EXTENSION OF THE SERVICE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6491, 10 April 1908, Page 6

EXTENSION OF THE SERVICE

THE CONSTABLE STREET PROPOSAL. CITY COUNCIL CONVINCED.

A deputation to the City Council last night tor the purpose of urging the extension of Constable street tramway to Kilbirnie wa s greeted with the plcasm 0 announcement that the council was already convinced. _ . Headed by Mr W. H. t> Barber, M.F., the deputation comprised about twenty South Wellington residents, including the Hon. C. M. Luke. , . <, The Mayor (Hon. T. W. Hislop) advised brevity, all the more reason tor the fact that the Council was already convinced of the necessity for the extension. However, the Council would allow more than one speaker if the ones could tell them where they could get the money at 4 per cent. Mr Barber explained that the deputation was tho result of a public meeting which had been held in Newtown to urge the extension of the Constable street line to JCilbirnic- A amount of work was. in progress at Kilbirnie, and many workmen in Newtown wore put to great loss of tamo and inconvenience through having to take the tram into town to get out to Kilbirnic.. Sometimes the journey took on© and a half hours. As there was a population of 25,000 to 30,000 in the districts proposed, to be connected, tho traihe provided by tho social side would be ver;? great. As for the Mayor's reference to money at 4 per cent., while he did not think the deputation could provide it, they could promise that the earnings of the tramway would produce more than four per cent, upon the outlay. The building of me tunnel had diverted a considerable amount of the Kilbiruie trade from ’South Wellington owing to the dislike oi .the Kilbirnie people to wa'lkingiUp the hill. The extension would provide an alternative route for visitors, and enable double decker cars to be used.

The Mayor informed the deputation that the subject they uad raised bad been before the Council for some time, but for financial reasons had been hold over until tb© nest financial year. The Council was just as much impressed as the deputation with the advantage of looping up the system, and the work would go on as soon as possible. It would be considered among tho works of this year.