TRAMS STOP IN WELLINGTON BLACK-OUT

Chronicle (Levin), 15 May 1947, Page 7

TRAMS STOP IN WELLINGTON BLACK-OUT

-Press Association

By Telegra&hr-

WELL1JNGTUJN, May J4. The Wellington tramway motormen's decision to refuse to drive trams in blacked-out areas, was enforced this evening when the service eame to a standstill at 7.15 p.m. following the cutting-off of street lighting iq the, nrain city area. The halt was without ahy major- incident but on resumption of the lighting at 7.45 p.m. a small arba along Kent Terrace did not light up because of a technical fault and the tnotormen refused to negotiate this 8eetion until the lights eame on there at 8.6 p.m. The city streets re-echoed to th^ trarnp of thousands of pairs of feet as. the electricity blackout descended promptly at 7.15. Pedestrian traffie was unusually heavy in the Manners Street a»nd Willis Street areas when the hold-up eame, as passengers left the trams at intervals along some hundreds of yards of the main route. In the main the stationary trams were welldistributed over the stops. The motormen proceeded to the recognised stopping place if they were caught between stops when the blackout eame on. A realisation of the situation appeared to 'dawn slowly on many passengers who remained seated hopefully. but after a time all but a few people city-bound left the trams and walked if they were within a relatively easy distance of their appointed place. Out-ward-bound passengers, marooned Inrfore they could clear the blackout area, appeared to take matters calmly though the fairly chilly night added to the discomfort of the enforced delay. At least they had light inside the trams where all around was darkness, and most passed the time reading. Faced with the choice of an unusually early start or with arriving near the commencing time, most theatre patrons appeared to choose the latter alternative. A more pronounced late rush at the pieture theatres than is common, was the result but attendances were reported as normal. The motormen's decision not to drive during the time in which the streets are blacked out, applies equally to eafly morning as nightime, with the result that the trams will not leave the sheds tomorrow morning until dayliglit which is 7.20 a.m. Normally the trams are moving by 5.30 a.m. and in addition to early workers they carry motornlen and conductors to different points to commence duty. Because these motormen and conductors will have to travel by later trams, it is expected that the whole service will be affected by late running tomorrow morning for some time unless they can find alternative means of transport or are within reasonable walking distance.