THE TRAMWAY PROPOSALS

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4315, 26 March 1901, Page 5

THE TRAMWAY PROPOSALS

A PROTEST FROM ARO STREET. The Aro street Hall was well filledJ ast evening by residents of Upper Willis street, Wordsworth street and the sur-

rounding district, called together to consider the City Council’s tramway proposals. Mr John Collins, who presided, explained the 'business of the meeting, and called on Mr John Nicol to move a resolution. v Mr Nicol moved, “That this meetings urges the City Council to' include, in its. proposals the extension of the tramways to the west end of Aro street.” ; Mr Nicol stated that the City Council proposed to spend:a quarter of. a million on the tramways extension, and he considered the money should be spent in such a manner as to'give the benefit to the ratepayers. Now that the tramways were in the hands of the Corporation, he thought the extension should include their district, which was an extensively populated one. Instead of branching off at Webb street, as proposed by the City Engineer, the extension should go to Aro street. The bulk . of the people would ride if they had a tram at their doors, and he was sure the service would be remunerative. The Te Aro end of the city was the most thickly populated, and the majority of people visiting Karori went through Aro street. Mr D. M. Brooks, in seconding the resolution, stated there were at present 400 householders around Aro street. That number would be doubled if they had a tramway service. There was also a large population on the surrounding hills. He was of opinion the district would pay as well as any other tramway extension in the city. Councillor Barber, who was invited by the previous speaker to address the meeting,' expressed himself pleased to bo present to discuss the question. Although he agreed with the step taken, • he did not wish to create any opposition to the City Council’s extensionscheme. He had no desire to jeopardise the City, Engineer’s proposals in any way. ( _ The Wehb street extension was ill-advised, and he had opposed it. He considered the district was larger than Newtown was when, the tramway was taken there. The district was entitled to the benefits which would accrue from the quarter-million loan. He was satisfied the money would bo better spent by the tramway being 'extended to Aro street than the proposed Webb street route-

Councillor Winder informed the meeting that he thought Aro: street should not have been left'out of the proposals. There wdre a large number of small householders in the locality; afidEe was certain the population was as largo as when the, tram was taken to Newtown. With reference to' the Council’s proposals, he thought the service should go via Vivian street and Taranaki street to Island Bay. The engineer's estimate to lav the tramways was £II,OOO a mile. He considered the Cubaistreet line should go along Webb street. and Wallace street to Island Bay. Ho recommended the_ committee to bring before the Council an estimate of tha population of the district with an estimate of the cost, and ho did not think there would be any objection to the. service being extended to At;o: street; Mr G. Frost (Mayor of Melrose) thought it Hardly right ho should bo asked to express his' opinion. ' He thought it would have been better had the_ City Council considered the suburbs in its scheme, As a man with interests in the city ho was in favour of tfao tramway being extended to Aro street. There was no question about it paying.' The resolution was put and carried unanimouslyThe following committee was appointed to' present a petition, which had been, numerously signed, to the City Council: J. Nicol, D. M. Brooks, J. Coldins, H. Warner, R. Tait, D. B. Duncan, W. Adams, G. Lindsay, W-,.Jones. W. J. Parsons, F. McCarthy, G. Richardson and W. J. Haines. ■Councillor Barber was:; accorded a hearty vote of thanks: for his energetic advocacy of the scheme in the City Council. The meeting closed with a similar compliment to the chairman.