THE TRAMWAY TROUBLE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 1, 1 July 1912, Page 3

THE TRAMWAY TROUBLE

TO THI EDITOR. Sir, — The proposed alterations and re* commendations b.y thd Tramway Board as contained in the press give "food for serious tjfought. Before the Board decided to recommend an increase in the fares, I assume that they have considered fully the question of reducing expenditure. It seems to me that a city situated such as this is should be able to maintain its tramways efficiently on the present fares charged, and, as a layman, I. am going to point out what I think i* unnecessary expenditure. Let anyone stand at the- Bank of- New Zealand Cornel and "witness the procession of cars along Laribton-quay at any hour of fhe day, carrying on an average not more than six persons per car, except during rush hours. I consider this not only a waste of power, wear, and tear, etc.., but also an unnecessary interference with traffic in our altogether too narrow streets. It teems to me that the services during the hoars -of, say, 9.30 to 12. and 2 to 4.30 can be run on lines somewhat as follow : — Let the Newtown to Karon section remain as it is, also Constable-street and Lambton-quay, as well as Oriental Bay-Thorudon-esplanade and BrooklynPost Office. It is absolutely unnecessary to rim tho Brooklyn and .Axo-street cars up Willisstreet during the Black hours, and the Aio-street cars could connect with Brooklyn. The same arrangement can be used with Kilbimie, Lyall Bay, Seatoun, and Miramar during the hours above mentioned. These cars could start from, Courfcenayplaco, and passengers wishing to meet them could t do so from Thorndon or Lambton, via Lambton-quay, with an Oriental Bay car, or via Jervois-quay wiih a Constable-street car. Transfer tickets, of course, would have to be used on all these lines, and- Island Bay could run to Rintoul-street,. passengers joining that caz % from Newtown, via Lambtonquay and Cuba-street, or Coortenayplaoe, by the Constable-street caj'. I feel confident that if this arrangement was carried out half the care would carry all the passengers travelling, and the reduction in the cost of running,' etc., would, be sufficient to put our system on a. satisfactory financial basis without increasing the fares in' any way whatever. I shall be pleased to have other views on the subject, for I am sure the idea is feasible -and should be a basis of the solution of the tramway difficulty. —I am, etc., H. 0* HILL. 29th June, 1912.