GEORGE STREET TRAMWAY TRACK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14528, 20 May 1909, Page 5

GEORGE STREET TRAMWAY TRACK

QCESTfON OF RECONSTRUCTION. The following recommendation, suppleni"iii;iry lu Mh? Tramways Committee's report, was submit led at. lust evening's meetins nf ilu- Ciiy Council:—" Your committee rowiumeiuls that, the reconstruction of theGeorge si reel tramway track be proceeded with in twins uf the uriginal recommendation (if iho engineers, and that such of the timbers (as may he approved liy council) now (.hi tlio site of tlij work be used in such reconstruction." Cr Keast, in moving tho adoption of the recommendation, said it had been recommended that tlio puriminent way blioulcl Iw carri-od out by plaining sleepers laid close together, and Isiu-r Cr While bad brought, forward a notice of niotiun, which had been referred to the- Tramway* Committee. It was uock'.vs for him to speak nitteh further, br.cattse it was well known that the tram track in George street required to lie pro.eeodod with soon as possible. They had taken into consideration the reports of the engineers, and it had been unanimously carried liv the Tramways C'utnniiiloo as to what, limier should he used, several councillors objecting to the use of'the limber now lying in George street; so ho moved that the work ho .proceeded with according to the engineers' plan*, and in respect !o the timber ihat it be k.ft to the council to say whether it woukl use ,ihe sleepers in George rtreet or jet now limber. Cr Tapley seconded the motion, and said every member of tlio Tramways Committee was alive to the importance of goipg on with this matter according to the engineer's original recommendation*:. '|'h? centre of Ills' track had been opened up d tho engineers had. had an opportunity of knowin." a. little more about the bottom' of the track than they did before-. With the further knowledge they possessed they persisted in keeping to their original report. Therefore as they had conlidence in their enginceis they felt they had no alternative than to recommend the council to go on with this work. As to the question of sleepers, that could be discussed afterwards. Cr Wilson could not support the resolution. He would object to paising a resolution to buy fre-di limber for George street, and moved—".That the mailer he «int back io the committee, with a view to concrete being used ill George street." Cr Fiddji; scconilad tho ainontlmonl. Cr Tapper said, as to the sleepers, if was one cf thosi; mistakes that oceurrcd in public and pi'ivalo bodies. It wis no its? blaming anyone in particular. li was an error of judgment on the part of on? or two, ami it lot of carelts'iicss on the partof others. 'Jlie council should have appointed a propor tindx-r expert to have gone over tlio timber and selected what was good ami rejected the rest. Some of the rub--lii-I'l he had wen in (!::>rge street would not have been purchased by anyone, and lie could not understand anyone allowing the council to buy it. The time spout by the town clerk and Cr Cob was quite inPik'ojink' to pass the timbr. lie thuneht Ills best way 10 act over the difficulty was thai the timber expert (Mr Martin Wills) be 'Uiiixnvcred lo go carefully over Iho timber'aiid brand it, and then immediately take away tho balance lo one of the city reserves.

The Town Clerk here ffod a number of reports on iho taibject. The Mayor said he honed the amendment would not 1,0 carried, and that it would bo withdrawn. The matter was very urgetrl, and something nuisl be dune; and if the resolution wore thrown Back on Ihe Tramways Ccmniiicc the position wouM be lint they would nol be abb to lake the I'ccuniiiieir.latioiia of the engineers, and they would show a waul of conlklonee in them. They only purposed using ihe limb:j- lhat was good, and tho experts said a certain proportion of Ihe timber was good. The rest could he pur into one of the reserves and made use of in some other way. A certain proportion would bo lost. Jf Ihry cony not take their engineers' recommendations, what were (bey to do?

Cr Whlie was sorry the committee had litouglil in llio rc.oiiimciidatiou. li was a. pitv r lho commitice had not said whether the concrete ineihod suggested by Cr Wilson wa« feasible. He noinled to the. fact thai six large cities bad adopted tram tracks in concrete Tho amoiulivijnl. wa- then pill, and carried bv 11 vr.te.s io S.

f'r K'"p-4 drew attention do the timber Ivin-J- in Gtsorge si reel, which had cost close on £1000, and other exi'.ensfs for lamps, etc., had amounted io £53. It would, in his opinion, be wise io remove ibis timber to some of Hia r-nrroralion yard; rather than allow it to lie for an indefinite time in George s.nvet.