Tramways.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 11974, 18 September 1906, Page 2

Tramways.

TO TV« BDITOB.

Sir, — The Council seem to he making poor progress in the direction of the establishment of trams. The question lias now been exactly tv\o year-, under consideration. To say that the Council are as far away from rinality r.s they were at the outset would be no exaggeration. It is fairly safe to predict that Wanganui cannot now have a train service within the next two years. The whole question was thoroughly gone into some time ago, and a poll of the ratepayers taken, with the result that the ratepayers authorised the •raising of a certain sum of money for a steam motor 'bus service on rails, as suggested by Mr Hatrick, subsequently endorsed and exhaustively dealt with by Mr A. E. Battle .engineer, of London, who, at the Council's request, went to France especially to enquire into and advise the Council. The Council now want an electric service, at an additional cost of many thousands of pounds, losing siijht of the all-important factor whether Wanganivi can support a heavy capital cost service. No town in the colonies with so small a service has yet attempted to run an electric tram installation. This aspect of the question, the most important, after all, is yet in a state of Q.E.D. (to be proven). Which is the simplest and most economical way of proving it? Let the Council at once proceed with the laying down of the track as sanctioned by the ratepayers. Order three 'huses and run them. If they prove a success, and the traffic warrants, and the public desire to instal (not a tin-pot cheap German) electric installation, then do so. The motor 'buses (3) would, from Mr Battle's report, cost ,£IOOO each, or .£3OOO in all. Converted into electric motor cars tho loss might be — hardly likely — £500 each, or .41 500 in all. Even if it cost the town the whole .£3OOO it would be money well spent. and everyone would feel that the Council were proceeding on safe and prudent business lines. Wanganui cannot afford to risk ,£45.000, or even ,£35,000, on an electric service until satisfied that so small a population warrants so large a capita] cost. It is now some three years since tho Council raised a loan for asphalt macadamising Taupo Quay, the Avenue, and for other works. This expenditure has been held and the work left undone for all this time (three years') whilst the Council do nothing but wrangle. At no period in the history of Wanganui as a borough have we had so poor administration. Business methods, energy, and enterprise appear to have lied, and nothing but talk, talk, and wrangle substituted in their place. — I am, etc.,

RATEPAYER.