WAIMAIRI ROADS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 364, 4 March 1932, Page 7

WAIMAIRI ROADS.

Difficulties Caused by Trolley Buses. request for assistance. (Special *o the •’Star"; WELLINGTON, March 4. The Minister of Public Works, the Rt Hon. J. G. Coates, was approached to-day to secure the help of the Highwavs Board in the problem of the maintenance of a portion of the trolley bus route from Christchurch t*o North New Brighton, a distance of about two and a half miles running through the Waimairi County and the New Brighton Barough. Mr D. G. Sullivan. M.P., stated that the subject of the deputation was the maintenance of roads in a district extensively used by public services. The Highways Board had not complied with a request to make these roads secondary highways, and something would have to be done to find money for the heavy maintenance due to the traffic. Mr R. W. Hawke supported Mr Sullivan's statement, and in reply to Mr Coates stated that the Tramway Board paid £7O per line towards the cost of the roads used by trolley buses. Mr Coates, addressing Mr F. Thompson (General Manager of the. Christchurch tramways), asked: Do your tram wavs pay? Mr Thompson: Well, we are losing a great deal less than this time last year.

Mr J. Liggins, of the Waimairi Countv Council, stated that it was quite impossible for the County or the riding to keep the roads up to a standard suitable for trolley buses. They had no objection to the ’buses, which were a benefit to the district. The declaration of the road as a secondary highway would give an adequate sum for maintenance. Meanwhile, the road was getting into a bad state, though the Tramway Board, twelve months ago. substantially helped to put it in order. Debit Balance reared. Mr E. A. M. Leaver, Mayor of New Brighton, stated that it was found impossible to keep up the proper maintenance on ’bus routes. The borough had twenty-eight miles of roads and oftly £ISOO annually available for all of them. The surface was really a piecrust made on sand and was never intended to carry such traffic. Many borough properties only paid half rates owing to being unoccupied, and he was afraid that the borough would finish the year with a debit balance. Mr E. H. Andrew's, Chairman of the Christchurch Tramway Board, stated that the board had no objection to paying heavy traffic fees in respect of trolley 'buses, totalling £490 annually. Mr Coates pointed out that when the board ran trams, it maintained the tracks. Now it had no obligations except to run a service. “ You moved your tramways, but the effect has been to throw the responsibility upon one poor riding and the borough,” he said. “ You are not giving £4OO to this road, as that is distributed over the whole district.” Mr Sullivan : And you are struggling, too. Mr Andrews: \\’e shall probably show a loss of £20,000 this year, despite all the economies we have made. Mr Thompson explained that the Order-in-Council permitted the board to lift the tramway tracks and held up the permission until the board had put in another service. Jf the board could have had its way, its inclination would have been to abandon the service. Mr Coates: All Tramway Boards are in the same position—anxious to get out of places which don’t pay, but their deed of delegation makes them consider the service as a whole. He undertook to get the Chairman of the Highways Board to discuss the matter with him before making any decision. He said that he had been over the road and had discussed the matter with the County Chairman.