TAKAPUNA TRAMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17571, 9 September 1920, Page 5

TAKAPUNA TRAMS.

FURTHER EVIDENCEi HEARD* ENGINEER GIVES HIS VIEWS. The Takapuna Tramways Commission continued- its sittings yesterday morning, - Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., presiding. --'_-- ~ The cross-examination of A. M, Sea- " man -was continued by Mr. Brawn, counsel for the company. "In reference,to the question of providing certain extra!* boat" l and toon trips, witness said that if these trips would cost the company a further £2000 a year the cost would be too great. At this stage' Mr. Brown stated that the company suggested a mere adjustment of the fares without any increase in revenue. . '-[ It asked for 100 per cent, increase .in the tram fares, and was willing to have"the-' boat fare restricted to the charge made by " the Devonport Steam Ferry Company; If the commission could not see its way to consider, a 100 per cent, increase it might be prepared .to consider 50 per cent., and. ~.. his company was "still prepared to enter into an agreement restricting charges "on i the boat. .- u •_

Continuing, -witness said v . a late ; beat -would tend to increase and so add; 1 to the: revenue--of* titer:t»jn ;; - pany. Increasing * the fares on the trams without increasing - the total 'fares rnrould tend toincrease land values at'Bayswater. and retard," if riot decrease,- values at the opposite end'of Takaptma. • •*,""' * J Alfred Greville Walker, civil eggiflee*; L'.\" said he ,had been in charge of the Auckland Electric -Tramways track for—eighfr years. He had. frequently been a summer <4 resident of Takapuna, but had no "in- »« terests there. When the tram ' tracks ■were being laid he had frequently visited the -work. Recently he had - reported on a comprehensive scheme of road improvements for the. Devonport; Borough Council, and had taken the levels of the grades of most of the roads, including Lake Road. The record plan of the Takapuna Tramways showed that the grxde of Bayswater Rise and Burton's Fill was 1 in 25. There was very little approach at the Bayswater Rise, and there was a turn at the top. These two factors tended to aggravate the grade: After the line had been open for some time the grade at Bayswater had been eased, but it was still too steep for economical steam traction. The standard grade on the NewZealand Railways was 1 is 50. the worst being on the Mamaku Hill. 1 in 35. Had he been putting down the line he did not think he would have followed the Bayswater route, but would have put down, the line from Devonport, though this-would cot have been the. better engineering route. "From the revenue pomtT of -view,, he would decidedly have adopted/,the (J Devonport route. ' Taking all -factors-into "'" :onsideration the Devonport . roufe.-rwould lave been the better. After further, examining the witness jer

garding the Devonport route, Mr. .Broken,, said the present, company was f ortued, by' men interested in land along the present route, and would under no consideration have gone to Devonport. Frederick Henry Wood, retired auc- ; tioneer, residing at Milford, said all the trams should go round the lake, and an extension of the service was needed to satisfy public demands. He considered an increase in fares would have a detri- ' mental effect on the borough. A. mere adjustment of the fares would adversely affect the Milford residents.

The commission adjourned until 10 a.m. to-morrow. ■ ...