AUCKLAND TRAMWAYS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1847, 31 July 1907, Page 2

AUCKLAND TRAMWAYS

THE OVERCROWDING DIFFICULTY. THE MAYOR TAKES ACTION. OFFER TO PURCHASE. AUCKLAND, July 25. The City Council held a special meeting to-day to consider the proposal to amend the by-laws to allow a certain number of passengers to stand in tramcars. A deputation from the Tramways Union strongly protested against the proposal. The matter was eventually referred back to the committee for reconsideration. The Mayor (Mr Myers) has -addressed the following letter to Mr C. G. Tegetmeier, chairman of directors of the Auckland Electric Tramways Company, Ltd., London:—■ You will doubtless be somewhat surprised to receive a communication from me of a nature which you had probably not expected, but it is only after very careful consideration that I take the liberty of addressing' you upon the present unsatisfactory position of the Auckland electric tramways, which I have had to consider both from the point of view of my position as Mayor of this city and also as. a citizen not wholly unconnected with the local enterprise. You must be aware from advices of your general manager of the friction that has arisen on various grounds between the company and the different local bodies through whose districts the tramways are laid, and are doubtless advised of the acute stage which matters have now reached. The more serious causes ot the dissatisfaction which is at present so freely expressed are insufficiency of rolling stock to carry the passenger traffic, the condition of such rolling stock, and the apparent insufficiency ol electric power to enable the service to be carried out without vexatious delays. There are, in addition, many other points in regard to which local requirements are apt met so readily as is desired —all helping to swell the prevailing dissatisfaction. • Public feeling runs very high on these matters. I. need not, however, enlarge on them, but merely emphasise them in order to bring clearly before you tlie tact that a good deal of the trouble might be obviated were the supreme management of the company located In this city, ft is apparent that where reference has to be made from one side of the -world to tlie other, and replies awaited before different questions of more or less local urgency can be decided, a considerable amount of annoyance and irritation is thereby caused which could be avoided if such questions could be determined by a board situated on tlie spot. In the three other principal cities tramways are owned by the municipalities, and an impression prevails that they are managed with much more regard to tlie public convenience than in Auckland. To pub the matter into practical shape, I would venture to ask for a reply to the following question: Is your company prepared to negotiate for the sale of the whole of its interests in the Auckland electric tramways to a local tramways board, which -would obtain legislative authority to acquire and work the concern on behalf and l'or the benefit of the various local bodies interestedr if so, upon what basis can the price to he paid be assessed? I am, I think, correct in assuming that over forty per cent, of year shares are at present held by *ha public of Auckland, and the Ueitf.-h t'lwa'iv Ti'a>-ii<>n Company owns the rean inUer. 1 trust, you will see y- . t > -end a representative to AucUiat.iy :he earliest pos-