IMPORTED TRAM-CARS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5668, 16 August 1905, Page 7

IMPORTED TRAM-CARS.

(To the Editor “N.Z. Times.”) Sir,—Your report of what parsed be-tw-cm the deputut on inJo/cstod. in tile; building of li’um.cai-s in Wellington and tin- Wily Council, on Monday evening,' gives con.-iderablo prominence to the cri-Rci.-.m ami . l.alcim’iilts of one of the speakms who apparently thought the c-axus-e of local' industry would bo well served by : making disparaging remarks about the English cars in use here. i regret that j while you presented (his aspect of the proceedings, you omitted any mention of the statement by the chairman (Councillor Winder) in answer to the ©peak- r referred to, and as it i? but just that it should be placed before the public I ask you to rectify the omissim. Councillor Winder said that the tramways engineer advised him that the criticism on the English cars was unwarranted. that they were well built ami well finished, and that the varn piling was not of the inferior quality alleged, i I am not concerned to specially defend the reputation >f the builders of tho English cal's already in use here, but as a : somewhat similar cheap and ignorant | crilic sm is being made in interested ’quarters regarding the cars recently supplied to the Corporation by my principals, . Messrs Dick, Kerr and Co.—even though 1 thc.-sv cars are not yet in public service—- | T have no hesitation in (Wfending all the English cars vet this city, as ' being of first-class construction and finish, ami of designs suitable for iho extremely severe conditions of electric traction. 1 happen to know something of the mehods and standing of the builders who supplied tlie thirty odd cars to Wellington. and during the past few months I have noted the condition of these cars—not tho varnishing and superficial work only, but the framing and structural parts as well—and can say speaking with several years’ experience of electric tramwav work, that tho cars are honestly and well built, and a credit to the firm that made them.

With regard to some other statements that were made by members of the deputation, it was claimed that while locally built cars would be ©finally good the; would be as cheap as the imported one. It docs not seem to bo recognised that the building of ©ars for elcetnc traction is a highly specialised class of work, entirely different in most essential particulars from the building of railway rolling stock or any form of car not containing its motive power within itself. The stresses set up within an electric car both by the continual sudden application of great power by motors attached to the car nnderstructuro, and by the continual application of great retarding forces in tlio electrical and mechanical brakes used, are such as to call for a disposition of framing and a rigidly scientific system of ticing and strutting, not required, and therefore not known in vehicles that are always drawn. The history of car-build-ing for electric traction is mostly a Jong record of failures, aud the fact that though there have been plenty of firms in England who have started in this industry, ther© are to-day only about four engaged in it, and of these only two turning out any considerable quantity of cars, is highly significant. The supply of eood ear designers is extremely limited, as not a few of the firms who have had to cease manufacturing, have found out. I say nothing about the trials and expense that have been the lot of many customers of tho firms now non-existent, but they have the satisfaction of knowing that they provided much ex]>erience and information for the builders. It has been repeated again and again that locally built cars are as good as any imported. I am not going to say a word against them, but I do assert, out of a considerable knowledge of the subject, that the end of its second year on the road is quite early enough to give any decided opinion as to tne value, from a lif© point of view, of any electric car.

Finally, if Ipcal cars can be obtained as cheaply as English ones, why are the Trades Council and the Industrial Association anxious for the Council to tie itself down to Wellington builders—in other words, to one firm ? And I would ask. do not the gentlemen composing these b-idies consider that the question of bra ; n work in a car is of some value, as well as th© manual labour? Ijocally-built cars mean copying imported ones, and it is generally recognised that imitation work is never equal to original. I am not anxious to d sparage any local productions; my object rather ie to show that the English car is fully entitled to be considered along with any others, and to have an opportunity of being selected, on the ground of its merits, as well as of its cost.—l am, etc. FEEDK. BLACK, Representing Dick, Kerr and Co. August 9th.