The Tramways Bill.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 12, 9 October 1907, Page 4

The Tramways Bill.

« — STATEMENT BY MR. BLOW. '. With reference to tho Tramways Bill, introduced in Parliament last week, which- has been criticised as an interference on the part of the Government with local rights, Mr. H. J. H.Blow, Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department, states that apart i from the provisions for examination of motormen, and granting to them of Government certificates, tho Bill scarcely gives the Government any new i powers. Other regulations, such an 1 those referring to the display of boards y showing tho route and destination of cars, wero already made tho subject of Orders-in-Couneil whenever a name system was established, "At the pro- • sent time.we givo them a fair start," said Mr.'Blow. I'The present Bill is' framed to givo us a continuing power; It goes very little further than that.' '

AN ELECTRIC ENGINEER'S . VIEWS. An electrical ongineer, who has had experience in various parts of the 'world, informed a Dominion reporter ' yesterday that the Tramways Bill waa 1 in the right direction, and was ahead of tho legislation in many other coun- I tries. In his opinion, "the two most*! important clauses wero. those relating ; to the inspection .of- lines and, rolling' stock by compotent personn appointed by the Minister, and tho : : ssuing of certificates to drivers by a Board of Examiners, also sot up by tho Govern-.' ment. The operation of these and ! other clauses would, he felt sure, tend,! to reduce to a minimum the possibility.' of accident. Mishaps were, ho said, | mostly due to inexperience on the patt ! of the employees, tho exercise of in-! judicious economy, and in the install-"; tion of the plant and want of. proper: supervision. At present, if an accident occurred, the lino and rolling stock; af- i fectod would bo inspected by' an en- I or other servant of the own- ] ors, and it would bo 'unreasonable to expect a report contrary to the inter-"'. ,ests of tho proprietors. In the mea- J sure before Parliament, however, power was given to tho Minister to order an > onquiry into any accident arising out \ of. the working of a tramway, aud-j where he was satisfied that tho mishap, was attributable wholly or in part, to tho misconduct, negligence, or incapa-' city of any driver, ho could suspend or cancel his certificate. Our inform*' ant was unable tc speak authoritatively of tho exact nature of the ex.i j animation to bo prescribed, in respect of drivers, but. he was , strongly of opinion that the best preparation for such employment lay in tho acquire* ment of a sound technical education which would have special bearing on these particular subjects. This would. .1 he thought, make ,for intelligence and ' efficiency.

HOSTILE OPINION. [BY TELEGRAPH.-r-OWSf COREESFONDEOT.J ' Christ ihurch, October 7i ) The Tramway Board at its meeting j to-day . criticised the' Tramways Act'' Amendment .Bill- severely,-' and. a resolution to tlie effect that th e m«..i- 5 sure was an attempt to'interfere "n-j duly with the rights of 'ratepaseuUpj manago au undertaking built. ith f their' money. Mr. Reece, the jix<~ chairman to the Board, asserted that the Bill inferred that the officers pointed by the public were not com-j petent to carry out their duties, and' he for 0116; could not imagine any body • of self-respecting men acting 'under the regulations it was sought to lm* pose.

TRAMWAY MANAGER'S . . CRITICISM., . (By Telegraph—Press AssociaVcn.) . , ':." Dunedln, October 8. ] Mr.- Alexander, tramways nunager, ' in a; report' to the' City Corporation,. strongly condemns the Tramwayj Bill. Ho says: "If this Bill were passed, tho Council, the Tramways Comni'.tee,' and the manager would be. ' simply \ ornaments, so far,aß tho tramp-iys nra\ concerned, and it would not require] much experience or ability to bi man-.] ager of a tramway system in New Zea-'; land. Tho Ttamway Committee would become unnecessary, as the Government would make Ml the necessary h n rangomonts for tho working of the ser*. vice. In my'opinion, the Bill makes it possible for tho Government to make regulations which would be disastro-ia ] to our service. The Government wou'dbo in tho. position to take the man-] agement of the tramways into it s ovm hands without taking the working nrj financial responsibilities. 'The rate-1 payors had invested £300,000 in tl eir [ tramways, Surely tho. Council, which! is tho ratepayers' representative," should be tho proper authority tu nuke tho proper regulations'regarding the actual' management So far a? > Odin is conconiad, 1 am unable to see ! tho slightest necessity for tho intro- j duction of the Bill. Tho Dunedin Couhci' 5 proved it is fully compe-; jtent t '.nagc its tramways, and, in my op.> .:i, no tramways in the world can show a better record as regards ', the absonco of serious accidents, ivhieh moans that tho City Council is fully alivo to tho necessity of taking every precaution. for tho safety of lilt and limb. I respoctfully and strongly re- j commend tho Tramway Committee to tako immodiato steps to opposo tho Bill, and (irmly htliovo that if It is passed tho Dunedi.i tramway system could never bo self-supporting." RESOLUTION BY AUCKLAND CITS! COUNCIL. . Auckland, October 8. At a special meeting of the City ' Council to-day the following resolution was carried:—" That tho Auckland) City Council hereby strongly nud earnestly protests against the principle . sot forth in the Tramways Bill of depriving the local body of the power of i controlling matters connected with the tramway service, which' have hitherto ' liooii,, and usually are, subject to the control of' the local body, and requests the local members of Parliament to use „ their utmost endeavours to preserve to the local authority the regulation of tramway, traffic, whitli the Government' proposes by this Bill to take away'." I