CITY TRANSPORT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25849, 21 May 1945, Page 4

CITY TRANSPORT

The ratepayers will look to the City Council to arrive at a definite decision at its meeting to-night on the subject of the future of the transport services which are conducted by it. The reports which it has received should leave it in no doubt concerning the form which that decision should take. There is in fact no real room for argument on the question of policy. If there is to be any controversy, it should be only with reference to matters of detail. The advice which Sir William Goodman has given is so unreservedly in favour of the supersession of the electric tramway system, locally installed under his supervision, by a system of trolley buses that it cannot reasonably be disregarded. It is based not only on Sir William’s very considerable personal experience, but also on the knowledge that services of the kind recommended by him are being increasingly adopted in Great Britain and the United States, and that they have proved everywhere to be not only efficient but also economical in operation. It could only be prejudice, ignorant prejudice, that could lead the City Council to the conclusion that the trolley bus system of transport is not one that can be advantageously adopted to meet the requirements of the residents in all parts of the municipal area and surrounding districts. The ratepayers, who will have the opportunity later on of expressing their judgment on the matter when their sanction of the necessary loan will have to be given, will certainly welcome the prospect of the introduction of the new service. Unfortunately they cannot justifiably hope that it will be effected without considerable delay. They may almost be disposed to be impatient about the lapse of time that will be inevitable before the requisite rolling stock and equipment can be imported, especially as they will in the interim witness the steady deterioration of the electric tramway system, already in a poor state of repair. But they will not be for-

getful of the fact that the change from the production of munitions of war to that of peacetime appliances cannot be swiftly arranged, or of the fact that shipping difficulties will continue to be very considerable for many months—even perhaps until the defeat of Japan has been accomplished. It is for this reason the more to be regretted that the City Council did not see fit to act straight away on Sir William Goodman’s preliminary report, for in reality it provided sufficient data to enable it to reach a firm decision on the subject.