THE TRAMWAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9534, 5 May 1909, Page 1

THE TRAMWAYS.

A CASUAL IMPRESSION

Mr John Kneeshaw, tramway superintendent for New South Wales, was in Christchurch yesterday, on a brief holiday" visit, and before leaving for Wellington he gave a reporter the benefit of a few observations he had made regarding the Christchurch system. He made it quite clear that he did not pose as a critic, but be said that the officers of the Christchuroh Tramway Board had been good enough to afford him every facility to look over the system, and ho could not plead ignorance of it when, questioned by an interviewer. ,

The Christchurch tramway system, said Mr Kneeshaw, in regard to track and road bed was laid down, excellently, and the cars presented an appearance so pleasing that he was afraid of making odiou_ comparisons. Mr Knee-

shaw knows most of the tramway systems of New Zealand, and was, in fact, in the railway service until 1889. Comparing State control of the Sydney trams with municipal control, he said that there was not much to choose between them; they were both public control. Oolonial requirements seemed to be suited better by public control than by private ownership, on account of the limited accommodation and capital available. The colonies had not much' to learn from the United States in the matter of electric tramways, and for accommodation similar to that of the Christchurch system on an American line serving a population of the size of Christchurch there would be nothing less than a five-cent fare, and there would be no concessions. He had noticed that the fares in Christchurch were very lpw_ taking into consideration the concessions given. In granting concessions, however, he thought that Christchurch must be careful, for the time was not far distant when renewal charges would be very heavy.