ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS.

Evening Star, Issue 11682, 14 February 1902, Page 6

ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS.

[Sracifti. to thr Stab.]

CHRISTCHURCH. February 14.

Mr S. M. Hawen, Australasian representative of the British Electric Traction Company, is on a visit to Christebtßrh. He intends making the City Council two alternative proposals to lay an electric tram system here. The first is that the company should provide all the money necessary to construct and equip ail the lines, pay tire street rent, and share the profits which wiil be disbursed to the different local bodies according to the mileage within their boundaries. The company will keep the lines and plant in rood working order, and when the concessions have run out the bodies will have power to bay oat everything at valuation, withont paying anything for goodwill. The second proposal is that the local bodies should provide the money. In that case the company wouid construct the lines under the supervision of the authorities, and in accordance with their stipulation, and they would grant the companv a lease. While the company would guarantee the interest, the bodies would have to pav xor the necessary loans, besides which they ceroid pay them in lieu of rent a certain sum of money each year, so that at the expiration of the lease they, would have refunded themselves the amount originally invested. The company wouM undertake, as tn.ths first proposal, to maintain the plant and rolling stock in thoroughly good order and repair. The authorities would have the right to fix not only the maximum fares but also the time-tables.