MAINTENANCE OF ROAD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19859, 1 February 1928, Page 13

MAINTENANCE OF ROAD.

TRAMWAY BOARD'S BURDEN. REQUEST MADE FOR RELIEF. PROBABILITY OF ASSISTANCE. [Btf TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. What was virtually a promise of assistance was made to a deputation from the Christchurch Tramway Board by the Main Highways Board to-day. The deputation frankly admitted that the Tramway Board could not pay its way, mentioning the possibility oiE a rate being struck for maintenance of the system. The Tramway Board was represented by Messrs. J. Wood (chairman), E H. Andrews, J. A. Flesher, and F. Thompson (general manager). Mr. Flesher said the Christchurch tramways had 53 miles of track, or 79 miles inclusive of loops. Maintenance last year cost £22,000. The Tramway Board had to maintain 17ft. BAin. of the road, to 18in. on each side of the tracks. Competition from the motorists had brought the Tramway Board to the position of being unable to pay its way. It might have to levy a rate to meet the cost of maintenance. There were 10,000 motor-vehicle owners in Christchurch, but the greatest part of the taxes paid by them went into the cofFers of the Main Highways Board. Such a body as the Tramway Board was .entitled to some share of the revenue, submitted Mr. Flesher. The law would have to be altered to carry this out. It cost the board £BOOO a year to maintain the actual roadway, which was a saving to the local bodies through which the trams passed. Favourable consideration was asked for a request that the Tramway Board share in highway benefits. It was a reasonable request, for the board only used the rails, and the roadway between the rails and 18in. outside them was maintained. Most of the vehicles used the tram tracks to run on—it had been proverbial that the tramway track had carried the heavy traffic of the city—and the board was in such a position that it had to have help from somewhere. Mr. F. W. Furkert, chairman of the Main Highways Board, said he agreed to a certain extent with Mr. Flesher. He thought the Tramway Board was as much entitled to assistance as a county council. If the Tramway Board made an application to the Highways Board it probably would receive a sympathetic hearing. The question would lie considered in plenty of time before Parliament met, so that the necessary legislation could be put through.