THE TRAMWAY QUESTION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9855, 24 July 1914, Page 6

THE TRAMWAY QUESTION.

(To THi Edrob.) Sfr,—l ha\e just come in from the meet ing called by the Progressive League for the purpose of hurrying on the tramway scheme, disgusted beyond words at the in activity and dulnew of the ratepayers cf this town, where matters of such vital in-k-rest as trams are concerned. There were about 30 people as the meeting when there should have been 300. It is most di&appom|jng. Where were the Progressive League members and the Councillors who think they have the interests of the town at heart, and who have pledged themselves to support trams? Did they think it was too far to walk to the Empire Hall? Are we to endure this rail-silting on the tramway question indefinitely? , Let us all gat busy and push ahead the scheme far trams as hard as we can, and have done with this shameful inactivity.—l am. etc., TRAM BNTHUSIAST/ Palmerston North, 23rd July, 1914. fro tot iDiTpa.l Sir,—Having been at the meeting of the Progressive League last evening, I am both astonished {hid disgusted with the lack of interest taken in so important a question as tramways in this town, and tfiink it quite time that the people were- galvanised into some action. Still, one can understand that after so much shelving and inactivity on the part of the Borough Council they have lest nearly all interest in the matter.

Speaking from a woman's point of view (seeing that the men are taking, so little interest), it is time the women took it up, and, as one who doesn't understand these things thoroughly, I want to know why the Mayor and previous Council turned down the overhead trolley system, although the poll was carried by the ratepayers. That Council was put out, and a so-ealled progressive one put in its place, and still no trams! It is not the Mayor and councillors who have to bear all the expense, but the ratepayers, so why are their wishes ignored? The overhead trolley is throughly tsied and tested in all parts of the world, not only all important towns of Zealand, so why quibble over cheaper , systems which may be dearer in the end ? Only one storage battery system exists in the Dominion, and that is only li miles in length, and, therefore, not a fair test as a system. •. . ... <m> .. '■■■ I advise all tram pessismists to take a trip to Wanganui. Having visited it myself many times before, and once since trams wore installed, I found that from a comparatively dead town it has leaped into a busy city. And yefc how people (chiefly Palniorstonians) prophesied its everlasting ruin! But not 60 the Wanganui-ites; they wore not afraid^because they knew it would make their town, and rightly so. I notice that among other schemes shortly to be brought before the ratepayers of Palmerston North is one for a recreation ground in the remote region of North street. It seems to me to be the height of folly when we already have one, very beautiful and one worth visiting, of which we cannot take full advantage, because we have no means of transit thereto. I for orfe will not vote for any scheme until, trams are brought before the ratepayers.—l am, etc.. OPTIMIST. Palmerston North. July 24. , ["Optimist* ie incorrect in stating the Mayor and Council turned down the overhead trolley system. It was the ratepayers who, by a majority vote, decided against the overhead scheme submitted* though a previous poll had favoured the system.]