KEEPING DOWN THE DUST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12401, 14 October 1903, Page 7

KEEPING DOWN THE DUST.

.-■■■ TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— question of street-watering seems at present to bo the bone over which the loo! bodies have thought fit to wrangle with the Tramways Company. ■ That the question should have assumed an aspect reducing the eitv to the necessity of discussing it in conference with the company would seem to point to laxity in drawing up the deed of concession; in fact, it Would seem to be the most open of agreements. Is there anything at all in the deed binding on \ the company that it shall carry out, or is there a general optional clause or delicious vagueness in the mandatory seotions of the agreement which leaves it open to the company's representative to cfojcuss and confer when demand Is made to cany out the true intent of the contract? Now, in this street-watering business it has to be remembered that any agreement now entered into, whether in conjunction with other local bodies or not, any concession or grant made for the time being, without prejudice or not, implies a right to hereafter consideration, and that any right extended to the company to confer on any point by the mere act of conference implies inability on the part of the council to compel. At any rate, it does seem as between the company and the city that the tail wags the dog. Even on Sundays, when ordinary wheel traffic will be at a minimum, we will bear the cost of laying the dust occasioned by the traffic of a company which seeks on every hand to tako its pound of flesh. Why, Mi. Editor, look at our streets and the cost of altering their contour to suit the company's lines! I assert without fear of contradiction that many of the streets have been made up since the laying of the lines to suit the gradients of the company's rails. . Thousands of pounds have thus unnecessarily and unwarrantably been expended in the interests Of the company. Surely we, as ratepayers, have privileges in connection with those trams. Let, I say, these bo maintained, .and let the Council, while dealing in a liberal spirit with the company, see that the reservations set forth in the Ordcr-in-Council, are complied with by the company to whom has been delegated those powers. We, as ratepayers, do not expect Mr. Hansen to be generous. His company is here to make money muter its license and agreement. Let him stick to the terms of both, and not attempt to blow the,egg that produces the goose, because the egg may be- | come stale. —I am, ec, Electric Bubble.