PROPOSED TRAMWAY ROUTE IN THE NORTH END.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12036, 7 May 1901, Page 7

PROPOSED TRAMWAY ROUTE IN THE NORTH END.

A meeting, attended by between 60 and TO people, was held in the Howe street Hall last evening to consider tho proposed new tratrt' way routo through the Gardens. A petition which is to be presented to the mayor in council on the same pubject was handed to us. It is as follows:— That your petitioners are strongly opposed to the contemplated alteration of t'bc tramway route bttwecn Albany street end Hie. Gardens, and to the cutting up of the. Gardens by the extension of the line at the end o[ Castle street. That in justification of their opposition they adduce the following reasons: — 1. The present route along King street is, in. Uicit opinion, the most convenient for the people in the north end of the city. It was chosen when the line was constructed for this reason, and the conditions aro practically jmchanged. 2. The passing of an electric trameir past George street School would be a serious menace to the safety of the children who crowd the Btreet morning and afternoon and at play hour. 3. Adherence to the present route would save outlay in the construction of a now bridge, which would be required should 'the new route bo adopted. • . 4. Tho King street line supplies ample accommodntioa to tho people residing in XorlhEast Valley, and adherence to this would take away any cuii3e for interference, with tho Gardens. For these and other reasons your petitioners earnestly requpsi yonr Worship iu council to give- the laatter your serious consideration, and, if possible, accede to the wishes oi vour petitioners to have tho present route adhered to. And your petitioners will ever pray, etc. Mr A. Mack presided ut tho meeting, and in the course of his opening remarks said that tbe meeting was railed to protest against the proposal to bring the cars through the Hotanic. Gardens. Personally, he was very strongly opposed to the proposal, not nlono because it would bo injuring the reserve, but two new bridges would be required. If tho present bridges worn widened the full extent of the road it would cost les3 and meet all the requirements of tram and other traffic. 111, George street the tram traffic would;bo a. serioue ilienaee to the children attending the George street . School, and the fame thing might be said if the cars went through the Hardens. They had to look forward 50 or 69 years, when the city would lie one great municipality from Mount Cargill to St. Clair, Then the value of the Gardens :i3 a breathing space would be appreciated by Iho generations to come. • • t'r Lawrence paid that the council had committed litself to the George street route. It bad also been decided that the system should be the overhead system. It was not proposed to go through the Gardens, hut after crossing the (Vtle street bridge to go along the Kinks of the Leilh on to the Valley road: whilst on the George* street route, after crossing the l,eilh tbe line would ruii to the right and join the lino on thn Valley road. It had been decided to run 15-niiuute trips on tho Castlo street lino and 5-minntc trips on the. George street line, but if traffic warranted it 5-miuute trips would also be instituted on the Castle street line. The Tramway Committee would inspect these places on Saturday and report to. the council. Mr Christopher said ho would like to seo the cars turn into King street at Frederick street, because the business places coining north started there. Tho private people in George streut did not desire tho' cars'nlong that route. Ho would move, as a motion the clauses in tho petition marked 1, 2, 3, and 4, Mr F. Millier seconded the motion. The traffic practically ceajed at.the junction of Castle and Duke stiwls, so why should it bo necessary to cany it further? C'l- Maitland said that there were two sides to every question, and they might lake it that the council had, with all the facts before it, looked carefully into tho mutter. Albany street, corner was a difficult one, especially with heavy electric , cars. 'J'iie George street people, fo far as he know, did not want thei cars, and the King street people, did. Tho route ought fo have been fettled before Xoyes l'ros. were told to draw up the specification*-, lie was in sympathy with "thofo who wished to wo the cars running down King Flrc?t in preference to George street, and even in the council had to purchase tho Albany street corner it might pay them to do it. .

At a uiftgestion thrown out, the Chairman asked Air Ktinson, who was present, to speak, but Mr i'uiison declined, saying lie could take no part in the meeting. Cγ M'Donnld paid that he ronld not pledge himself to any particular stand in this matter yot,' as ho had not had time to study it in all its bearings. He intended to be guided by what ho thought was in tho best interests of the city as a whole, but he. intended to look after the Teserves and do everything that would not only tend to their conservation, but. to tho general beautifying of the city.—(Applause.) He understood that tho corporation had agreed to pay Xoyes Bros. 2j per cent, on the contract price for the construction of the. trams for drawing up-tho specifications. Mr \V. King , fpolce in favour of the proposed route, and moved as an amendment that tho meeting approved of it in iU entirety. If the George street people allowed the ears (o go along- King street all the heavy traffic would go along Georgo street. Mr A. Hnivorth seconded the amendment. Mr T. Ireland spoke strongly againat anything that would tend to the deterioration of tho Gardens. Ho thought, as a matter of fact, that they were really vested in the Government, and not in the council. Mr Mallard said that they formed a part of tho. original reservo for the Otiigo «ook, and ho hoped (lie City Council had taken the opinion of their solicitors as-to whether it could cut up the Gardens without tho. consent of the whole of the people of Otago. They belonged to the Otaijo people —the Ota»o block—and not alone to tho citizens of. Dunedin.—(Applause.) Mr C. S. Keevce said.that the Castle street line would run past factories, 'foundries, and tho railway elation, and tho trafiic on it would in » few years lxv'ns great as on the Ooorgo street line. . A vote was then taken, and tho amendment was dost by about 30 to 16. Mr H. Reeves said ho would move a further amendment—"That having elected 12 councillors they should bo trusted to carry out tho works as they deemed best." Tho amendment was not seconded. The motion was then put and carried. About 26 hands were held up in its favour and only one or two against.