OUR TRAMWAYS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 442, 26 February 1909, Page 9

OUR TRAMWAYS.

/I3LANIj;;BAY/,LINE.:V;;;.; ■i^M^^TOOPOis^ ] :M:{smuYW ; /B y|the ; /; } _;-/-/;v^; -" -,?. -tt-^as/proiJosWd : at^;last : iiigHt's moeting of ■i.N ■%%.' thelCity.CoMbfl!ttatVsocial .mo^hiyi'tibketß' :;/" /.-u^ .; ! i\)'. ;-J/Vthe;faf^;to'.be>2dstU> -Courtenay Place, ; and; "SvsSr / Railway'/Station,; /: ;;.:i:;:;' :':7U/" j<: •;U;TheAMayor.s ; s!udiJtfcat/ if :'ih~o .'finances/tad : >P ,; ;"? Vpermitiodii. , th.e;,;counciii'wouldvha'yo; liked-.'.fo '■<■ i'fi\ if'&oopiiricridrtliat'j;the^fare';beireduced: to-,two- : : ;77,-;^P?hcpJ/;:' ; ;i/.3 . ; 352'->':Si''. "'■■>'■'■ ''■'■'■ ;::':/■;.;;-.CouhiciHorY Iiiiko/jWas-of opinionfjthat;the' ,'..■.;•:// tfnd .',to'make.''.'the; line , much; ■/ ' : \ : 5 ■" :\Whafc ; .amount-tit loss is: :::.': >.'■.'|/fepreseht6d'/byrthe;. proposed .reduction? :;,. \ / jc'b/ ■-■■.'£■■;:■:. TJio'Maypr.:-The engineer considers that if. 5 : /; ;;;■;{/; ffic'rb;:is7/uo:;a]dditibii'::to ;-:the/ revenue, varid ; J '■'. vthat '}: beipro;v:lof /■:;///-:; : :'iares. ; issued -were'Hbd l'same;'!there;may/be-a---v;";J>:'-'C!;,' lossrof ; ;£1171.',j' Qi tho-;other'hand;; it.' was' mattbrs/thore.w'as.some ;-:./V; i .'?/cpm]wilsatiQu..in ! ;'th^ : :.-';'-; : :' :-:;-;;It-was. just/is eas'y to drive'/a: c'a'r;,cphtainiiig '■/.---i% ; ;, 60 'i^pJeJVs/if Jit- wor^-^bnly: accominoclatirig "Uv;s;i;-;half-;;a A v..: ■.. :,//>::; / ,-,■ A ftJ::;-: : '.'; ;'// : are/tconcessions ■''■-^■k'-'l%■"■ iw^mado:in: respect;of'other- seotiqns?i.Take-fiiVi-'fiuAro';Street^lino/ for4instanced "'Eight"fidds ;£! ; : K?i /shilling : ;on:;;.that.line; : :^?nS: ' T^^|hbu|d^d;Riw'ori-BuslnesiLJne3^ ■I I';'-/; ;/;V'.r'■■G6unciiiar.4QOT^r'saidCthe)'ir'am'e:sHo^d'bi'. ? ; / :-!fi'i v.nin;/on ;commercial.;:lines; v';lf /this •■ request': ;.. :<&i;-r;, /Was graiited;yothers /(vduldvfollow, ; and:it-loss |;X;/;S'Woy|E fHe'Sivould' yotefagainsttbe ■:'.';':'-K:.--"^'^pro^sy.v::Sin-..!:v^.--'i-^ -:■'' yi\ :, -^-i->,C^u'uc'Ulp'tV;M. , L"aren' ; ..iddy , th'e \s-r*h-!■■■■ ;ibtito ..be'run: Only ior;the : ; purppso. of; inak- : j; ;.'; : :/; ingejevinue;; but/for': thegeneral "convenience - ; i S;f!'',<•! itfe;-■' people! '■': Hβ-:d6siredi,to -know',-if ."it; ■:■:;: Wttr. was^^i'pr'oposed I .to retain;.the'.sixpenny';"return" -:/ /:J/; ,v ;tickets;.4, He: did/not;think; the/cliailge :would /;:^'U^'^Sult|in/ ; a--loss.vj/,//i .".