POWER OR TRAMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17375, 23 January 1920, Page 4

POWER OR TRAMS.

An important, question of policy, arising out of the continued shortage of coal supplies, has been referred by the City Council to the judgment of its Public Services Committee. The risk of deliveries to its two power stations falling below bare requirements was almost realised recently, and the Mayor suggested to the council that definite plans should be made against such an eventuality. He expressed the opinion that failing adequate supplies for the maintenance of both the power and the tramway services, the available coal should be conserved for the generation of current for industrial and lighting purposes by the curtailment of the tramways time-table. The wisdom of this policy [will be generally endorsed. Electricity from the city power-station now plays so large a part in tb.e industrial activity of the city that restrictions upon its use would inevitably entail the suspension of operations and consequently render large numbers of workers idle. The curtailment of the tram services would involve much inconvenience, but this result would obviously not be comparable with the loss and hardship of unemployment. In. such circumstances as the Miyor suggests, the workers of the city would no doubt resent the absence of accustomed transport facilities and appreciate the cause of their embarrassment, but they could hardly fail to realise the wisdom of a policy that preserved their means of livelihood at no greater cost to the individual than a compulsory journey on foot between his home and his work. Should the necessity arise, the council's committee might also,, consider the advisability of eliminating the service!) within the first one or two sections from the foot of Queen Street, concentrating the available cars on the outer sections for the relief of those residing in the distant suburbs. By such an arrangement the worker from Onehunga' might be assured of transport between his homo and say Khyber Pass, whereas the distribution of an attenuated service over the whole system might result in the overcrowding of the cars by short-dis-tance passengers, compelling the Onehunga and Grey Lynn people to walk the whole distance from the city to their homes,