AUCKLAND NOTES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11483, 16 January 1903, Page 6

AUCKLAND NOTES.

(SPECIAL TO "THE TRESS.") AUCKLAND. January 15. The question of running electric cars on Sunday is just now exercising the minds of the citizens of Auckland, the company having announced that it is their intention to apply for permission to start a Sunday service. As may well be supposed, opinions are very much divided on the subject, the churches even are not unanimous. Bishop Lenihan, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, sees nothing objectionable in Sunday trams. All the Protestant ministers are opposed to them. The Trades' and Labour Council, which may be taken to represent the workers, Ls also against them, but some of the company's employees do not share its views. The Press takes opposite sides. The "Herald" favours tie innovation, and the "Star" denounces i<But after all the final decision rests with the people themselves, as the City Council cannot sanction tbe proposal without first taking a poll of ratepayers. Although only thirty-three years of age, Mr W. H. Hamer, of London, who has been appointed engineer to the Auckland Harbour Board by a unanimous vote, is a man of varied experience. He is at the present time resident engineer to the Albert Docks (the two largest separate docks in the world), an estate of 676 acres, of which 180 acres are water. He has an average of 1023 workmen employed in locomotive fitters, smiths, chain, and carpenters' shops, and on the sawmills, refrigerators, hydraulic, and dry dook pumping stations. The expenditure in his department during 1901 was £150,000, and during 1902 £210,000. He was articled to the President of the County Engineers and Surveyors' Association (Mr E. G. -Mawbey, C.E., Leicester), the water-works engineer of King's Lynn, at York. He was educated at Rugby, and in the mechanical and electrical workshops of King's College, also under Dr. Walmsley and Dr. Dryed-ale for electricity.