\i : :';t;;;V ■'; : '; \ r ?':'^ ■■>'V'■',•;.■ ;■:-:■ ment' ; Koyal 'Oak corner be:the'ter- ' ;%i'/S nunusj'foi-.the;.2}d• ridp.instead;of'Cburteriay: the present proposal,' Berhani-; '6§t*: /P° ;:not ;,beiidnt; at; ii":-;x/;r policy ( ; /;'7://-^peppJpjiJ^,'^prk;sas:'bheaply;;'as : :'M« :■ t ;■■;': ;v,: : ;;C!m^cilpr^ : i'lci^hery'^ r;;r::A./; inentVrand'isaidithat; every': /encouragement ■:C/;'; .'■ /'bejigiyen;:, tp;'people:ito;,reside; jn'.the' v/y-;>;;'u;B^burbsjv^JrV;'-^-:i>//^i'""'" lls '- ;/K''-;;-;'°-^; ; -/ /;'^ ; .; :.,;iy^Counclllor"^ ■^ ,:~ :^: ': V; .ing stpi r.om,; Courteriay. .■ Place/to; ;the ■"'-:; .'"'i:'/; : '.y6overamenV^ V ' : 'Jf '/•; i.z would : iljp:f ifithe o'were' '■:':;. -V.V /; (..crowded ! : .p,eoplo; ; : whp;were "only ; going AiV'iV^:?r?- ; ; A^:-:- ". ■•./■;.:' ; '. -" TJpqh.'.'.. b'e'ing v.put'. :tße. amendment - wasTβ-/;:.;-i;';^-:;V: jectediifV\^v>;-. : 4'V:'-^V^;-^*' ; jy^ ■r/i'; :y: '■^^^Sp' n f>'; f;?i>is.':and /flßures./'s',;;/;';:^: ://;;;/;/.:;CflDaeflfe;fißß* siH'tW:m«r elicrald , be : . •:■:/ •;.;oonsidered:from"'theAV^ ;.;• z^ , :/^theVflhances -could ;stancl/it;M'Last: yeitfj the :,?iv:'-y/«-;t r^l!>T W:" : P™P.*r ; ifl^-'' '■':■. '.''■■ lOßipunt.. towards.: preliminaryVekpenses,:, came. ;;: V:/; : - : to-b^y*;i£4oß^ >.', ■/::y : ■S-yV I expected ■ that' ;,anbther ; lilooo -■ would -' ;';■';';'; which iwbuld; mean ; ";v(-'',W ,th'at ';,thp;/ne't:'pro&t' would : 'be,'.£4So3—bnly. /;'.• '.;>.' -V''/£soovonpr6' : th'an 'last'Hyear.^.^it/wßuld/bd. /,;/.;o:; Island Bay/line-rsi. : miles , ■. ; .:V\ : ;if a^s rr^?P.. v -ayerdge:;'was'.?is7d;-.-.per.-.mile; : : v AV ; .Cdurtenay7Place : would :;;;* : :jrepresentJ;j;an:;i: averSgb'jCvOfj;fvs3d:;.V''th'e : U:;':/;-/:25d?;farje;tszthe.vGovernment-Station':.would- /;,;:;:^;:;: represent.i^ne-iof^i^Sd^^^As'/agaiust'itlJose , /: .';' i ;_flguVes?;ther'average (: on' ; ■}. ■; '■. S:^.distateS^Suiis, l 'fare /;;;^';r : Vmilo:i l ipn^thp/Brpbklyn^ , line^i:- : miles ) -fare -/;- : /i :;; ; 7 ?i d^J!i^;ld:^r^infleW:; //.;■;:. :/por:'thing,,'he/Bske.d;Mh'-the]r'laßW :,;;f;/;'^pfflcS^ta-:ma'k^ J ai;^^jiib'n*pK 'viX'-ifi, i.ahdvleave'Ut.tb 1 ; their;:'¥u'cCessoYs : '. , to';nfake'.it' i fti H'• -i- u P. ; :'pfeh'gher^charges ',. somewhere /elSejV-Ho" : ■'■■. '■■;'- •■ ' ■ '■ -;liopE'd.' Jtho''"motion, .wou]d-' ; nbt- : be; r 'carned.-:.i /:;:i^- i ;/K^:^CB^ill6ii ; . ;/>;:»;;.' :Bis's4'aiid iShirtcliffe.'