Wanganui Begins Tramways Battle

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 759, 4 September 1929, Page 11

Wanganui Begins Tramways Battle

SERVICES CURTAILED CITY COUNCIL DIVIDED (Fiom Our Own Correspondent J ANGANUI, Today. That the Wanganui City Council was ruining itself by a policy, or lack of policy, regarding the tramways, is the opinion freely expressed by a great number of citizens. Adverse public opinion was aroused some weeks ago by the announcement that certain services would be stopped and all others greatly curtailed. IS SATISFACTION grew when it discovered that several men b a *»™»Bed front the tramways, and the situation became tense when the startling discovery was made at a meeting of the City Council last evening that seven men had been given notice in direct defiance to a ruling of the council and that those men were employees who had been in the service of the municipality for periods of eight, 11 and 12 years. On behalf of the tramways employees, Mr. Smith appeared before the council and told it that the union had met and resolved that if anyone were to be dismissed the last one on should be the first off. Moreover, the decision had been communicated to the chairman of the Tramways Committee. Cr. Halligan, chairman of the Tramways Committe: It was not mentioned. Cr. Scott: It is on the minutes of the last meeting—a motion saying that the Tramways Committee must report to the council before beginning retrenchment. Someone has acted in direct defiance of our ruling. The Mayor, Mr. W. J. Rogers: Quite right. Cr. Scott: It is not the first time someone has blundered, but this time the blunder is particularly glaring. What we want is equity and justice. It was decided that the men could not he dismissed as, under the circumstances, their dismissal was out of order. It was finally resolved that the men be kept on until the matter had been discussed by the Tramways Committee. RATEPAYERS INDIGNANT The indignation over the curtailment of the tram and bus services is shown in a degree by the formation of the Western Ratepayers’ Association, including the suburbs of Gonville, Smithfield and Tawhero, which was represented at the council meeting. The association presented a comprehensive statement of the ill-effects of the curtailments of the bus services in its districts and submitted plans for the renewal of the services. Mr. Adams, for the ratepayers, said: “The western ratepayers introduce matters of great import to the city. These questions, sir, will cause you a great deal of trouble, especially to the Tramway Committee.” Mr. Rogers: Is the document lengthy? “No, sir, but it will cause you hours of grief.” Mr. Rogers: Ail is not quiet on the Western Front. Mr. Adams: Our morals are all right, sir. Mr. Adams intimated that he had come to try to pull the municipal buses out of the quagmire and to do some business with the council. He detailed his proposals regarding bus routes and after the deputation's suggestions had been recommended for reference to the Tramways Committee the question of the purchase of the Takapuna trams was brought up. Immediately several councillors rose to speak. They asserted that the figures of the costs of conversion of the cars to the one-man type and the cost of conversion of local cars were incomplete and lacking in several points. Cr. Brown intimated that he would refuse to vote unless the complete figures and data were submitted in a signed certificate from tbe city clerk. The Chairman of the Tramways Committee, Cr. Halligan: At the rate you’re going you’ll soon have no trams or buses at all. It’s getting this way, that you’ll soon have no roads or fbotpaths either. Cr. Scott: Why buy more cars when we’ve got more rolling stock than we need. The last nail has been driven iu Wanganui’s transport coffin by the action already taken. An Interjector: I should be sorry to see those wretched old hen-coops of ours trundling around. It would be false economy not to buy. Cr. Scott moved that the services curtailed be begun again, but was ruled out of order. He thereupon gave notice of his intention to rescind the motion concerning the curtailment of the services and to introduce another to reinstate them. The discussion closed with a general agreement with Cr. Scott that the position was had and that all eyes had been opened by the several statements. , Interviewed by The Sun last evening a responsible official on the tiamwavs staff said there was a great deal of 'dissatisfaction among the tramwaymen at the action taken so far. He hinted that there would possibly be further eye-opening statements. The general opinion is that if something is not done and done at once the ratepayers, like the Western Ratepayers’ Association, will take tue matter in hand.