THE TRAM.WAY SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13673, 14 February 1908, Page 6

THE TRAM.WAY SERVICE.

SERIOUS COMPLAINTS. SIDE ENTRANCES ADVOCATED. At ■' the : City Council meeting last evening a letter was read from Mr. Graves Aickiu regarding tho tramway service. Ho said that after five years' experience of the tramways concession it ' became a duty ■to look into the conditions of'agreement. The consensus of opinion ■ was that the equipment of, the service was a long way behind that of Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The cars elsewhere were more convenient and cleaner, and the original old car 3 here were said to have been bad at the start, and "rejects" of an Australian city. It was true that now cars had been commissioned, but the old "jingling rattletraps " remained, and the dust-making, noise-creating abominations were still with us. The powers given under the deed of delegation were full and • complete, and it was only just, in the interest of ratepayers, to inquire if the Council was exercising the : control conferred upon it. He urged that : the company had not fulfilled the agreement with regard to the number of cars. i - The letter was referred to the Electric and Tramways Committee. \ Mr. 0. J. Parr said the committee had given instructions to tho city solicitor to enforce the penalties against the company under the deed of delegation for failure to comply with the Council's conditions. Had the penalties been enforced? ~ . ,■ * 'The Mayor replied that the city solicitor i,had ■ all the papers, and was now going into the matter, and < upon receipt of his recommendation the Council would take action. < •■•'.■' < Mr. L. 'J. Bagnall thought the company should be notified to take off the noisy cars. The company had stated that .it was doing -all it could to get new cars, but it was mighty slow about it. > •. Mr. P. M. Mackay commented on the noise created by some cars,' and described it as an '•' unbearable nuisance." .

The Mayor remarked that the engineer had been instructed to report fully upon the electrical equipment, and when that report was received there would be something tangible to go upon. Mr. Mackay spoke of cars travelling down Symonds-street at excessive 'speed, and declared that frequently the speed from Karangahape Road to Wellcsley-street was between 25 • and 30 miles an hour. .

Mr. Tudehopo thought the committee should have looked more carefully at car 72 before licensing it. He felt that tho partition between the motorman and the inside of the car was a source of danger. , The conductor was unable to see the motorman, and in case of a runaway or an accident to the motorman it might be too late before the conductor knew. ...

Mr. Parr' urged that something should be done to stop the disgraceful scenes at the terminus in rush hours when a crowd of illmannered men rushed the cars and were guilty of brutality to women and children. He thought tho trouble would be greatly obviated if the cars had side entrances to each row of seats. , The Mayor said the design of car 72 was owing to the Government insisting upon that type. The Government objection was that a' glass partition behind the motorman. threw a reflection and in some way this modified the view. The responsibility rested with the Government, .."■■':■ xhe committee was instructed to consider tho matters brought up in the debate. . .