MR S. A. STAPLESS VIEWS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11487, 21 January 1903, Page 8

MR S. A. STAPLESS VIEWS.

Mr S. A. Staples, a candidate for the Riccorton, Spreydon, and Halswell seat on the Tramways Board, was to have addressed a meeting at the Canterbury SaleyarJs on -Monday, but owing to tbe small aU<adance did not do so.

Mr Staples, who was one of the conference which drew up the scheme for a Tramvvavis Board, is strongly in favour of municipal control, and considers Chat under that control the users of the tiams would not have to pay special fares on special occasion;*, as is now the practice. In support of tikis he quotes the reduction in fares and freights on tha railways einoe they came under Government control. He tlunka the Board should be in a position to construct die lines as quickly and as cheaply as a company, but in the event of a proposal being made that they should be construet-<-d by a company, he would insist on a vote i>f the electors being taken on the matter. If elected he wfil do his utmost to have Soc'kburn aiid Christehurch connected by tramway, as it would tap all the southern railway passengers, by which they would bi ab;6 to reach Christehurch quicker, and ;ts cheaply, by electric trame, as by finishing the journey by train. The Hne would also be of great value in connection witi the City abattohs. He is in favour of ex-u.-1-..dinjj the present lines wherever they wif. pay, and woul-d extend the Papantri line to Belfast, and the Lincoln read line to the

the lines, he ia in favour of getting ail work done locally where possible, and so long as the. cost us*anywhere near the mark; he is not afraid *of the quality of the local article. He is also in favour of letting contracts to email bodies of working men for formation and laying on a co-operative principle. Unskilled labour should be paid the highest current rate of wages, but in these matters awards have been made by the Arbitration Court, and has a":«o dealt with preference being given to unionists, and Mr Staples is satisfied to be bound by such awards. He is not in favour of buying any of tlio obsolete plant- of the present ing any of tho obsolete plaau of tin? present companies, with the exception, perhaps, of a few liorse cars to continue traffic where absolutely necessary. If th«s present companies are prepared to ireat in a. liberal msiint." for the unexpiivd portion ot their concessions, ha wovid adroca|6 buying them out. bui if not he would allow them u> run until the concessions expired, the Board in the meantime pushing on with the construction of a power-house, and the formation of lines outside tho city. Mr Staples is in favour ol obtaining the best electrical expert to advise the Board thoroughly.