TRAMWAY BOARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9024, 3 September 1907, Page 4

TRAMWAY BOARD.

YESTERDAY'S MEETING. The Chri6tchurch Tramway Board met yesterday afternoon ; present — Messrs H. Pearce (deputy-chairman), G. T. Booth, W. Reece, J. A. Flesher, D. Sykes and J. Richardson. An apology fox absence was received from the chairman, stating that he was storm-bound in the- North Island. CATHEDRAL SQUARE OFFICES. The Works and Traffic Committee reported that it had carefully considered purchasing a section in or near Cathedral Square, to be used as a central branch car shed and ticket offices, and recommended that the property used by the Board at the east side of the Cathedral should be purchased for £5500. A ticket office j could be built on. the north-western j corner. The estimated cost of the i land and the erection of buildings was £11,8451 The Board was paying rent for the car-shed and ticket office amounting to £380 a year. The report was adopted. , THE MERIT SYSTEM. The Staff Committee reported that it had '-re-arranged the merit and demerit system < regulating the motormen and coiK.^tbrs. The principal alterations were that merit marks would be given to those men who received no demerit marks for each period. The period had been increased from two months to three, and a second prize of £1 had been added to each class. No minimum marks were stated in the schedule, which recorded only the maximum marks to be given for each offence. Suspensions from duty would only be given in cases involving dismissal from the service, pending investigation of the charges made. The report was adopted. THE FENDALTON EXTENSION. The Engineer submitted a report on the proposed extension of the Fendalton route along Glandovey Road as far as Bryndwr Road. The total cost, he stated, would be £4284 ss, including a new bridge over the "Wairarapa, with drainage alterations, at a cost of £642. He had written to the Riccarton Road Board, asking it to share the cost of the Wairarapa Bridge, but a meeting of that Board would not be held till Sep-t-ember 9. The total cost of the bridge was therefore included in the estimates. The total cost of a further extension along Glandovey Roard to the corner of Bryndwr Road and Webb's Road would be £6279 6s. The secretary reported that the rates that would have to be levied in the district served to cover the estimated Ices to the Board on the several routes would be as follow : — Clyde Road route (cost, £3957 13s lid), 1 4-sd; Carmichael's corner to Bryndwr (cost, £6697 ss), 1 9-10d; Glandovey Road and Bryndwr Road to Webb's Road (cost, £6279 ss), 2d ; Glandovey Road to Bryndwr Road (cost, £4284 ss), less than 2d. Mr J. Taylor wrote stating that, as suggested by the Board, a conference between the committees in l'emklto-i had been arranged with the object of deciding which was the best route. Only he and Mr R. O. Duncan had attended, and as they had been quite unable, to agree, they requested the 13oard to take the responsibility of deciding upon a route. . > Mr Flesher suggested that as two of the estimates had been alreadr submited to the committees, the two new ones should also be sent, eo that the ratepayers could say whether they were prepared to pay the rates. Mr Sykes suggested that, as the final decision rested with the Board, the members should view the routes. Mr Flesher moved a motion covering his suggestion and that of Mr Sykes, and it was carried. THE RAILWAY SERVICE. Messrs G. Payling, J. Ballantyne, Whitcombe and Tombs, T. Kmcaid, and Aitken and Roberts wrote, protesting against the proposal, to carry the Papanui service along High and Manchester Streets to the railway station instead of along Colombo Street t and asking that a deputation might meet the Board. The chairman said that the Works Committee- had the matter under consideration, and would have it settled before the Board sat, eo that the, best plan would be for the deputation to wait upon the committee. It was decided that the deputation should be received by the Works Committee. THE TARIFF. Tho Board having written, to the Minister of Customs, stating that certain tramway materials could not ne made in the colony, and the prc-poficd tariff on electrical machinery would not foster local industries, the Minister wrote, in reply, that the points raised

would bo considered, and, he hoped, satisfactorily dealt with in the amendments to be submitted to Parliament. 1 The letter was received. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr T. W. Maude wrote, suggesting that the Board should use a quick and direct route from Spreydon, via Lincoln Road and Oxford Terrace to the Square, then by Colombo Street and the Belt to Park Road, returning by Colombo Street to the Square and back !to Spreydon by Oxford Terrace and Lincoln Road. The use of the route, he said, would do much to prevent overcrowding of the trams by passengers belonging to the penny section. The letter was referred to the Works and Traffic Committee. Mr J. A. Cassidy wrote, on behalf of Mr T. W. Coombridge, claiming £100 as full satisfaction for damages to himself and his property in a recent accident. The matter w~s referred to the Accidents Committee. Mr T. J. W. Shand wrote, asking that a shelter shed should be erected at the Cash el Street stopping place on the Riccarton and Lincoln Road line, as it was used by numbers of passengers, and was very much exposed to the weather. He stated, also, that the trams were sometimes unpunctnal at stopping places, probably owing to their j not having stopped at the previous stopping places and having gone on without slackening speed. It was decided that seats should be placed at the stop. The portion of the letter containing the statements about unpunctuality was referred to the traffic manager. Accounts amounting to £3697 0s lOd were passed for payment and the meeting terminated.