SUBURBAN TRAMWAYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23857, 11 July 1939, Page 10

SUBURBAN TRAMWAYS

PROPOSED LIFTING OF TRACKS TAHUNA AND FORBURY LINES PROTEST FROM ST. KILDA St. Kilda's rights under the City Council's decision to do away with the Tahuna and Forbury Park tramlines, and what steps should be taken to preserve them formed the subject of an interesting discussion which arose when the item " general business " was reached on the Order Paper at the fortnightly meeting of the St. Kilda Borough Council. It looked at first as though any argument on the matter would die in its inception, for when Cr E. Longworth mentioned that he wished some information on the subject, the mayor (Mr J. J. Marlow) ruled that he could not accept any discussion on it.

" I am not concerned whether the City Council runs buses or trams, so long as the public is served," Cr Longworth said, " but when it cuts out the Tahuna and Forbury trams and substitutes buses, I want to know whether it is working under the Order-in-Council." Terms of Order-in-Council When the Mayor again ruled him out of order, Cr Longworth agreed that perhaps he had approached his subject from the wrong angle, and said that it had been his intention to find out just what the Order-in-Council conveyed. In view of this he moved —" That the town clerk be asked to furnish particulars of the Order-in-Council under which the City Corporation's tramways operate in the Borough of St. Kilda."Cr W. J. Lovell seconded the motion. It was not generally known, he said, that in terms of the Order-in-Council, the city had agreed to give a service on the Tahuna and Forbury lines for 42 years, and then for a further term of 21 years—63 years in all. The Order definitely laid down that the corporation must give an electric tram service on these two lines every day, and if did not, the St. Kilda Council was entitled to claim a penalty of £5 per day. Report To Be Furnished Replying to a query by Cr N. D. Anderson, Cr Longworth said he did not wish to rush the matter. If the town clerk could bring down a report to be presented at the next meeting, that would be quite satisfactory. The Mayor: The matter should not come before us until the Citv Council applies for a variation in the Order. " They will have to do that before they can take the trams off," remarked Cr Lovell. The Mayor: They will not attempt that before they ask for a variation of the Order. We do not want to cross our bridges before we come to them. " They have not asked. They have simply said they will take them off," retorted Cr Lovell. A councillor remarked that buses were already running the morning services from Forbury Park. Opposed to Council's Action "I am as much opposed to the City Council's action as any man," said the Mayor, " but it is not our job to criticise. The Order-in-Council cannot be altered without our consent." Cr Anderson suggested that the City Council should also be asked why bus services had been instituted on the Forbury route without the consent of the St. Kilda Council. Cr W. Rutherford endorsed the remarks of the previous speakers, and asked if something could not be done about the state of the tramline between Bay View road and the St. Kilda terminus. "It is in a disgraceful state at present," he said, "and at intervals, there are potholes alongside it that are a distinct danger." It was pointed out that workmen had that day been patching the worn portions of the track. The motion was then put to the meeting and carried.