OUR TRAMWAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12645, 31 May 1919, Page 8

OUR TRAMWAYS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Residents of Christchurch and 1 suburbs have been talking freely of late, concerning various phases of our tramway service. I have had a few unfortunate experiences on the 1 trams during the last two of three weeks, and for the benefit of anyone who feels interested, I thought this was a very suitable opportunity to ventiiate my grievances. On a recent Sunday I journeyed by tram to Sumner, travelling on a trailer! On Teaching Clifton I informed the conductor that I wished to get off at the nextj stopping place, in front of Cave Rock Hotel. He pressed the button, but the car did not stop, the result being that I had to travel on to the Post Office stopping place, and walk back, carrying a heavy bag. When we ran past the Cave Rock stopping placei without stopping I expressed mild surprise. The conductor first said that they were late, and when I asked if the motorman was entitled to ignore a stop call on that account, he said something abobt the motorman missing an earlier stop call on the trip, suggesting that there was something wrong with tho buzzer. On the morning following this experience I waited at the Cave Rock stopping place for a tram. It slowed down ever so little as it approached' me, and just as I expected it to stop it gathered momentum, the result being that I had to jump on: the moving car or take the alternative o&. being left.* Again I had a hag in my hand, which made hoarding the car . somewhat awkward under these conditions. I have been wondering how much consideration I would have received from 1 the Tramway Board if I had fallen. Probably the conductor would have taken my name and I would have heed prosecuted for attempting to board a moving tram. ’ ' A few days later I was travelling on! the St Albans Park tram. For the benefit of those who do not know this line,-! may mention that all passengers alight and hoard the car from the left side (facing the front) until the car reaches the Packe Street step. jOn leaving here the conductor usually drops the guard rail on that side, having previously raised the rail on the other side. On the day I have in mind the conductor overlooked the Tail until we were well up the road. When we. reached Dean Street he had raised the right-hand rail, hut had not dropped the other. A passenger, sitting on the left side of the car, was about to stop off on that side when the guard made some remark. ,1 did not catch what he said, hut when the passenger wajked off the car on the left gjdo the 'conductor addressed him in a' most insulting manner. One remark I did hear was that he (the conductor) would stem said passenger Ho in getting on to the tram at all if he did not leave it on the. proper side. Quite clearly the trouble of the passenger leaving the tram from the wrong side was due to the neglect of the conductor, whose attempt to transfer the responsibility for anv trouble on to* The passenger’s shoulders was an impertinence.—l am, etc.. . CONSTANT TRAVELLER. Christchurch, May 30 ’