WADESTOWN TRAMS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 449, 6 March 1909, Page 5

WADESTOWN TRAMS.

A FURTHER DELAY. VALIDITY OF POLL QUESTIONED. 'A TECHNICAL POINT. It' scorns that the Wadestown ratepayers, after voting solidly for a tramway through their district, aro not to bo allowed to acbievo their success without a further contest, for thero is a suggestion that the poll to raise a loan for the construction of the lino is invalid, aud may bo upset. The principal ground appears to bo that the notice to leaseholders in connection with Assessment Court proceedings did not specify tho amount of tbo loan to bo raised, or the direction the tramway would tako, and thus, it is stated, an irregularity was committed. If proceedings aro taken, tho question arises as to whether tho objection, which appears to be purely a techuical one, is insufficient in itself to upset tho poll. Tho position regarding the lino is that after a protracted period of agitation, including deputations to tho City Conncil, meetings at Wadestown in support of tho project and polls choosing a route, a special loan was put before tho ratepayers on February 11, and carried by 186 votes to 25. Tho amount authorised was £40,100, made up as follows: •£ Construction of tramway to Wadestown, and interest and charges for first year 27,500 Resumption of properties, etc., Thonidon, for approach to Wadestown tramway 12,600 As a result of tho poll, tho City Engineer was given instructions to tako tho preliminary steps in connection with tho work, and for somo time past, surveying operations have been in progress. Whether anything is done or not in tho way of voiding the poll, it means that tho Wadestown enthusiats will havo to put up with more delay, as, undor tho circumstances, tho City Coimeil cannot be expected to proceed with the actual work of constructing tho lino. A Dominion representative called upon Mr. A. R. Atkinson, who headed a deputation to tbo City Council somo months ago on tho subject of Wadestown trams, and asked his opinion on tho question. Mr. Atkinson minimised tho trouble, and expressed tho opinion that tho poll could not be voided. Mr. W. S. Moorhouso, who is connected with the Rhodes Estate Trustees, who desired the lino to go through their estate, said t&at tho trustees had not taken any steps in the matter, and certainly were not joining in any movement of that 6ort. Ho did not consider that tho irregularity mentioned would affect tho poll in any way. *