The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 3032, 9 July 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1875.

"" The citizens of Auckland hare lately had their attention drawn to the question of street tramways —not for the first'time, as we remembfcr to have seen a long time ago that Messrs O'JSTeill and Thomas made an application under the Tramways Act for permission to lay down a line of rails in the principal streets of the city. The question was quietly shelved at that time, but more recently the application was renewed by Mr Charles O'Neill, for himself and Messrs Brogden; and the advisability of granting the concessions for which the Act provides ha» been again discussed, principally owing to the representations of one Mr W. E. Turner, an Americanised colonial or a colonialised American —we are not certain which— who is on a visit to Auckland. ,In the large cities of America, street, tramways would appear to work well; proving to be profitable speculation* to the companies undertaking their construction and working, and a great public convenience. In some of the cities of Europe street tramways are also worked with profit, and

advantage. IF the Auckland people are desirous of profiting by the experience of districts nearer home they may discover that tramways are not an unmixed good. At the Thames, for instance, where a large amount of money bas been spent on tramways, the expenditure has been the reverse of profitable. It is now generally admitted here that tramways are a mistake. They are costly of construction and expensive in. maintenance, and preference is given to metalled roads for the principal traffic. There is certainly a difference between the tramways in existence in our district and the lines proposed to be made in Auckland streets. Here the lines were intended to afford a cheap mode of conveyance for taking quartz from the mines to the mills; in Auckland it is proposed to make lines for passenger traffic only. It would be well, however, for our Auckland neighbors— before allowing their streets to be broken up—to consider whether it would be judicious or expedient to grant such concessions to corporations for making:street railroads as'would place them in a position to compete with the ordinary means of locomption afforded by busses and cabs. Here we have seen the experiment of laying a line of tram rails alongside a metalled road, but the road is preferred for the transmission of heavy loads to the tramway, whichremains unused. Then we have the Grahamstown and Tararu Tramway Company's line, formerly worked with locomotives, but now idle. We do not say that tramways in this district have proved a failure because they are nnsuited for the purpose for which they were intended; but it is an indubitable fact that the metalled roads are used in preference to the tramways ; and that the roads are used to some purpose can be seen by the amount of traffic daily going ojn, and in the state of the roads themselves. Of the Government lines up the various creeks, very little can be said in their favor, and the conviction is daily growing stronger that good roads, though costing more in the first instance than tramways, are much preferred by those who ought to be competent judges of which are best. The experience of the Thames regarding tramways for conveying quartz may possibly be repeated in Auckland if the intention to substitute street lines of rail for omnibusses and cabs in the passenger traffic be carried out.

The business on 'Change this week has presented a marked contrast to that which was done during last week. There is quito a different air pervading the whole appearance of the mart on which the transactions in scrip take place. There has been no excitement, and very little business. There is no doubt this is due in a great measure to the fact that there is no immediate prospect of returns from the Tairua mines, owing..to the difficulty which exists regarding the erection of machinery. If this difficulty can be got over —and there is no reason why it should not if the persons interested will set themselves to the task —there will soon be a reaction, and the effect will be apparent in a renewed confidence amongst investors and speculators. During the recent spurt there were too many bent on buying to realise again at a profit, without regard to ultimate returns from their investments. When stock reached a certain price there were more sellers than buyers; prices relaxed; arid the market became overstocked. A very slight cause would operate just as easily in an opposite direction ; but in order that thc:m'arkeit may attain a reliable firmness some effortmust be. made to improve the means of communication between the Thames and Tairua, so that the aid of machinery .may be called in to exercise its potent influence in giving a proper value to the different mines as yet so imperfectly developed.

Anothbb metropolitan journal has taken; up .the cause of the Thames in the attempt to"' get- ; s: increased,- representation. In yesterday's' New Zealand Herald.,-we, ■find the following :— " There is no/district in any part of New Zealand'which' is so inadequately represented in the General Assembly as the Thames. With a population of quite 13^QP0" souls; with a large commerce, an4T%ke richest of quartz goldfields; with a^feood harbor, and splendid country at its back, only one member is returned to Parliament. The local Press a,t the Thames, and we may add .the AucklanoHPress,---has persistently and continuously either a readjustment of the provincial representation or an increase of members for the district. There are outlying parts in many of the provinces which have .neither trade; commerce, or agriculture to give them importance, -which are numerically and infinitely better represented. Had the Thames country been in Otago instead of Auckland, ie would years ago have returned at least four members." If the Auckland representatives take the same view of the' matter as the press, there is not much fear but that the Thames will get the additional members asked. , .