THE TRAMWAYS BILL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15715, 7 September 1911, Page 4

THE TRAMWAYS BILL.

PROTEST AGAINST PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. [Fr.on Our Correspondent.]

WELLINGTON, September 6.

Members of Parliament have received a circular from Mr G. T. Booth, chairman of the Christchurch Tramway Board, regarding tho Tramway Act Amendment Bill now before the House. The circular draws attention to the amendment proposed by Mr Davey, providing that all cars constructed in future shall have a passage way. from one end of tho 'car to the other and that tho tramway authorities must every yoar convert ten per cent of the existing cars. . The circular points out that tho only argument in favour of the proposed change appears to be that the - conductor would be less subject to accident, and that no consideration for tho publio or lor tho general efficiency of the tramway servico soems to onter in. “As a matter of fact,” continues tho circular, “ accidents to conductors are exceedingly f.ew considering the number employed and the general exigencies of tho service. Where accidents have happened to conductors on the footboards they have, in tho majority of cases, been due to tho conductor’s recklessness. Tho inherent and inevitable risk is not worth consideration in comparison with tho risks taken by many other citizens in tho course of their daily occupation." Mr Booth states that cs against this very slender and _ problematical advantage, the following considerations must bo set:

(1) That “centre aisle” cars do not permit the ingress and egress of passengers as expeditiously as the sideentrance cars. This would result in serious delays to traffic and so would provp inconvenient to the travelling public. (2) That if conductors were compelled to collect fares from the .centra of the cars tbey_ would bo encouraged to give the starting signal while standing insido the car without seeing clearly that passongers had safely boarded or alighted. The Board contends that the interests of the publio are best safeguarded if tho conductor is either on the ground or on the footboard of the car when tho starting signal is

given, and that , the rislc of accident to passengers would bo immeasurably increased by the proposed method of protecting tlie conductors. (3) That in the event of accident it is important that tho conductor should be able to either reach the rear ond brakes quickly or assist the injured person promptly, and tho chances of his being prevented by passengers in the excitement of tho moment from doing this are much greater in a centre aisle car than in a side-ontrance oar. In a serious acci. dent which happened in Auckland some years ago it was proved that might have been averted if_ two female passengers had not in theit alarm clung to the tramway official and absolutely prevented him from; doing as much to avoid the impending) accident as he might have done.

(4) That the cost of altering existing cars would be considerable, and this added burden would be thrown upon the finances of the several systems, most of which are publicly owned and are not run for profit. (5) That tho seating capacity of the cars would be much reduced. In the Board’s present rolling-stock no fewer than 182 seats would be lost. This, in conjunction with other Government regulations, would necessitate the construction of more cars for the convenience of tho present trafflo. The capital _ cost of a new oar (about £1250) is not tho only consideration. Tho operating costs would bo mucli increased' without any corresponding increase of revenue. A car in constant traffio runs about ISO miles a day. Tho cost of operation only averages 8.936 d per miio, which amounts to about £2460 per annum.

(6) That tho above representations, are endorsed by the fact that tho Nowi South Wales Government, which con-j trols tho tramways of Sydney and Newcastle, and operates no fewer than 1146 tra meal’s along streets much more congested with vehicular traffio than those in New Zealand, has long sinco discontinued tho construction cr Centre aisle cars; further, that the presout Christchurch cars have been approved by the Publio Works Dopartment.

(7) That In view of the. foregoing, considerations the Board submits that tho proposed amendment is not only, unnecessary but inadvisablo.