THE TRAMWAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8333, 3 June 1905, Page 4

THE TRAMWAYS.

» THE OPENING CEREMONY. THE PROGRAMME FOR MONDAY. All those who are connected with the installation of the municipal electrical cars are more or less excited over the opening ceremonies on Monday. ' If the present tine weather prevails, it is expected that large crowds will line the streets in the thickly populated parts of the city, and give the new cars an ovation as they pass by. It is less than five years since the first ; definite steps were taken, and then there began a series of historical conferences, which were sometimes of a contentious nature. In those days there was .no Greater Christchurch, and feeling between the separate boroughs ran high, Sydenham displaying much opposition to the claim of the City Council that it alone had sufficient intelligence to condttet such a large undertaking. The arrival of Mr P. M. Hansen, and his offers to construct the tramways by private enterprise, had a steadying effect on the conferences, and the delegates, after rejecting his proposals, settled down to hard work, drafted a Bill, and had it passed through Parliament in the session of 1902. The Bill became an Act, and by it the Tramway Board was properly constituted, and was empowered to borrow sums up to £260,000. The Board of business men was elected. It met for the first time in January, 1903, appointed an engineer, and soon had a complete scheme prepared. That scheme supplied the system which, will be opened on Monday, It is known as a 600-volt overhead construction, single-trolley system. Experts estimate that the whole system has cost £1000 a mile less than, any other electrical tram system in New Zealand. It is up-to-date in all respects. There is not its equal in that respect in Australasia. A special feature of the power-station plant is the use of steam turbines, instead of reciprocating engines. These remarkable machines have never been used in New Zealand*before. . Members of the Board, of the Construction Company and of. local bodies interested, together with lady friends, will take part in the opening ceremonies. They will leave Cathedral Square at 1.15 p.m. in the horse-cars, and will be taken to the power-station. There Messrs Paoker and Jones, the contractors for the erection of the power-station building, will pre-^ sent Mr W. Recce, chairman of the Board, with a golden key, upon which will be engraved the city's coat of arms and the following inscription :—- --"Presented to W. Recce, Esq., chairman, by the contractors for the powerhouse." On arrival inside the buildin<», Mr G. Bowron, president of the New Zealand Electrical Construction Company, will request Mr Recce to set the plant in motion, and start the steam turbine. The deputy-chairman, Mr G. G. Stead, will close the two main switches, which will connect the electrical current from the generator to the main switch-board. The Mayor (Mr C. M. Gray) will then be asked to close the feeder switch, controlling Cathedral Square and the line. After seeing all that is to be seen m the power-station, the visitors will go to the car-shed, and after they have been shown over thai branch of the new system, they will enter the cars, which will be waiting in readiness on the line in Moorhouse Avenue, and will be taken into town by way of Manchester Street. On returning to the Square from Papanui the company will be entertained at afternoon tea in the Royal Cafe by the Construction Company.