FIFTY YEARS AGO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22240, 15 October 1935, Page 6

FIFTY YEARS AGO

TRAMWAY TRAFFIC The work of extending the Auckland tramway system. into the suburbs was proceeding rapidly half a century ago. The progress is described in the following extract from the New Zealand Herald of October 16, 1885: — "The travelling facilities offered to the public by the new time-table of the Tramway Company are very materially increasing the traffic returns. Last week 16,000 passengers were carried, being 3000 over the average. It is intended to open the eastern circuit as far as Khyber Pass on Monday week, and as a preliminary 25 horses were yesterday brought in from the St. Heliers Bay ©state, and placed in the stables in Customs Street West. From this depot the horßes will be taken for working the eastern circuit. "Next week it is intended to open the trenches in Wellesley Street East, with the view of constructing the section connecting Symonds Street, and cutting out for passengers travelling from Khyber Pass and Mount Eden, the necessity of making a detour via Karangahape Road, Hobson Street and Wellesley Street West, in order to reach Queen Street." [Some idea of the enormous increase in passenger traffic on the trams since that time is given by the fact that tht» average number of people carried weekly last year was 862,878.]