TRAMWAY MATTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13484, 10 May 1907, Page 6

TRAMWAY MATTERS.

REGULATION. OF.. SPEED. .■ QUEEN-STREET REPAIRS AND NEW ." CARS.' At the meeting of ' the City Council last evening the Finance Committee reported' as follows in regard to the riders "added to their verdict by the jury at the inquest on the late Mr. Huxtable, who died as the result of a tramway accident in Karangahapo Road:—" (1) The *- committee is of opinion that as the liability rests on the Tramways Company, with respect to the rate of speed, no action should be taken ;V (2) with regard to the use of salt water, it is expected that next season the Tramways Company will be watering the streets, in which tram lines are laid by means of the electric sprinkler." Mr. C. J. Parr took exception to the clause in the report referring to the speed of cars. He thought the Council should make regulations in regard to the speed of cars, particularly in such thoroughfares as Karangahape Road, where a fatal accident had recently occurred in connection with a car which was travelling at a high rata of speed. He moved, " That the clause be referred back to the committee."

Mr. G. Knight, in seconding the motion, said that he had had complaints of the high speed at which cars travelled. \ • The motion, was earned, and the clause was accordingly referred back. • • Mr. P. M. Hansen, managing director of the Tramways Company, . stated in a letter that some of the new stopping signs had already been fixed, and the remainder of the old ones within the city would be replaced in due course. The new signs were being. fixed in such a way -that the cars would always stop. in future before crossing a street. : . He suggested to the Council the advisability of arranging, "as far as Queen-street is concerned, for a white line to be drawn, between the rails, across the track, at the recognised stopping places, so as'to make it known' to the motormen exactly -where . they have to stop. . : : \ At present motormen sometimes stop within a certain distance ~ either' before or after the •stopping sign, and this uncertainty was inconvenient to, the travailing public. ,If the innovation proved to be a success in Queen-street, it could be extended to other main stopping places.within the city. The repairs in Queen-street, he expected, would be completed by - the end of next' week, when the running•, of the ordinary traffic would be resumed. The two additional cars, promised for the end of this month, were well advanced, and he had every reason to believe that they would both be ready for service before that time. Mr. Walklate, the new general manager, was expected to arrive next Monday, and it was requested that in future all,letters be addressed -to the general. manager, and he would from then deal with the detail management of the company, while Mr. Hansen would .continue to act as the board of directors' sole representative in Auckland. It was decided, on the motion of the Mayor,..to inform Mr. ; Hansen that the Council had no objection to the drawing of a white line across the tracks in Queenstreet being undertaken by the company, subject to the supervision of the city engineer. ' ."/."

\ Mr'. Hansen also reported having received advice of the shipment of four complete car equipments, two being intended for the two promised this : month, and two evidently for extra cars to be provided. ■"..'„• Mr. H.M. Smeeton pointed out that extensions to Mount Eden and Mount-Roskill were to be carried out shortly, and if it was, desired that the present service should not be depleted to stock the new lines, the Council should take steps to urge the company -to make early provision for extra cars. Unless something was done, and the service was short of accommodation, there would be a recurrence of a prolific crop of complaints. v 'f ,■,■■:. ./, ' "•-. ■'' ■ '. Dr. Stopford, in seconding the' motion,' agreed that the Tramways Company should be* urged to make immediate provision of further ■ cars ' for the new sections ' to be carried out; '■ The Council should do its V best to obviate the disgraceful crushing scenes experienced in the past, crushing which had been attended with injury, the speaker having lately had under ' his care two children who had received injuries in a crush at a tramcar. , • v

~; The Mayor remarked that Mr. Smeeton's motion was in the right direction. The extension of the i lines necessitated further cars, and it was the duty of the Council to go carefully into the matter, and get a report from the engineer as to the exact position. ' ' ~. ,- ~• ' . ;', _. ;, . .Mr. Smeeton's motion, referring the matter to the Finance Committee, was carried. The Streets Committee - recommended that the present stopping place at .'. Eng-land-street, on the College Hill tram line, be allowed to be moved to the east Bide of that street, on trial for three months. :/ The recommendation was adopted.