^ : Tkp: contention^that-thp 1 ■-■ ■'.;/ ;./I rbvenne r would be 'increased by'carfyirig; poo-' /:;/ ; .'':'.■. ■} ;'ple^reduced.. The; av- : •• }■ ■»;,!,enige'; : lehgth';of/-eacb. rt pf '. ; /; -;v;;/;Island;?Ba/' route v longbp' than- the' ; sec^ ; ; :',]'''■■'■. ; ' ; f ; i i W^ on^otl »S^i n <:S-V T jie council;was ; really; v-r;://'- aske£ :tb:. niake// ; a';' concession 1 '■'- to ■ '■'■^ i ?'Si , had paid ':'-'iy■■': Jj';i.; tootdeatly.'-forUhei r/.i.: , --;;:.who-/.was:the.;bnly--expert! who had«'given-in: ..', ■ ; .■: //;;/j;:;;;duction ■■; •v''.-. , -'-K.;inp.t|oa.-.were...earned^a':c6h i ce ' : -)[: ■' J- ! ;; the. residents/of, Kilbirnie. >; fe:rfSi.z';'S'^;?p ;^S;^^tßrbezeV/|y:';J <X.V;, a"• '■■ Prg&eding, P .;,Cimnciilo' iv fisher; ;-a'dded :Shat- : / ;also~ said that/if ./ ■■■'.~.i ■'.-■ ■;'tipri^iirereTffl^d^'it'" would ':; •■!>.■'|S,^^gers^would^BeZcarrie'd , ' belowi .-workihgicost. " V./:zlr^'T>e.;^yor: i jraat'>isVabsiird!';CTpu;:d6n , t' :',-■■.;.;."seem;|o'.understand ; the engineer's- report.' '■■ '■'■ '■■ C'K; Ck)uncinor/Fisher:/P«haps- I':dpi'tj S bui;l : ; .;-■.:' '■>. ;//:Jwant\ito';see/J'the;'trani^aya:/run-on" : sound' /;';/; ,^;^ahcjal' i^nes.lt:';j//] ';y ; ;'y^-;^?/f/i/:?;« : ; ;;■/:;;;"■ :':■. 'Si V:! •' > T! 1 ? / Mayor•!, :If ■-. .we/ have' Jour; ..^.^i ; ;-* ra^V^y-;alfairsvregWaM::by^the; ;^^ w/ ; :fl'STvb:pugli t'a.Lj. v; : :- '■■ ; : .;' ; .,'./;■;;:/;; :':,;J;i^vH.:C6unciJlprV;rishfir.:v:M/.would v be' : D th'e; he'didi; : f:^^'^^k : \' ; x JiVk:-fy : has '.boeri/ against "'every' ;//• n^chahge/that^ver'ha's l ': ..'"■'•'' -■•;; <tUi£i CouncillpeKsher:;; He/ kno'weFwhat^h'eiis" ■;.-,-* ii.:'::'. talking.- -;;:■;/«:;■-':■/.■ /: i^S;pi: ; ;Cou n pilhsr;;;Shirfelilfe;;''said ; ittat;'Vtaking -:'y:. T N ; ;W?;: m . Mt isa n guinev;vie*i;^hp : /pfbfila%puid :u?'.;% iand -;'they: I 'werb; v to; ; dispose ;■?" :'v;'^ : ;/:i:JW,>>PW a "•■fl.:'.,--V-?°?"8n,r : -fle living i>■"/;:-,'.' in'.the/.outside^/suburbs.:/.It^^'must be 'recbg-. :'>;..; f;v nispd;; that/in /about ■'threb^years' vtiine' heavy' ... ; ;-;;■,. expense..for-'"irepaira :andsmaintenance iwould ■;/■;:; have^tp/'be.Hmetiv/'rhe'.matter,

