ST. KILDA AND THE TRAM-WAYS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12394, 2 July 1902, Page 5

ST. KILDA AND THE TRAMWAYS.

■ At-last night's meeting of the St. Borough Council, Or Marlow moved that the General Committee's report be adopted,' in which was embodied the. clause " that the St. Kilda Council, being now in accord with' tho City Cpunoil on all points save • season and other tickets, be prepared to signthe agreement with the City Council, if theInttor would agree that within six months of • the new eystcrn showing a profit concession, tickets be issued giving a 25 per c?nfc W»-.' duotion." The mover eaitl the matter had now been before the two bodies a consider* ' " able time, and he had no hesitation in.say-, Dig it'was chiefly owing to the aotion of the City Council in the first place that an agree- . inont was not come to long ago. The differci'.cos had, however, been gradually vorn . down till only the question of season tiokoia was left. On this point tho City Council,. . had not been disposed to yield. The present resolution had -been suggested "at tha . ■ St. Kilda Council's meeting a' month ago, atld a ' so °ne asking for season tickets. The latter had been tried and failed, and tho council .were now asked to affirm the former,. which should have been submitted to-tho-. City Council as an alternative, Cr Mnrfow then proceeded to quote the trjim fares ifi vogue in Glasgow", with which he said the ' Tares suggested by the City Council, oom- < pared very favourably, Glasgow had adopted half-mile section at id per eeotion; Here they got a few chains over ft mile,for a'penny section, while in Glasgow'a imlo 1 cost, a penny. The question of season tickets was still in abeyance in Glasgow and .under consideration," and, that Tieing 80, " it would not be wise in Dunedin to press the . matter season tickets on the counoil before they bail had 12 months' forking, and l after Eiieh a comparison. ' - . "Cr Parker seconded tho motion. ' Cr Gore thought it ridiculous to send a request to the City Council for concession . tickets. _ Caversham had done the • same thing without result. 1 • • « Ct' Allen moved as an amendment— ' "That no further action bo taken rb tram concessions until the; City Council copio'-to ui) with" more reasonable proposals." Cr Ashton seconded the amendment. They had-bc-en wasting timo over .tho matter. }f tho City Council wanted any further biisi-(ne-s transacted they could anproach St. Kilda.. ■ ' Cr Sandilands suggested that tho Mayor should call a meeting of ratepayers and tako ' thoir views on the question, j[ the ratepayers thought their council was asking too much Jlmn the council would fall in with their wishes and sign the agreement; ■ 1 Cr Gore said they were trying' to do'their' best for St. Kilda ratepayers; Tho only point; now to be agreed on was concession, tickets. Tha> Tramways Committee, had said thp,t, as business men, they wanted to seo lvo",v tho thing pannetl out before giving concessions. They Eaitl six months was not sufficient in wliich Id find out., If the trams' paid in the first six months, howover, there : was liftlo fear' of' their not paying after- ' wards. A publio meeting was unnecessary, V and the Borough Council was oompctont to ! deal with the matter." Someone had Meg frightening the St, Kildit ratepayer that they would be left out in the cold, and have to pay 6d as in the old day?. / If, after 12- • months, the trams were found not to 1 bo payjng, the concession, it could lie arranged,should lapse. • - . . .. • Or. Burke favoured the motiont Concessioris were not asked for within six! m'onths ' 1 i o[ starting, but within six months of startipg to pay. _Cr Coughtrey supported the amendment. ; ' T|)o question of-rontal, he said, was,a very" small one compared with the desire l to 'oh-tain-reduced fares, and so help the progress of tho bp rough. In, Neiw, South 'Wales you ■ cculd travel neaHy threa njiles.Jor. IdGlasgow paid some of its suburbs an enormous rental, and hero they were asking for a jiagatallo, AVhen the drajriage-ays- - . tem came into operation they would find St. Kilda would beepme one pf the favourite ■ suburbs of the Flat. Ho referred to the whole of that portion from Tahutia Part to St. Clair. The great recreation grounds of Dunodin—Tahuna and Porbuiy Parks-i-in jt must be great permanent tourers of revenue ' to the City Council through the,tramways ' Tho Mayor (Mr Hodges) . supported the • ' "10ti0n,... He ventured to eay. that -.11. City Council approached Parliament-now asking for power to'cobstruct a tram system * through St. Kilda the authority could be at once granted, provided the fares wore no greater than in.the oityv • - " Tho amendment, on being put to the meeting was loatv and the report -bf the , General Committee adopted as moved. .' V