THE ROSLYN TRAMWAY.

Evening Star, Issue 18256, 21 April 1923, Page 4

THE ROSLYN TRAMWAY.

We wero so entirely astray in suggesting that Or Scott might K havo a full house vo hoar his address on tho Roslyn tramway that it was not given for lack of an audience. However, the material collated for lire occasion has been placed at our disposal. Examination of it shows that tho public has not missed anything of great moment. It was more in the nature of a departmental record than a popular review of the position. The technicalities with which it chiefly dealt are neither very illuminating nor now. It may be that, in an endeavor to avoid personalities, Cr Scott marked off certain aspects of his subject as forbidden ground and studiously evaded them. The consequence was that Cr Tapley’s very much briefer reference to this service, at North Dunedin last night, got a good deal closer to tho heart of the matter, from the public’s point of view, than did Cr Scott’s an ay of facts and figures. The chairman of tire Tramways Committee avoided reference to its treatment of a professional man, and that may have been wisdom on his part.

Ropo trouble, says Cr Scott, has been tho fly in tho Roslyn ointment. If wo would go to first causes, we must ask how tho fly got there. Repo trouble came about primarily through tho slate of the unclev-goar and tho tunnel. The tunnel, it must foe admitted, is small, and, in some minor respects, faulty in design. But that was no reason for allowing its size to bo further diminished by leaving the detritus washed into it through the slot to accumulate os it did, nor ior neglecting the pulleys carrying tho ropo. The conditions under which tho cable ran were an inducement to any self-respecting ropo to commit suicide. Tho claim is made that all those matters have been or an- being remedied. But that was only done after tho trouble had happened—not when the then engineer pointed out that it was being courted. Tho statement that the Roslyn lino has boon gradually improved over since tho corporation acquired it needs to be qualified by the comment that at tho beginning of municipal ownership tho improvement, urgently enough needed, was barely perceptible. Users of this lino want to know chiefly what are their prospects of relief from overcrowding. It is small comfort to them to loam that many of tho care run so lightly loaded that tho average over the whole tirae-tablo is only fifteen passengers to a car that scats thirty-two. Abnndanco of room at tho slack time is no uso or consolation to tho crowds who rush and fight for standing room at the bdsy times. All that Or Scott can promise is some slight amelioration at considerable cost in tho face of great difficulties—that is, if tho existing hill services aro to continue to copo with the hill traffic. Tho need for a direct route to Maori Hill, a district rapidly increasing in population, emerges clearer than ever. Possible improvements to tho Roslyn line are to bo deferred pending a decision :.s to the new enterprise. Unfortunately a battle of tho routes appears inevitable over the Maori Hill line, and that usually spells long delay. All hill residents would hi wise to try to make sure of tho election of a council that will treat ihis matter as urgent, and will work hard in harmony with one another and the PubLc Works Department of tho Government to flatten out all obstacles to tho prompt construction of the lino.