. ;■ Councillor:' Mufdpoh''ioved - aa?an '1 ameiid- :. came'jirit'6.voffice";--'--A*:/?•' ■ : :? t.6iinc)ll6r-;Morrah'■"seconded;; -the ; ment.^Ttieviares^he^said;' Me cut as' finely ;'as possible.• : : ' •: -, '•:■;■., • ;■w: ■ ;/v ... .....:/:/, ; •.■;-■.•"■■:•.-•.■ v. ;J{^cillpfVßallii%cr^aid'HKat ; ;.8 h ™d:moTer?avmile;:in:length.- ; ; S ; ,:; ";- ..■always; be«n:..an;:;iiio!inatioii'ion'.the/part of ..the/council'/to/make/the/ fares'easier.'' The : jea'eohiior: the' suggestion '.was-that- fare's had :;^n- r ...He-could..fnbt: follow Councillor" Biss's arEutp:;his :ligu'rcsW^p:he^Mayor:pro- ; ;■ ceeded- to:-refer:.to-what te/termed, ■/traordinary /statement:that to- run 'cars' 1 at , /twppence ; ' frpm^lsland:.Bay": to '-■■■ Cpurtehay : rla.oe, i was"i under: ; cdst' price;'; What : did"- a ■;. statement'; like?Vt#fr/i mean? ;.-->lt. could- only ...they, : could;;.;.apt_."',:carry-;a full :car.at;the : :rat«,',and that'was'ißariifestly un- _ '•'■true j: ■ they /could, carryja full car; on half •the ' iwas'dono:in sdrae.'places: at a'half-1 ;.;ponny'-ajhead.iv Tlip ..smaller-sections:did riot . pay.; in l themselyes, but.;"wero : : they going, to ■■- liicfeftSß all these fares: to -make;them. pay on ■: ft mercantile;basis ?. '.They■ could \ not ;do' it.-.;"; : : . ; ' ; '-^^^'P^l^T^!^^-?^^^^' : '^'- , : Opntinuing^tlipVkayor r eaii i/that a^great .' deal ;Was heard , as;'to. lylipther the; tramways ■-. paidjor.rnot/'-Jitithe;; councillcoivtinued to :,Keep .?itsvtramway:accpunts l :as.r at": precent' }evory ; ; penny of^tho-depreciation;fuid.would: .-be. -sayed;:;. It.:wai wellto "say'there' :: going;to.be.:a' ! greatideal Pf;deprecia.tion in; .tlie: future.'' 'was 1 the 'depreciitioti '■■ P?- lri S .:placet-ThbVtracks. were, in bis ...opinion:-, .sounder-.-than .they were .when -. : first ■worked;:';-. Councillor BissVhad said-ttat ..aicompariy would make the'tramways pay■■» ,:profit.of;£lo,ooo:ay y eaiv; r Was thore «:sys- . tern; in,New'.Zealand that paid that amount ?. : The\:'3inking":,;fundi;last;- - ; year --amounted .' to? £500{J,- ; :and. :; the -profits to, : '8ay.:;.£4600," whichv .v.madeV a ••■■:tdtal'-';-:-of-.■■aea>ly.v;^ip,(^;.:; v.Concession's:;.had;,-'Been mado^on'the-Kil- ■ birnie;and.jßrpoklyji.lines, arid; 'disaster' had -;nptf-.fpllpwed...vTlie"/council lhadVa."concern which'/was :paying/:the; full -amountvof ' interest ;.on: i'tho:, Xsinkihg ;fiindj/;-;aiidv-.ili.,ridili.tion .' to ■~£.14,001)-/:for..:tKe;:deprfciatjpn■ ''■'f wnd; /..whith' ; now, totalled : over ..-iMPiIO,";; not,.;a/ penny-;of-which: hiiil l.pv.fr/jncodwj ito :.be: touched;::; Last ) year ;a.;:cir:iyas": practically- destroyed,'the ;".:line itofn, up, - and /.the ■wunhi'.i Vkd. ; -toi-"batf.

