TRAMWAY MATTERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12063, 19 July 1917, Page 6

TRAMWAY MATTERS.

INTERESTING ITEMS. The preliminary steps arc being taken by tins Christ-church Tramway Board to obtain an Order-in-Council empowering it to alter the lay onfc of tramway tracks in Cathedral Square. The board, ib may bo explained, does not have, to obtain permission from tho City Council to oxecute .such work, but deals direct with the Public "Works Department. The Department, however, will doubtless take into consideration any representations which the City Council or other interested public bodv may make on the subject. Tho board )uib forwarded to tho City Council tho plans of tho proposed new lay out, and at the same time is asking permission to cover over a portion of tho side channel in, front of the Cathedral.

T'lio board's large storage battery, which has recently boon out, of commission pending removal and roplating, has now been recharged, and was in operation to-day as usual.

Tramway Conductor Lee. who was injured in the course of his duties on tho Riccnrton line on Saturday night, is making satisfactory progress towards recovery, his injuries being less serious than was le.aretl when he was first admitted to the Hospital. The circumstances under which tho accident occurred arc obscure, but the Tramway Hoard is conducting' a private inquiry into the mattrr with a view to elucidation.

The board will shortly commence to supply .-hingle from tho new j>it at Sockburn for the improvement of the roadway in front of tho New Brighton Trotting Club's grounds. The material will be paid for by the Waimairi County Council, which is being substantially subsidised, it is understood, by tho Trotting Club, The Tramway Board is co-operating in the matter because the present state of the road concentrates vehicular traffic oil the tramline, leading to congestion and delay of the tramway service when trotting meetings are being held. The. residents of Racecourse Road, on the New Mrighton line, have prevailed upon the 'Jramway Board to erect, a shelter at their stopping-place. A site has been procured trom Mr Allan Hopkins, and one ol the old trailers, converted for the purpose of a shelter, will be placed in position in a lew days. The hoard has made it a rulo to discourage the erection ot shelters in outlying districts because experience has shown that the building is subject to misuse. In this case, however, the Racecourse Road residents have, secured the co-oueration of the New Brighton Borough Council, which has given an undertaking that its employees will supervise the new shelter. The general manager (Mr Frank Thompson) reports that the number of applications for employment in the tramway service is ivu-reasiug, aud that an excellent, class of men are applying for positions. Tho work of shifting tho tramway track in Worcester Street nearer to the centre of the roadway is proceeding expeditiously and be completed in about a fortnight. New work then to bo undertaken by tho Tramway Board will bo a loop on Moorhouse Avenue near the railway station, and a loop at Harrington Street, both loops being intended to facilitate shunting operations.

Tho Board proposes to alter t-hei timetable for the. Cashmere Hills-Edgewaro Uoad section from August 1 next by putting on an extra electric car, thus arranging lor more "standing time" at Harrington Street and St.. Albans Park. The standing time thus secured will be .sufficient to allow of trailers being attached on especially heavy trips, and it is hoped that tho new system will alleviate to a. very considerable extent the overloading which now occurs occasionally at, both ends of tlii? section. It is also proposed to run one or two extra new trips in connection with the Woolston service, to comply with urgent local ree|iiests. Tho hoard's solicitor now has in hand the obtaining from the Supreme Courtof a. declaratory judgment with a view to determining whether the board may legally erect- a. shelter on the footpath at the south-west corner of the. Cathedral {.'rounds.

The latest typo of trailer adopted by the hoard has met with much favour from passengers. Messrs Boon and Co. now have in hand the construction of sixteen additional trailers of this typo, tho construction of trucks for these having been -entrusted to Messrs Cooper and Duncan.