THE TRAMWAY BOARD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 14060, 15 May 1906, Page 3

THE TRAMWAY BOARD.

THE APPROACHING ELECTION. The present Tramway Board having drawn very near to the period of its dissolution, and the.city being more or less agitated as to the necessity cf appointing a mow Board, a “ Lyttelton Times” representative yesterday made some inquiries touching the position and attitude of the present Board so far as its possible future was concerned. It appears that the whole of the Board, with one exception, intends to seek reelection, even in tho face of the fact that it is to be opposed by an organised ticket nominated by the Political Labour League and by a number , of other free lances, whose claims are based upon such varying platforms as tho benefits of prohibition and the wickedness of the 'alternate extensions to St Albans. Seeking out Mr W. Reece, the chairman of the•• Board, the reporter found him busy, but courteous as ever. So far as he himself was concerned, Mr Reece was candour itself. “I had.” he said, "no intention of standing again until quite lately, 'being desirous of cutting down some of my public work, with a view to giving myself more leisure to attend to my own business. I had 1 no idea when standing for election upon the Board in the first instance that • the whole of tho present contracts would not be completed during our first period of office. We had expected that the lines would all be running smoothly before now. But it Ims boon pointed out to me that so many matters remain in abeyance, in the course of settlement, that' might present difficulties to a new Board, and consequently (risk, of serious financial loss to the community, that I have decided to offer myself once more as a candidate, reserving, to'myself the right to retire, if elected, when the course appears clearer than at present,” When asked what course the other members of the Board intended to adopt, Air Reece said that ho understood that practically all of them thought as,, he did upon the subject, and that they would seek re-election in the belief that, the desirability-of a continuous policy until the work in hand was completed would be recognised by the ratepayers. Mr Reece, when questioned further as to the matters which were still in abeyance, pointed out that the Board was involved in litigation with the contractors over a sum which meant a great deal to the? city. Ho believed that the Board bad a good case against the contractors, but the matter had try go to arbitration, and it was desirable in this case alone to hat® the same Board a cting« as had initiated the proceedings. H© further pointed out that the negotiations with the City and Suburban line and the old Tramway Company were not yet completed l in the matter of taking over pre-existing lines, and that it Mas advisable that these should be watched by the men who were primarily responsible for them. It had been expected that the whole system would have been in working order before a second, election, but _ as it was not it was surely a fair thing to ask

the ratepayers to allow the men who bad given their time and their energy to following the establishment of the system, to see It in working ..order before asking them to relinquish their duties to others. He did not dispute for a moment that there might be citizens just as capable of watching the interests of tho city where its tramways were concerned as tho present Board, hut ho did think that, with the experience they had gained during the last three years, the present Board ought to he allowed to complete the system before being replaced. As a matter of fact, he and his colleagues practically felt that they had a public duty to perform in. offering themselves for re-election.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—An article in your issue of this morning having reference to the proposed tramway elections, informs your readers that a good deal of support is being promised to tho members of the Board who are seeking re-election “on the ground that they should bp given an opportunity of completing a system which has been begun under their administration.” In this connection I may, perhaps, be permitted to express the opinion, that it is a great mistake for tho personnel of any public body to remain unaltered for any considerable length of time. Fresh blood means fresh ideas, and not infrequently bettor ones; also, if any mistakes have been made in the past or any abuses have crept into the administration of any public body, new members have tho opportunity of correcting the errors of their predecessors, and of putting matters on a more satisfactory footing. As to the coming Tramway Board elections, these are likely, (judging from present 'indications, to bo keenly contested, and it seems probable that at least several of the present members null not be re-elected.—l am, etc., BUSINESS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—-It is one of the wonders of modern civilisation that a number of the most level-headed business men and citizens when gathered together into a Board, will behave exactly after the fashion of the wise men of Gotham. In particular, take the. case of the Tramway Board and the proposed St Albans linp. A map of Christchurch, a slight knowledge of the city, and- a foot-rule are sufficient to convince most people of the following facts:—(l) The two lines at present serving the city north of Worcester Street, follow Victoria Street and Stanmore Road. (2) Over the area between these lines (south of Bealey Avenue) the density of population is about the same, excepting the comparatively small space occupied by the Avon and the cemeteries. (3) The streets that most nearly divide 'this block into halves are Madras and Barbadoes Streets. Then surely, however it waggles when north of the Avenue, the proper way for the new line to roach the Avenue, so as to serve most equitably and efficiently-the northern part.of the Central Ward, is by means of , Madras or Barbadoes Street.—l am, etc., QUOD ERAT DEMONSTRANDUM.