STRAPHANGING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 519, 28 May 1909, Page 5

STRAPHANGING.

BROOKLYN'S DISABILITIES. DEPUTATION TO PUBLIC WORKS . MINISTER. A deputation of Brooklyn and Vogcltown residents:waited on tho Minister'for Public Works (tho Hon. R. M'Kenzie) last evening to ask for a.relaxation of. the regulation against straphangors on the Brooklyn tramcars. ..' Mr. 11.., A; Wright, M.P., who introduced tho deputation, said that great inconvenience was causedin the morniDg and evening and at dinner-titrio through no straphangers 'being allowed on this lino of cars. They wished, thorefore, that the regulation in question, .which was made by fcho Govern6r-in-Council, should bo abolished. The City Electrical Engineer had stated that'he'was prepared to~ consent t-o tho change desired on condition that only palace cars should bo used. The residents were quite prepared to agree to such a stipulation. Exports stated that the number of passengers carried'on a'car did not : increase the risk of accident. "It was also noteworthy that the grade •on the Brooklyn line, was no steeper than that on tho Kilbirnie lino. ' '•■..' : Mr, G. Frost said' that the cars to Kit binu'e and the Athletic Park were as heavy as-those to Brooklyn, and yot the cars on those .lines, with tho same powor, frequently carried 60 people, against the maximum of 32 on the Brooklyn line. The fact that the' line rah through, as .it were,, a paddock, where, there was no traffic, <also made for safety. , , ' Messrs. J.-B. Hopkirk and Hewitt also spoke. ■.'. .. . The Minister said that he had already consulted Cabinet, and neither he nor Ins colleagues were prepared to remove tho re-, .stnotion. _ They had had from Auckland re-, •presentations just as strong as those of the deputation on the other side, and they could not make an exception for- one line in Wellington. Exoeptional conditions,': such as rains and frost,.must be considered. The comparisons with: the Kilbirnio and Island Bay lines were not to thepoint, because tbo steep: parts 'wore snorter', and' atraichter. The City Corporation was a wealthy body, and might remove the .difficulty byputting on morecars. Mr. Frost said that : the. brake power on ■ the cars was than on the Auckland ones, and he also pointed out that the dents only .wished that a moderate number .of straphangers should be allowod. .-.■■■ 'The Minister: said' ho would again bring tho matter-before Cabinet with the., arguments ■ adduced '• by, the deputation, ■ but' ho thought' straphanging would not meet the needs of' Brooklyn for very long. He would consult tho Departmental engineer on tho question of ollomng straphanging on the' upjouniey.' ' ':'■'•' .■ .:.■■■■ ,: . •':'.'■•'