A TRAMWAY AREA.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20648, 24 June 1935, Page 7

A TRAMWAY AREA.

Abolition of Districts Awaited. REPORT TO 3E MADE. The abolition of the tramway districts as at present constituted and the election of members of the Christchurch Tramway Board for the whole of the area was advocated by Mr G. T. Thurston at a meeting of the board this afternoon. The board decided to secure a report on the legal position from the acting general manager (Mr H. E. Jarman). The discussion arose when the question of filling the vacancy caused by the death of Mrs E. R. McCombs was being considered. Mr Thurston contended that the district method of election was wrong. He would like to see the position investigated. One aspect would be how long it would take to introduce the new system. The deputy-chairman (Mr E. J. Howard, M.P.) : It would take an Act of Parliament. Mr Thurston: I don’t think so from the wording of the Act. Mr Howard said that his view was that there was power under the Act only to alter the boundaries of the districts, not to abolish them entirely. Mr Jarman said that several commissions had been set up to revise the boundaries. The last sat seven years ago. Mr Thurston added that the City Council had departed from the ward system of election a long time ago. Mr Howard said that the board was operating both under a special Act and the general Act dealing with locomotion. The legal position was somewhat obscure.