THE TRAMWAYS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144670, 3 May 1915, Page 6

THE TRAMWAYS.

CONTRACTORS COMMENCE CONSTRUCTIONAL WORK. . CEREMONY AT MOTUROA. The contractors, Messrs. Greenshlclds and Co., commenced the work ol construction of the tramway track tins morning- under most favourable conditions. Following the usual custom on such occasions there was a public ceremony, his Worship tho Mayor (Mr. J. E. AVilsonj breaking the first ground. The gathering took place at a point .some 200 yards on the port side of the junction of tho South and the Moluroa Roarks in the presence of a large crowd, including the whole of the council with the exception of Councillor Sykes, who is away in AVcllhigton and forwarded an apology. Mr. F. S. Grccnshiold?. in calling upon his Worship to turn the first sod, remarked that the tiling which most concerned the contractors was to get the contract finished, whilst the council's troubles would commence when tho service was pm into operation. If, however, one could judge by the results in other towns where trams had boon installed, then he felt saAMicci they would iind at the end of their first year’s working a balance on the right side. There were a number of people who had the idea that the service would not earn sufficient revenue to pay for a\ln grease, but this, ho said, wits all nonsense, and as be had already said he expected that at the end of the first year’s operations they would show n balance on tho right side of the ledger. This had been the experience in tho caec of other towns and ho felt it would be much mote so here, because in this service they would have n good si might run of five miles from Fitz.roy to Mmuroa. and which would lx; served on either side all the way along. Ho had not tho slightest doubt that when the trams wore running they would prove to bo a good investment for the borough. In conclusion, ho expressed pleasure in asking the Mayor to break the first ground, and in presenting him with.a pick which could afterwards be hung in tho Town Hall. Tho Mayor, in a short address, said they More mot together to witness the 1 commencement of a work which ho believed was going to be a material .stop : in the progress of New Plymouth, The qmstion of tramways. «« they knew. | bad been before tho people for a very; considerable time. It wa« first mooted ■ several year* ago during the mayorr.Uv ■ of the late Mr. Tisnh, hut it was thru decided that certain things be j done hefon- any decided .stops could be \ taken u> introduce a tramway system, j It was necessary, in order 10 ensure one I control of tramway works, that ilwv i Mould have merged into the original ' borough the town districts of Fitarov. . and of St. Aubyn and Momma. Tills | was ultimately accomplished, and it was then necessary to get out estimates ior the work proposed and go to the ratepayers for authority for the nervssary money to carry out those work*. That authority wn> obtained in IfUo—over two years ago—and no doubt the people of the town had Thought that a long time had elapsed before the council had reached the present stage. Before the council could move, however, it had to get an Ordcr-in-GoaiiCrl from the Public Works Department giving nm-ltomy to lay down a tramways track, and this occupied sonm verv con.-idcr vb!e time. The council was then in a nostiion t-o call for and tenders for carrying out the work. 'The whole of the contracts had been let to Messrs, (ireensldekh and Co., and although the works would cost more than was originally estimated at lite same lime those of them who were desirous of seeing n tramway system established considered the town had been fortunate in hm‘ng able to close the contracts at all in view of the extraordinarv circumstances which arose. Tho contract* had only been signed two or throe days before the news came through that Britain was involved in war. Had this information bven received a few days before the clo'ing of lenders it- was extremely doubtful whether ihcr would have found anyone with phmk enough to take tip the comraets. knowing that so much of Vue materia! had to bo brought from overseas. However, Messrs. Grcmishickls and Co. had made their arrangements and had signed the contracts. and when the news came through that Britain was involved in this war they stood to their bond saying that they wore prepared to carry out their contract, but there would be certain additional costs which would have t-o be incurred and which were not. contemplated when they signed the contract. They asked tho council to take these points into consideration and meet them as fairly as they could. They did not demand it as a matter of right, hut asked for it as ’a- matter of fair dealing, and in this light tho council looked at tho matter and made concessions to tho extent of .£.300 to £-100. He thought they would agree with him Hint in doing so tho council had done too nsrht thing. The contractors had been hold up for a time owing to inevitable delays in shipping, but they had new been able to get their plant here and the contracts would proceed without nny unnecessary delay. The work would bo under the control of Mr. Fred. Black, of AVollington. a gentleman who had had considerable experience in laying down these works, and the town was equally fortunate in having Messrs. Oreenshields as contractors, for they had carried -out two or three similar contracts, and he was quite satisfied thav tho experience they had gained in connection with those contracts had resulted in a saving to ibis borough of from £'looo to £2OOO. This was disclosed by a enmnarisnn with Messrs. Grceushiolcls’ tenders with tho other tenders received. As Air. Greenshields had explained, the road presented no difficulties, and when the. stall got fairly going they could expect to see very" rapid progress mafic. He hoped "to sec the trams running by Christmas time, so that they would bo able t-o take advantage of the holiday traffic. Ho was optimistic, regarding this venture. They had heard what Mr. Oreenshields had had to say, and whilst personally ho was not optimistic enough to believe that tho trams would pay from tho strvt he felt that after tho first year or so they would provide s a flic lent, revenue to cover interest on. loan and sinking fund and would become a very good proposition indeed. His Worship quoted figure* to show how the service had increased at AVanganui. For the year 1900-10, for instance, the total number of passengers carried on tho trams at AVanganui was 1,275.000 and the revenue amounted to £BBOO, whilst for the year 1014-15 the number of passengers had increased t-o 2,210,000 and tho receipts amounted to £18,458. So far as New Plymouth was concerned they were under* exceptionally favourable conditions in regard, to power. They had not to provide it by the expensive methods which obtained in iottfls ffhjfih had inatalk.4 feam-j

ways, and whilst as a matter of business ihe pov><- would be supplied to the tramways by tljc electric light department at a certain price per unit, to provide an adequate, .return to the electric light department, they would still be getting their power tinder most favourable conditions.

His "Worship then drove the first pick into the roadway amid very hearty cheers. At tho call of Mr. R. Cock cheers were given for the Mayor and Borough Council and, at tho call of Mr. Newton King, for the contractors. ' Subsequently the Mayor and members of the Borough Council wore the guests of Mr. Groensliiolds. who mentioned that instead of following tho usual custom and presenting his Worship with a gold souvenir of the occasion he had felt that it would perhaps be better to hand his A\ or strip a cheque which could he paid into one of the relief, funds. Ue had therefore great pleasure) in handing Mr. "Wilson n cheque for .CIO.