FIFTY YEARS AGO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22183, 9 August 1935, Page 8

FIFTY YEARS AGO

TRAFFIC IN QUEEN STREET Even half a century ago Auckland had its traffic problems. The horse tramB —it was in August, 1884, that the first of these vehicles began running from Queen Street to Ponsonby—were experiencing a period of expansion, but the hackney cabs were still a popular mode of travel. Complaints were made' that garrulous cab drivers interfered with Queen Street traffic when they Btopped their vehicles for a chat. " Owing to the great waste of time at recent meetings of the City Council, a great deal of urgent business Jhas had fco be shelved," stated the New Zeadand Hbbald of August 10, 1885. " A notice of motion has been standing on bhe order paper for several weeks regarding the manner in which hackney cairriages perambulate the streets at a i*erv slow pace, and thus obstruct the traffic. The motion is that the Legal Committee frame a by-law dealing with the matter, and enforcing on drivers the necessity for remaining on lie regular, authorised stands when waiting for fares or hire. Many complaints have been made concerning the obstruction caused by the practice of drivers leaving the stands in this fashion, for it frequently occurs that two of these perambulating cabs meet at a street crossing, ana stop while the drivers carry on conversation. The traffic of Queen Street especially should not be impeded in this way."