TRAMWAY BOARD.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15037, 4 August 1914, Page 5

TRAMWAY BOARD.

ORDINARY MEETING.

Tho Tramway Board met yesterday afternoon. Present —Messrs J. A. Flesher (chairman), Georgo T. Booth, C M. Gray, D. Sykes, S. A- Staples, H. Pearce, A. W. Beaven, Hon. J. Barr, and Dr.. Thacker. WORKS AND TRAFFIC. Tho Works and Traffic Committee recommended that tho Government be re quested to amend the .National Provident Act partly on tho lines of Mr H. G. Ell's Bill of 1910. (It is understood that this course has already received the favourable consideration of thtr Minister of Internal Affairs.) The drawings of the new Peckham radiaxle four-wheel trucks on order had a; rived, and it would be necessary • push on with the construction ot t-.'----car bodies so that they may be reac for use directly tbe trucks arrive. *i ti licks will have 32in wheels, thus . creasing speed capacity, but thee: of the cars will be dropped so v.. lower steps may be obtained at the portions of the car.. The car will b-. fitted with cross seats, except a-> the ends, where longitudinal seats will be used,, giving more room at tho point where passengers entering and leaving meet. The car will seat fifty _.Bssengers. The committee recommend-, eel the acceptance of the quotation of Messrs T. W. and J. .Walker, of Wolverhampton, for 250 tons of rails at £7 6s per ton, with the necessary bolts and 'fish-plates. The lowest tender for ioO bends came from the Canterbury Oontiaclors' Supply Company, aggregate price, including duty, £103 19s. The bonds are of German manufacture. The committee recommended the acceptance of tho next tender,. Messrs R. W. Cameron and Co., for bonds of American manufacture, aggregate price £108 13s 2d '.. The report was agreed to, with the addition of an instruction that, the engineer whould prepare tenders for two r.ew bodies in connexion with the new trailers. A NEW BRIGHTON DEPUTATION. Mr James Asiiley,- representing a deputation from New Bngnton, waited on tho Board, and presented a peti ucn, signed by lot) persons, asking tbat i\.«' Briguton be constituted a separ ate tramway district. It was suggested that the proposed district should extcnu

from Alrtwin's road to the . Burwoou School, lie apologised for the .ibseuce of the Mayor (Mr C. B. Winny), wm was detained through urgent business, and the other member of tho depnla t;6nReplying to Mr Gray, Mr Ashley said chit he knew of nothing wrong.to necessitate-the pro-wsed change. The dlfcLiict bad grown .n population. •'Don't \ou know," Mr iiykes asked, "that at present New Brighton is represented by the Oliver Twist, of tne Board —th<) chairman'is holding out the Sew Brighton porridge pot for more to ihe detriment of th* l other districts** 1 ' Mr Ashley remarked that he was not conversant with the arguments that the other members of the deputation wouid have adduced. The chairman pointed out that the question of the representation of districts on the Board was ono that the Board had no control over. He quoted figures relative to population to show that if New Brighton was granted representation and other districts of similar population demanded representation, the Board would consist of forty or fifty members. After Mr Ashley had withdrawn, it was decided to receive tno petition, and forward a reply on tbo lines of the chairman's remarks. CORRESPONDENCE.

A letter from Mrs A. Patterson, Wow Brighton, asking for a grant of £25 towards tho cost of a new verandah opposite the New Brighton pier, which would be suitable for a tramway shelter.' was referred to the Works • and Traffic Committee for report. The Christchurch Band Contest Committee wrote asking for a* subscription towards the funds. —It was decided to hold over the application till other applications of a similar character were being considered. The Addington Burgesses' Association asked that trailers should be provided between 8 a.m. and ii a.m,—lt was decided to ask the Works and Traffic Committee to report on the matter. Accounts amounting to £4988 14s od were passed "for payment.