HILL STREET TRAMS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 39, 14 August 1926, Page 10

HILL STREET TRAMS

PARLIAMENT ENTERS LISTS

OBJECTIONS FROM LIBRARY COMMITTEE

SUPPORTED BY THE HOUSE.

Parliament has now entered into the controversy over the proposal to run a tram lino through Hill street to the western suburbs. Yesterday afternoon tho Joint Library Committee reported to the House of Eepresentatives that, apart from the serious general objections to parting with any portion of the Parliamentary site, the committee was unanimously of the opinion that the proposal, if carried into effect, would injuriously affect the use of the library. Mr. H. Atmore (Nelson) said that the Wellington City Council sought to get authority for a double tram line along Hill street, and it was suggested that the Government should give the council a certain piece of land. The Library Committee felt very strongly that no part of the reserve should be given away to any local body, and was of the opinion that the matter should be postponed. They should consider the users of the Parliamentary Library* "DO AWAY WITH PRIVACY." , Mr. W. J. Girling (Wairau) said that if the proposed tramway was built it would have the effect of doing away with the privacy of members and users of the Library. They had little enough land on the> northern side of the building at the present time. He was quite sure that the majority of the members would agree with the views of the Joint Library Committee. In entering a protest against the work, they were only looking after the interests of the public, particularly those who used the buildings. The Minister of Education (the Hon. R. A. Wright) said that he wanted to express.his regret at the report of the Committee in regard to the proposed deviation of the tramway. The Wellington City Council had been handicapped over and over again by resolutions which emanated from Parliament. The people; of Northland and Karori were demanding that they should have a shorter route to their homes. At the present time they had to use a very circuitous route right round Tinakori road. The City Council tramway experts were of the opinion that the proposed deviation, would pay for itself as a result of the saving that would be effected...Now.the Library Committee was asking the House to carry a resolution that the deviation should not be carried put because it would interfere with the comfort of those who used the Library. He did' not know anything about that, but he did know that the Governor-General-in-Couneil could lay it down that the tramway lines should be laid in such a way as to ensure that the trams would make as little noise as possible. The City Council could not get an Order in Council to go by the Bowcn street route. However, they had a promise from Sir Francis Bell, during the time that he was acting as Prime Minister, that they would be allowed to go by way of Hill street. If the report of the Committee was adopted and carried out, the City Council would be still further handicapped. Every improvement or reform that had ever been suggested had caused inconvenience to some people. And such was the case,so far as the Hill street deviation was concerned. Mr. Wright moved that the report should be referred back to the Committee.

This was seconded by the Minister of Lands (the Hon. A. D. M'Leod). COUNCIL'S VACILLATION. Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) was in accord with the decision of tho Committee. It was notorious that the Wellington City Council had shown an utter lack of decision in regard to the selection of a shorter route to the Westtern suburbs. The council was very much divided as to which was the better route, and they had had the spectacle ■of seeing councillors make up their minds one week and change them the next. He agreed that if Hill street was the best route available the fact that it would inconvenience eighty members of Parliament should not be allowed to stop it, but he was very doubtful whether there was not a bet-ter-route. • Mr. M'Leod: "Which one?" Mr. Fraser: "Bowen street:" The Prime Minister (the Eight Hon. J. G. Coates pointed out the' fact that the cemetery was the difficulty there. The Right Hon. Sir J. G. Ward (Invercargill) said.that it had been suggested that he had, during his term of oflice, given authority for the Hill street route, but such was not the case. He had never had anything to do with the. matter. Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon (Westland) thought that the members of the Government should make available all-the information that they possessed in regard to the respective routes. The shortest route, to Karori was by means of the cable car and the bus across Kelburn.

Support for the report of the Library Committee, was. forthcoming from Mr. T. Forsyth (Wellington East), who said that he personally favoured the cable car proposal. Apart from that, thtre were other routes far shorter than tho proposed Hill street route. The question of putting a tunnel under the cemetery ■ had not been considered by tho former council. All the time that the Hill street, route-would save would be five minutes a'day,-and that saving did not appeal'to him. Sir John, Luke (Wellington North) said that the City Council was by no means unanimous about Hill street. Sir John reviewed the various proposals that had: been considered by the council since : 1912. During his oflice as Mayor the council had purchased a property next to the Albert Hotel with a view to opening up a route across Kelburn. He did not think that Hill street would provide a solution of the difficulty, and he was inclined to favour the "Bowen street route. (

The amendment was lost, and the report of the Committee was referred to the Government for consideration.