VEHICULAR FERRY SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20480, 4 February 1930, Page 14

VEHICULAR FERRY SERVICE.

Sir, —I would liko to draw your attention to the following facts, which appear to emphasise the great need for a harbour bridgo. On Tuesday, January 28, I arrived at tho vehicular ferry landing at Auckland, intending to travel by tho 5.15 p.m. boat to Birkenhead, but, together with other cars, I was cut out because the boat was full. It went only to Northcote, unloaded there, and came back to pick up the 13 cars waiting in Auckland. One result of this inability of the present ferry service to cope with the present traffic offering at tho advertised time of departure was that the cars waiting at Birkenhead to catch tho SAO p.m. trip to Auckland had to wait while this extra trip was being made. The special importance to me of this delay was tho fact that I, a. medical man, was delayed for over half an hour in attending to a man so seriously injured in a motor-car accident that he died subsequently in the Auckland Hospital. 1 do not say that if the Ferry Company had been able to cope with the traffic offering tho man's life would have been saved, but most certainly he would have been spaied more than half an hour s suffering. My experience on this Tuesday is not the only instance of these exasperating delays. The same thing happened to me on December 31 last year, and many other residents of Birkenhead will bear me out when I state that 1 am not the only one thus inconvenienced. Pending the arrival of the bridge, now long overdue, it would be very much to the terry Company's interest to maintain a regular time-table and to endeavour to establish a faster and more frequent service. Birkenhead. I. W. Cbaven, M.D.

OBSCURITY OF STREET NAMES. Sir.—The article entitled "A Glimpse of Auckland," contributed by "A Londoner," which appeared in your issue of Saturday last would be read with interest, not only by residents of Auckland, but also by visitors to your city. After according a well-deserved meed of praise to Auckland and its environs, "A Londoner" went on to say:—"There is one annoying thing about Auckland, and that is "the obscurity of the street names. It is diflicult to fine one's exact position in the town without asking. A map is useless when the street names are not plainly written at every crossing." Every visitor to Auckland will endorse this statement, as in the main streets name-plates are conspicuous by their absence. The only name-plate in Queen Street is practically obliterated by age, while in Ivarangahape Road the only plate in evidence is attached to an obscure building in a remote part of the street. In Remuera Road — a leading thoroughfare upwards of two miles in length—a single name-plate, is to be seen. I will admit that the small streets in the various suburbs are clearly designated, and why the marking of the main streets should have been neglected is a mystery to visitors to your city. I am surprised that "A Londoner" did not refer to the inadequate marking of the tram stops in the city and suburbs. I have been a resident of Auckland for over two months and only a few day.| ago discovered that a white band on a telephone or electric light pole indicated a tram stop. In every other city in Australia and New Zealand tramcar stopping places are indicated by white or red discs clearly marked "Tram- Stop." Section termini should also be indicated as is done in other cities throughout Australasia. In conclusion, I may say that although I am practically a newcomer to your city I am continually being bombarded with questions from visitors as to names of streets, tram stops, etc. Auckland has easily the largest floating population of any New Zealand city, and it is the duty of the City Council and the Transport Board to provide reasonable facilities that would enable strangers to make their way a\out the city without asking innumerable questions and making many inquiries. Agenda.