BRAKES ON THE FREIGHT CAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 151, 28 June 1915, Page 6

BRAKES ON THE FREIGHT CAR

„ "Tho frequent servic* of passenger cars to the suburban districts enables the department to forward goods, etc., with more despatch, and at a lower rate than can be done by the ordinary carrying concerns," is a statement in the time-tablo of the municipal tramways, but it seems that this announcement may be either deleted or much modified in the next edition of the little book. On Thursday night a majority of the City Council decided to restrict tho use of the freight car. An amazing report by the Tramways Committee recommended that "the service should b& maintained on the basis of providing for the carriage- of parcels and luggage for the convenience of citizens, but not for thd carriage of goods in bulk." A still mor© serious surprise— indeed, a, shockcame with the Council's adoption of a report which should have been rejected with the greatest possible emphasis. Years ago The Post proved to the public that the freight service was only a mere toying with a popular need. Manifestly, strong influences have operated against a development of this utility— a- convenience' to reduce the cost of living— and the brakes have been kept hard down on the service, Lately — no£ long before the municipal elections — arrangements were made to release the- brakes and to give the tramway owners a fair, sane, freight use of their own rails, but evidently this activity, in the public interest, has been resented in certain quarters, and the new Council, timidly, weakly, and ignominiously, has agreed to clamp on the brakes again. How much longer will the public tolerate this scandalous treatment? How long will the tramway owners agree to be fobbed off witfi a municipal "freight" service, which is deliberately restricted, against the public interest? The citizens are marvellously .patient. They see rails, laid down by their own money, to all parts of Greater Wellington, and yet they have not pressed for a- proper rational us© of the tramways to cheapen the cost of haulage. Is it any wonder that the Council, noticing that apparent indifference, has consented to a severe limitation of the freight car's usefulness?