LIGHTING AND TRAMS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 14198, 25 August 1919, Page 5

LIGHTING AND TRAMS.

COUNCILLOR CRABB’S VIEWS. Lighting and Power should he at once undertaken, and trams left in abeyance till ratepayers vote additional money. The proposals for electric power, lighting and tramways, which were discussed at the last meeting of the Borough Council, and will be placed before the ratepayers at the public meeting on Tuesday evening, arc a subject of general interest locally. In order to have as much light s£ possible cast on tlm subject, a “Times” reporter interviewed Mr E. H. Crabb, a member of the Borough Council, who has taken a great deal of interest in the proposals, and who was unable to attend the last meeting of the Council. In answer to a query as to whether he was surprised at the increase on the estimated cost of the tramways, Mr Crabb said, ‘'No, not at all. The increase in the cost, of rails and aIJ other appliances makes it evident that the cost must be very largely _ imf creased, and it seems to me there in fi® doubt that the cost is likely to W higher than as stated by Mr Black, as he apparently based his estimates upon the prices ruling within the past three months. Since then there have bee* very large increases in all metal goods because of higher wages and the increased price of coal.” “What do you consider tho_ best course to pursue, under the circumstances?” Mr Crabb was asked. “In mv opinion, ’ ’ he said, '' there is bo doubt at all as to the wisest course to follow, and I wired the Council accordingly when I found it was utterly impossible for mo to be at the meeting. The power house and reticulation for light and power should be gone on with immediately, and should be treated as separate from the tramways proposals, thus enabling the Council to ao on with a proposal about which there is no doubt at all, and leaving the tramways’ proposals to the decision of the ratopapers later on.’ In reply to a question as to whether, owing to* the enormous increased cost, he thought the tramways should be abandoned, Mr Crabb said: “I am not prepared to say at present. As far as I can see, the increased interest ana working expenses would mean that we would have to got at least double the revenue estimated in order to avoid a very heavy loss. That would mean that the fares would have to be twopenny ones,' and that the sections would have to bo pretty short. Of course, the present position is that the ratepayers have given instructions for the tramways’ proposals to be gone on with, and under ordinary circumstances, I should not even raise such a question, but seeing that the ■whole matter must now bo submitted to the ratepayers, I think the question of other methods of traction should bo carefully gone into, more especially as a general purposes loan of over £150,000 has already been practically authorised by the Council. This includes a sum of £60,000 for concreting the principal streets to the extent of 12 to 14 miles, and a further sura of £BOOO for electric vehicles. The point 1 wish to make is that the interests of the town would bo best served by directing the Council to proceed with the powerhouse, and providing light and power, without attaching to it the responsibility of going on with the trams; leaving that question, as I have stated, to be settled by the vote of the ratepayers by a poT for the additional amount of money.”