THE TRANSIT QUESTION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9856, 25 July 1914, Page 6

THE TRANSIT QUESTION.

(TO TBS XDITOX.) Sir—l have up to the present refriifted from taking; part in this oontWJTMsy, m being practically a ni>w-ooufcr to tnfe to*n I .might bfe told 1 kiio# nothing ifcjjJUt. the matter. But I do not reaßy tmnk'tfte {ftffrstion of motor buses has been jf*of*etly thrashed out. It is far better to tako the opinion of those who have seen the beneficial working of these in London and other targe cities at Home than to go by tli© experiments of smaller citiftß of the Dominion. That tramways are beooming obsolete is more and more becoming realised. They impede other traffic, which very often in turn impedes them. This does not happen to the more nimble motor bus- Another thing, improving tlife roads to bring them lup to the requisite standard required for j this service is an improvement in a general [way, whereas laying tramlines is very far from that. The benefit, too, of so easily changing the routes, the greater convenience to the public m being able to b© picked up from tho sidtfc of th> road, tod a number of other advantages' all tend to favour motor buses. As I said above, I may be tolcl I know nothing about it. but I hate been a little further than Whatritfonga in mv time, and am not slow at observation I am, etc., ARTHUR BULL,

("TO THB iMTOK.i Sir,--In consequence of seeing' the notice announcing a pubUc meeting convened by ; the Progressive League to consider the trim question, I was one of the very few ratepayers that assembled at the Empire Hall to consider the question of transit for the people of this borough. But, sir, I am very sorry I wasted fay time over the matter, for if the attendance at the meeting is anything to go by (and I certainly: think it is>, theft the" people of this town do not want transit at all, for certainly there is no interest whatever 6hoWn in this* question. And I think the people are very right, too, for ill careful thinking people can coin© to no other conclusion than that Palmerston, as laid out, is most unsuitable for the successful i-anning of electric. trams. It appears to be impossible to fix a route that will be convenient for the great bulk of the residents, which will mean that, after the novelty of the new service has worn off, r they will only be used by those who are f&vouwkl bvhaving the service laid close to their residences. That will mean that there will be a loss at the end of the year, which will have to bo met by a special rate, and those who receive littlo or no benefit will have to pay to make | up the loss occasioned by giving a oopvenjience to a favoured few. Nows sir, do not think I am a* pessjmfiist; far, from fa I very much believe in progress.' but''it must be sound progress, and theh all the residents will benefit, I have recently come,from one of the Wellington eurburban boroughs, and the experience I gained there is enough to make any man pause and think well before voting for arty targe undertaking. We had a very optimistic ro9y tongued pian at the head of affairs, who induced th<e ratepayers to borrow and spend a lot of money in the i borough, telling them tttt the improved conveniences wouid soon induce 4h increase of residents, but the increase in population never took place, and now the ratepayers are groaning under the heavy rates they have to pay. And so it will be with PSliaerston if the ratepayers do not open their eye* and snuff out any wild cat schemes that may be brought before them 1 understand the Progressive League intend calling a ; monster meeting of ratepayers with a view of trying to force the hand of the Council to go on with the trams. I would like to warn ratepayers to be very careful before they join with the League in trying to influence the Council in the putting down of electric trams. I think, sir. if the League is in earnest for the general welfare of the borough as a whole, it should allow an open discujfeibn for or against the pfc/posal. and not bar a speaker, as -they did me.—l am, etc., "THE STRANGER." Palmerston North. July 24. (To thi EmtOß.) Sir,—Your footnote to the letter of a correspondent of yesterday in the matter of the tramways is a little misleading. The trolley system proposal was not rejected because it was the trolley system, but because it was for a restricted route and plant of an unnecessary elaborate nature; because it contained a subway, and the Main street route was not' popular, and chiefly because all the anti-every things, all the would-be promoters of motor bus companies, and a fair proportion of the Council of that time declaimed against trams in general and the scheme in particular. All those who intended to endeavour to get a traction monopoly with a motor bus service, a great many selfish people who, possessing motor cars or bicycles, cared nothing for the general welfare Of others, organised strongly, and utilising motor cars on the day of the poll, managed to defeat, by a majority of little more than 100, the proposal which had previous-: ly been carried by a majority of nearly: 300. If a trolley system wore constructed here on the same economical basis as that at Wanganui, its cost would certainly, not exceed that (mile for mile) of the y river» town; and there is not the smallest; doubt but that a proposal for a trolley tramway covering the route suggested for the Edisorf battery scheme would be carried by a large majority, provided of course, that the construction be similar to that at Wanganui. It is improbable that, the majority of tramway supporters are very much concerned as to whether we adopt a trolley or battery system, but they are united on ono pointj and that is that a poll should be taken Without wasting more tiihe on tramway bargain hunting. The fiorough has argued and debated the tranrway question for five years and is certainly ho wiser with regard to the matter thai* when it began. It may fairly be said that a town that is unable to make up its mind in five years is a miracle of indecision.—l am, etc., Win. PINCHAM, Hon. Sec, Palmerston North Progressive ' League.