CHRISTCHURCH TRAWWAYS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 487, 21 April 1909, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH TRAWWAYS.

« "AN APPOINTMENT, DISCUSSED.' n ■ (BYi XBI-lOßirUr-SrBCIiL. COUIItBPOHDENf.) <"■ r !' ■ ■ Chrlßtohuroh,• Apnl 2(f.• Khero was keen ditouision at tho Tramway , Board's meeting over; the appointment of Mr; Cowdory, formerly of tho''Coniitructtaa-; Company's Waff;"as track inspector at £2oQ • a year. '- ■" ■' ; •■- .. - Afr." Gfiy ,u ik>ntMled '. tho api> ■poantment was -trick-; " > ■lnspwlor \vas Arantedi tlio^board' should liav® • advertikid; for "applications.// It should, too* have "■mtiido'. a; billet'-fot i•'Mh ' Coivdfcry. - The? ■ appointment-w'Ould-ihvdy'o' ti'lot? of expendi-. • ture. " Mr.' Russell, : who- 'I'V .men;' Working ;6ii the '^rmanent'iAyayi I .and ; 't' ■ -jrho'- pcr/wcek,- was : competent - tmdv qualified to do the '-work-Mr. Cowdery,. '' !-w«S;doibg^^lt ! 't slioiild go on mnkingappointmeiitSi especially in tlio board's ,present financial position.'- It had 'had a 'splcaidid -, year : last year,' but k- :• stead of. £20,000' being'available, there wiaa, ' .. ■ hot-.mom than,' £4000 • available,. and outCof' that, provision had to bo made for depredatsorij' 'twewal, and-• fire and " accident--.ance.v Tlio boaTd'-;liad ; ''bc!ettr' : '-'«poitdi«e. :, ' l >t®' A -;."* money faster'tban v it, had; been getting' itV.'i : . . Mr.'D.',Sykes sec»ndod 'for. tho',;.'. • rovi»io.n of; the, appoihtnienty-ynd'said 'dur-y'; , .ing' the, lif& of the present;board 'theammhl ~ , ioxpenditure' oii the 'staff,' : ]iy .appointments,had beeh 'an increas6>of nearly. . £1000, flli: aihiually 'recurring- expellee: lh<J \ tiimo had' arriVcd-Vlien 'the board should roorganise and amalgamate its . .Mr. A. W. Beaycirjaiid that/ after leaving ;, .becn':chairman.6f the board for 18 mooiiths," ■ he, most emphatically averted that'th<j ;: ap-' ■ •poinfen««t-'w^ , '«ec<MssiVjp. ; ;lsy^ry : -jh<»liday:*tHejr , -^ B had'.a> large .-'.ntanbor/bf' derttilnicntsj V\vliich" u; '^ r greh-tly ' iiitflTiveaiiw.c«l'''the' public, 'and v . ho was ■ fronvi-ncujl tlict 1 '■throughout';'':the ifyetom'; : /'V • there; we.ro a ,f poiißid^fible : mimber of'lwih'ta; ' /.v and crossings which fr6r"o\ not xs thby sliould ;. bo. As rcf;ards points, and crostings, tilt* /. ■ system : was going to -fha ( badfajtly fast,, ~ and it was absolutely ficeesf^ry'tlia't a ' 'maa'V . wntli ■ experience. , of, ■ permanent way work.. should be engaged. ', About half tha'capital' cost-.of the. system; wt6-!i'epreDented''by , .;tho'.-y : permanent'-way, : 'and "it was absolutely nebee-'■' v that', it should l>o Ifc'pt in' repair. ; • ■ tlics was not taken in: time the enl- would, go on much' fa-ster.' 'fhe board hiid a cash v balanos ,on .'working expeiises of £4000,' but' ; I it had/mado air absolute profit -on tho-year ' , of £,6000. ; Somoi money .had bewr.expended ' 'on capital, but'Vihat^^''could.'bfr repaid'"when ■ the board.'autWHsod.'tlio issue-of ; debenturo stock. . '•' ' y ';, :-i '■ ,': ' llts"6. T. Booth-declared that he. believed ; the '■ appointment Would expenditure, • and on that -account it was' ap-- / pointment.; It was remarked that the'exeeu- : ■ ■ 'tive: administration, of. the system was,,oar-'ried-on w'ith such, a wii'all staff,.as coi'"p.'ired;with ..tlie .Auckland, iington, and V:; /<*'•»«•-•V.' ' Miv GrayVßiit look jit< their lrcome ' : . Mr. Booth Said it was. true, that those svstoms had larger incomes, but_ that was duo , to natural'conditions, oyer. whicli the. Christ*, . ' -'chiiroh board hnd no. Control.-. , u. . Mr. Gray"said^^it.seoned an, extraordinary. • admission/ to make, after, tho system, liadv. ■. • b"e.n stated to bo one of the finest m the Dominion, that-it: was going! lo tJie'bad.-.sfl': ~:. ' soon. ' The life.of tramway-permanent. ways, "should be from 20 to 30 years. ..The motion was' lost. . ; -:V ' ■ ; wryaai'-" 1 .. '?i -v.-'v. ;v,-.