NOT A NEW VENTURE

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 38, 15 February 1933, Page 8

NOT A NEW VENTURE

'HIGH LEVELS TRAMWAY!"

The wording of a formal advertise-ment-over the name of the Town Clerk, Mr. E. P. Norman, stating that it was the intention of the City. Council to apply for an Order in Council to authorise tho. council to use .electricity as the motive power for the "Wellington High Levels Tramways," puzzled many people, who wondered what new "municipal venture was in the air, but the "high levels tramway" is simply the old name of the Kelburn tramway. The council's interest is in the fact that the Act of 1898 provided that the council, should construct thr system or might delegate its powers, in that regard. The council did delegate its powei-3 to the present company, and has for all but strictly legal purposes faded right out of the picture, but still, in accordance with the 1898 Act, it must make application,/ on behalf of the company, for permission to replaco the old steam plant, which has done duty since the first car was hauled up the hill in. 1902, .with a modern electrical plant. The old Act provided that the council should have the right to purchase the train way at the expiry of either seven, fourteen, or twenty-one years of the date of completion of construction, no payment being required' for goodwill, but the three opportunities have now passed. The Act also insisted that members of tho Volunteer forces, the Armed Constabulary, and Police, while in uniform,- and postmen and other Government servants should be entitled to free use of the traunvay while on Government service. The machinery for the new system will arrive from England shortly, and tho work of changing over will be commenced about the middle of Jhe year.