TRAMWAY v. OMNIBUS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5950, 22 March 1880, Page 5

TRAMWAY v. OMNIBUS.

(Fnym<thtDuntdin< Star). A notice,.in the shape of a local paragraph, appeared in the Morning Herald a few days; ago-tb the effect that a company was about to be formed for the purpose of running omnibusses to compete with the tramway.. We fancy -this must have been an amiable delusion of some confiding,, or too sanguine, individual, for no one in hir senses would -think of ’sinking money in; an undertaking so exceedingly unpromising as to remunerative results. All oyer Europe and America’the omnibus is being rapidly discarded.in favour of’ the' triun carnage, and. wo find by the ' latest accounts that so popular has this mode of transit become in Sydney on the short line opened for the special purposes of the Exhibition, that no less, than 30 miles of tram-lines are now in course of con-; struotion in that city, and suburbs. - In Melbourne, where the omnibust es (for such vehicles) have been for years models of comfort and convenience, the proprietors of the Omnihue Company have been endeavouring for a long time to obtain a concession to construct tramways and substitute that mode of conveyance as being much more ! economical •to ; run, and affording much greater scope for their business* In Brisbane, a city which has also, like Melbourne,’ enjoyed a very excellent omnibus service, and certainly the best cabs in . the Australian Colonies, the construction of tramways is being. pushed forward on an extensive scale. The promoters have obtained a concession for twenty-one years on terms which appear, exceedingly favourable. Wo have taken the trouble to collate certain facts with regard: to’ the tramway system in this city,, which may possibly be of interest, as- showing the dimensions to which the ordinary traffic haa already attained. Sixteen cars, 110 horses, and two steam doctors are in daily use, and the total mileage covered each day is not less than 742 miles. ; Between the Cargill’ Monument and the Botanical Gardens 94 trip* are run, 20 trips to and from Kelvin Grove, andT7 to and from’ the Botanical Gardens vifi Castle street. On the newly-opened lino to the Ocean Beach the tramcars run 50’ through trips, the mileage of each trip being over four miles. The Caversham line will, it is to be hoped, soon be completed, when the total number of cars available at different times to the public iu the City and suburbs will exceed 250 per day. This is, of course, entirely independent of the projected lines to Boslyn and the higher suburbs, which we certainly hope to see taken in hand without unreasonable S. We should fancy that the public will y care—having once enjoyed the convenience and cheapness of tram communication—to fall back oh more primitive modes of conveyance, and have their bones “jolted over the stones ” after the fashion of twoor three years ago. ’ ~ .