COMPANY'S PROPOSAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7329, 15 February 1902, Page 4

COMPANY'S PROPOSAL.

The local bodks of Christchurch -will Portly be called upon to consider an offer o provide them with an electric tramway w «rvice. The British Electrical Traction Company, which is at present engaged in I Hying a system of this Kind in Auckland, t ' ias, through its manager, intimated that it /' intends to lay- before the local bodies here proposals under which it is prepared to perform a similar work for - Chmstchurch. The gist of its proposals was published yesterday. Briefly, the offer will contain two alternatives. The first of thes_e provides that the company shall build the line itself and Tun the trams for a certain numl>er of years ; the second that the company shall construct the liri© for the local bodies, and finance them in the undertaking. There is something to be said in favour of both alternatives, and there are objections. 3?irst and foremost, there is the great objection of delegating to private enterprise what by rights is the duty of the municipalities. The . local bodies ought, if they can, to undertake the work of construction themselves, instead of handing it over to a company whose principal object is, of course, to make 1 f money out of the public. But the local bodies seem unwilling to approach the task. For months past they have been dallying over it without coining to a definite decision, and judging from present indications it may be years before they arrive at an understanding agreeable to all. While they are wasting time the public is being kept waiting for an efficient; tram ser- ::.■■ vice, and is beginning to lose patience. What is required is immediate action, and / if the acceptance of the British .Electrical ■■'„ Traction Company's proposals will hasten ; action the local bodies might do worse than accept it. That is the broad view of the ;• question which will appeal to the majority - of sensible people. The details of the com- *. pany's offer are an entirely different mat- ;; ter. They would have to be examined ■; closely, with the object of making sure that : v the local bodies were entering into an ar- \:. rangement which would benefit not only the V: present generation, Jmt also its successors. :