THE TRAM QUESTION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17185, 8 November 1926, Page 12

THE TRAM QUESTION.

(To the Editor of the Herald.; Sir, — Referring to your very muchabbreviated report of the meeting held at Te Hapara on Friday evening last, I notice you mention the fact that I opposed, Mr. Todd, the chairman, rising to (deliver ;t speech. Lest my action be misconstrued I trust you will allow me to explain my reason. The time was getting late and Crs. Maude, and Blair and' Coleman had l already spoken. Crs. Burnard and Bickford were wanting their turn, and this left a majority of ono speaker in favor of the tram-scrappers, so I objected to a further unnecessary repetition of Mr. Todd's already familiar speech. Surely a balanced number of speakers can be arranged to conserve time and' allow the ratepayers who are not councillors to have something to say should they so desire. The present system of operating appears to be that as many tramscrappers as possible shall speak to fdl out time to curtail opposition. Surely two speakers for each side could express the opinions of the. councillors. Early in the meeting I objected to the unfair arrangement of speakers which was apparently on the basis of five tvam-scrappers and two tram-supporters. There is absolutely no necessity for five speakers to give the same parrot-like speech in succession, just to monopolise time. Cannot we have fair l play in this and make it man to man in the debate?—l am, etc., SAM J. PEARSON.