WHICH SHALL IT BE?

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7415, 29 May 1902, Page 2

WHICH SHALL IT BE?

TO THE EDITOB. " Sir,rrrAltUough sanitation deserves the first consideration at onr hands the tramways question has forged to the front i partly on' account of the approaching lapse of certain concessions and to some extent by reason of public discussion «*ftd. agitationBecause we have confidence in the good faith of out councillor we require to exercise extreme caution as ratepayers, so 9» to assist them in arriving at cweluajoos which, after a new system has replaced the old one, will npt cause any doubt as to the wisdom and honesty of the choice made. That things municipal are occasionally '"Worked"' may be surmised %nm> what happened jn a certain city. An agitation for Hiei*} of speial superiority was begupn; the gentlemen longed for came, saw and conquered, and had W $PQ$ to deal carefully with the application for tramway concessions on the part of a lccal syndicate. ** The company wtw formed, some of the superior meu heeswe directors, and afterwards first mpftgagees, naturally merging into the only owner? of the property when th* bidden profit's of the concern" had been absorbed ia the augmentation and improvement ef the plant. We are happily free from this ?'yle of _w*MiSf&--numt TO Csßtefbury, mi, if we ar* to oftor - tinue so, we must no longer delay onr decision as to the future control of our tramways. Wfjejx we? fiqd that emaU English towns have got Dp*t'p*_J»te elect*ie lm«* of tramways, and that a village of 400 people has adopted the electric light for its-street and house illumination, we can only eonelude that further delay will he the Street fault of the ratepayers who lack the decision and courage to guide their city fatheik The people have these questions to answer. Shall municipal (or inter-jmini-cipal) management replace "company" control? Shall electric traction be used, horse or steam power? I* the trolley (over-head) or the conduit (under current) the more suitable?—J am, etc., J. H. NEWLYN. ' ' , Christchurch, May 28.