in "respect of an accident.: What wns done I was -to pay -the .total: loss out of ordinary income,' whereas the council oould ; have :takeu;it from/the depreciation fund. There oould be uo sounder business than one conducted .on. those.lines!.- The proposed concession was.a , concession which would be availed of at a time of the day when the cars would be fairly full.'; The ride to. Island'-Day was a't : :present. : the. dearest ride of any to the r'oity;-,.-^^-'^'.- 1, '-' ~ --; ':■:..' .■■■■■- ■■.'.'■:':■■'■::.'': ■'..■ : ■'.-■ ■!'V What Should be Aimed at. - ■a In conclusion, tho ; Mayor said that the council : ought ■ not to conduct. the tramways in such : a,,way.ias to' make largo profits. If '■the-, returns /did not show: a penny profit above., what'-was /required for. depreciation; .the.'. sysfein . would; bev\ running. on a . safe r basis. ■•. Ho" challenged : anyono': to. .disprove what hei had the full, cost of all repairs,'exceptional' or otherwise,- was/taken [but of the income.-...Th0 depreciation ;fund was now; so ■ largo that if ■: all, the. cars .wero accidentally destroyed this year, thoy could -be replaced , at once.,. People could travel from -t-o tho ; Government Station tfor ;2|d. ..-(Councillor '. Biss:/ Too cheap;) . Councillor ; Biss seemed y to ■ have a gloomy view; "brought 'about, by the.'financial .stringency,', and. he .was bbgianing'to think that ■■the' trams ..were ■ going .to .be run-at a/loss.. I^.was hot going:to be anything of the sort; tho.trams .were/going'to be run/at a profit. .Councillor Biss■'.said he wished to- make himself clearer, r In dealing with the deprecia-, tion fund,' he referred to the cost of repairs' getting larger every:year.' /■ //..''•'■;'. : ..' - .The "Mayor.. replied that Councillor Biss overlooked the fact that; the. cost of repairs ! included the, .cost of repairs. to'•' double. the ■number of cars they had the firtt year;'that' there was a greater mileage of lines; and that there/was;greater wear and tear-upon'the "centre : of the'city/. - :. , : ; .- .. • "./ ■."■-■''••■'. .■'Councillor Luke, hoped: that tho amendment would not be carried. /Why should they! be', afraid '.of the .Vatepayers-T-like ■-. a,'lot "■ of schoolboys ?,. he asked. //It, would be a humane thing; to the" people/if. there,' was a universal . two .fare:/'.".'":/::-/.■"•-■ ~/../, ■"'-. ' ':■ ■ .- ■.;■: Councillor.. Hindmarsh complained. that, I*-. •land:Bay v wasbeihg-depopulated....There were ■sixty.!empty, houses, and this was.in summer, ;time;. in winter .time,' half of .them! would be. ;erapty. ! ;;.:r; : y':iX-'- : : ' :■ ■■-.-. : ''-.'.'/-. :.:■•,■ '■/' : //!/.-'/ ... Councillp'r .Shirtcliffe. favoured the .amend-, ment. .Hβ took/exception to; a . suggestion that councillors, were afraid to; face the position"; '.and/objected to; being called a' lot; of -\ ■■Schoolboys.';:;,'!/;,vi;v; : ';;.-o -.'~.: ; .,.7.".:: ■:■ ■■■■- ■ :"■ '-''.:■, ."•TJp'on/ the amendment being; put, the. voting, was as follows :-r-Aycs—Councillors" Ballingery BiaSi.V'Carmichael, '.Cohen, .Fisher, Godoer/ "Hales,-. , /Morrah, :'. Murdoch,, ; . Shirtcliffe,'! and Smith...:;Noesr-The iilayor,'.! and, Councillors" Fletcher,;Hindmarehj; Luke, -arid M'Laren. ■;/