RUNNING THE CAES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7851, 13 July 1911, Page 1

RUNNING THE CAES

DRAFT REGULATIONS RESENTED BY CIVIC AUTHORITIES Draft regulations under tbo Tramway Act liavo been Issued by the Government and forwarded to all local botlies concerned marked "confidential.” They, provide amongst other things that every passenger must have sixteen inches seat room; no passengers to stand on the top of double-deck ears; an officer must regulate the "rush" to cars after announcing the seating accommodation available, accommodation to bo announced by movable figures on the car as it approaches stopping places; the provision of subsidiary steps lor care whose footboard is more than fourteen inches above the ground; the conductor .to decide if the number of pa-ssengers is such as to impede his collecting fares. The regulations so far are not final, but are being circulated to local bodies concerned in tramway for an opinion before final gazetting. v\ hen the City Council received its copy it was placed before the tramway committee, but no decision was come to pending a discussion by the council in full. The tramway authorities in all centres of the Dominion have been communicated with by fcho City Council, asking whether they would approve of a conference, in order that, united action may be taken lo have the regulations cither abolished or considerably modified. Sympathetic replies by telegram have, been received from the authorities approached, all expressing readiness to send delegates to Wellington ami fall into lino. The Acting-Mayor (Councillor J. Smith) considers tho Government is attempting to steal the municipal tramway concerns from the public. 'Tt is sheer daylight robbery/' he added. It appeared that | tho proposals were framed with the qb-, ject of forcing tho council to .Fell its tramway concern. If tho regulations were enforced the council would with an extra expenditure of <£'SO,COO. Thirty or forty additional cars would 'have to be put on. and that meant a; large amount of extra expenditure annually for wages, with no chance of extra revenue. f, Tho Minister sent the draft proposed regulations marked confidential" he continued. “Wo want that withdrawn, we want to make them as public as possible, because th-cy concern the public very seriously. Tne public can see for themselves now what is aimed at, and they should be made nwaro of all there is to be known about the matter. 1 ! have written asking that the word 'confidential* be eliminated front the draft."

'The TJndor-Socretary for Public Works Qfr H. »T. H. Blow), when ■ apqvaarhed by a ropJ>Her, enid the'draft regu/ations could not bo given- to the press. It \va« intended that they should be in committee by the authorities concerned. and their views and suggestions forwarded to the Minister. He would be surprised if the proposals were openly by any * tramway authority, seeing; they were marked confidential. The, regulations will come before the City Council to-night, and it will then bo whether to discuss them- in committee or or-en board. _ In all probability a public indignation mo-eHnc; will be calhd for the oonr’deraHmi o-f the nrorp-eils. The Acting-Mnvor says the onfowceirmnt of the remlations will me<vn that the rates, or fares, or perhaps both, will have to be increased.

DUNEDIN OBJECTIONS. PRESS ASSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, July 12. The proposed tramway regulations are generally condemned in Dunedin. If enforced the carrying capacity of the city cars would be reauced by 50 per cent., and the revenue would sutler severely. The hill tram companies are also opposed to the regulations. They contend that their enforcement would have tho effect of practically closing tnose lines.