The Star. SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 1909. THE TRAMWAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9430, 2 January 1909, Page 4

The Star. SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 1909. THE TRAMWAYS.

' Another holiday week has passed without any accident being recorded ,in, connection with the running of the city trams, and the enviable reputation Christchurch has secured in this respect reflects the very greatest credit upon the traffic manager, Mr .Wood, and his able and hard-working staff. People are too apt to take their safety for granted when using public conveyances, but at holiday time when special tram after spocial tram, crowded 1 with hundreds of eager excursion-' ists, has to be sandwiched in with the ordinary traffic, the responsibility of those engaged, in conducting the service is increased tenfold. Many of the passengers, too, at this season of the * year are women and children who are jtot in the habit of using the trams to *WF s»r©&t extent, and this increases the j^e'rk of the conductors very materially. glider these circumstances the holiday «&«rd is one to be proud of. There jaijed complainants, of course, who will proclaim that the charge of Is 3d return to Sockburn is an exorbitant injustice, that the suspension of the seaj side .excursion tickets is unfair, and ,-, that the fact that some of the ordinary .trams are a minute or two late is an evidence of gross mismanagement. ' • Xhese people, forgetful of Auckland's - hnfortunate record in the matter of 1 train- catastrophes, are apt to point to the extra speed of the Auckland service, and to draw a comparison unfavourable to Ohristchurch. But the Ghristchurch people will be quite content to continue to travel to Stunner at their present rate of speed rather than be whirled there at the risk of their lives two minutes faster. The complaint about fares and the suspension of excursion tickets is equally uncalled for. The Board has a certain Revenue to collect during the year, and depends largely upon the holiday traffic to assist it in keeping the ordinary fares down. The holiday fares are not exorbitant, and they are largely contributed by visitors.. If people are not prepared to pay a few pence extra for the augmented service during the -busy season they will simply have to ,face the alternative of an increase in the ordinary fares all the year round. Still, though the complaints are loud, they are comparatively few in number, 'and the large majority of the .people are more than satisfied with the arrangements that are made by the Board for their comfort and convenience and their speedy transit to places fQ$ amusement.