WELLINGTON TRAMWAYS.

New Zealand Mail, 20 August 1902, Page 17

WELLINGTON TRAMWAYS.

ORDER-IN-COUNCIL BLOCKED

COAIAIISSION OF INQUIRY

APPOINTED

Inquiries have been made from time to time as to what had become of the Order-in-Couucil authorising the construction of the Wellington city tramways. It transpires now that the Government, having the best interests of munieipalisation at heart, but being afraid lest any injustice should be done by the Wellington City Council to the interests of the Island Bay portion of the suburbs, has been taking great pains to prevent the work of tramway construction being unduly hurried.

It will he remembered that oil 14th April last a protest was entered by Messrs Baylis and lleid, through Mr T. Al. Wilford, solicitor, against an order being made by his Excellency the Governor under the Tramways Act, 1894, authorising the construction of electric tramways in the city of Wellington. That protest suggested that an in' .

or Commission should be appointed pending the issue of an authorisation order. Attached to the protest was an objection by Messrs Reid and Baylis, in which they contended that whereas a loan was in the first instance carried on the distinct understanding that the extension of the tramway should take place to “Island Bay in the borough of Melrose,” and whereas on 18th February, 1902, a poll was taken “to supersede the separate proposals already sanctioned by the electors to borrow the sums of £225,000. £55,000 and £50,000.” nevertheless on 18th February the words in the voting paper used for the last-mentioned poll were altered in that the words “to Island Bay in the borough of MelrOse” were left out, and the words “with an extension of such tramway in the borough of Melrose” inserted in lieu thereof. Messrs Reid and Baylis prayed that the Government would refer their objections to his Excellency, and that an inquiry as to the lagality and propriety of the City Counoirs action should be held before the authorising order was issued. On tho 13th Mr Wilford received the following notification from the Undersecretary for Public Works: —“In view of the representations and objections made by Messrs Baylis and Reid in the document attached to the letter of I4th April last, the Minister has deemed it desirable to advise his Excellency the Governor to direct that an inquiry should be held in connection therewith before an -Order-in-Councii authorising tho construction of the Wellington city tramways is issued, and his Excellency has now been pleased to appoint Mr Haselden, Stipendiary- Magistrate, to act as referee accordingly as per copy of appointment enclosed herewith.” The appointment is made under The powers conferred by the Tramways Act, 1894, and Mr Haselden is directed to inquire in public in Wellington into all

and every objection and representation on the subject and to furnish a report °

thereon within six weeks from this date.

Mr Haselden will sit at the Magistrate’s Court at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the 27th inst., for the purpose above Btated.