MOTORS OR TRAMS?

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11029, 18 March 1914, Page 4

MOTORS OR TRAMS?

SUBURBS DISCUSS QUESTION. WISH FOR MOTOR SERVICES. It is probable that in a short time the Ohristcliurch Tramway Board will have to face the problem of providing motor-bus services as feeders for its lines. The subject ffow is freely discussed by people in the .suburbs, many of whom are in favour of running motor'buses along routes that the t-i antways do not touch. It is pointed' out that, services of this character afford a cheap and efficient kind of tramway extension,, much cheaper than the construction of tramlines and the erection of overhead work. ... , Proposals in this direction will bo discussed by the Spreydon Borough Council at its meeting this evening, when a report will be submitted by the Works Committee. SpeaWng on tlie subject in conversation this mornino, Mr G, R. Whiting. Mayor 0 f Spreydon. said that he felt that there was much to recommend the motor-bus as far as his borough was concerned. In the first place, there were good roads for that traffic. In the second place, the borough as a whole wll served bv the present tramway system. There was a large population west of Barrington Street, for instance. which would be greatly benefited by a motor-'bus service. He thonrrht that the best scheme was for the Tramway Board to take this extension or feeder question in hand, but if the Board would' not move in the matter, the municipal bodies themselves. probablv, would deal with it. He was stroudv opposed to the principle of establishing special rating area* for extensions, as it often imposed in justices. There was a, case in point, where -i farmer, whose land was on the flat ground, had to pay rates for thr> Hackthorn line, up the. Cashmere Hills. He believed that motor'bu«es could l>e made useful adjuncts to the ordinary tramway services._ and perhaps in some cases,,CfluM net ttlde"f■ 't-