OUR ELECTRIC TRAMS.

Evening Star, Issue 14036, 17 April 1909, Page 11

OUR ELECTRIC TRAMS.

CHEAP AND SPEEDY. AND “AN IMMENSE BOON.” The Mayor thinks that all residents in Dunedin will concede that oiir tramways have in every way proved an immense boon, providing a speedy and cheap means of transit. Mr M’Donald expressed that last night in the Howe Street Hall, where he delivered an address as a candidate for continuance of mayoral honors. He proceeded to justify his way of thinking. The very handsome profit earned last year justified his forecast made in controversy with the chairman of the late Finance Committee, when ho (Mr estimated a surplus (after providing all charges), of £3,000, as against the chairman's prediction of a less of over £I,OOO. Our trams are severely handicapped as compared with other cities, about one-third of our population residing in the hill boroughs, and not greatly using the City trams. Nevertheless, in spite of ali this, they have been highly successful, and it would bo the duty of the Council in the coming year to consider a reduction in fares. “Cr Cole and I,” continued Mr M’Donald, “are united in the determination of allowing children to be carried any distance for a fare of one penny, and this will be an encouragement to parents of large families, who are entitled' to every consideration.”—Applause.) WAIPORI WORKS. —Annual Profit of £7,000 Expected.—. He referred optimistically to the past, present, and future conditions regarding the Waipori electrical works, and said : “As you are all doubtless aware, those works were bought by the Corporation from the Waipori Company, and for some considerable lime it appeared that the City had been saddled with a most unprofitable undertaking. However, you will hn glad to learn that the enterprise has at last turned the corner, and I have no hcr-i----tation in saying that the future locks as rosy as could be desired. One of the greatest stumbling blocks to it’s success was th© continual breakdowns and liability to smashes from the carrying away of portions of about two miles of tiumin». Ibis was especially dangerous- in the winter time, just when light was imeprativcly needed. I formed a conclusive opinion that the only way to deal with this problem was to construct a tunnel from the intake to the pipe-line, and a personal visit to Waipori last winter strengthening this view, I instructed Mr Williams, engineer, to proceed thither and give an expert opinion, which he did, and on his return recommended the tunnel as the only safe transit for the water. Our position,” then, was this: £240,000 of the citizens’ money nad already been laid out on the scheme”. Manufacturers and consumers generally were relying on a precarious supply. I tmnk I am entitled to some credit for placing matters on a totally different footing. Despite opposition from all quarters, I fought hard for this tunnel, and eventually induced the Council to adopt tame, and in about two years from now the tunnel will be completed, our supply of power will he about doubled, and said supply rendered absolutely certain. And this has been effected at an extra expense of about £75,000. This may seem a large increase, but it is not so large at it looks. In the first place we escape all future damage in the way of smashes, the cost of which cannot be calculated. Secondly, we save cost of upkeep of tlliming, an annual charge of £3lO. Thirdly, this flaming, which cost £IB,OOO, would require renewing every twelve years. Fourthly, the tumid is an almost everlasting work, and requires neither upkeep nor repairs. Furthermore, we get an extra 2,000 h.p., which exactly doubles our previous supply. Our income for the year just ending is” about £21,000, and expenses of all kinds, with the exception of depreciation and sinking fund, are £19,000. At present we are selling approximately 2,000 h.p., and calculate that immediately the supply is available we can plane 3,000 h.p. According to Mr Stark wc shall then be able to show an annual profit of £7,ooo.”—(Loud applause.) He had instructed Mr Stark to open negotiations with the Minister of Railwaj-s for the supply of our power, and if a satisfactory arrangement were effected it would mean a largo customer for the Waipori, as well as greater comfort to passengers. If the Waipori works were carefully administered, it would undoubtedly help to build Dunedin up as the great .manufacturing city of the Dominion.—(Applause.)