Fitzgerald asked why they did not go into committee. The Mayor said they -were only midway in their investigations. Councillor Fletcher pointed oat that every member of the subcommittee had voted against going into committee. It was finally decided to go inw> committee to discuss the matter further. THE FINAL MOTION. After coming out of committee the ■Mayor moved: — ''That a report be obtained from the Electrical Engineer on the whole question of traffic and tramway management, and the Mayor be empowered to ascertain the cost of securing the services of a traffic expert to investigate an-d report on the' traffic management of the city tramways." - ' The motiop was carriedi *