TRAMWAY DETOURS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 689, 14 December 1909, Page 8

TRAMWAY DETOURS.

DEPUTATION FROM KARORI. .'■ A SHOETBR TRACK ASKED FOE. 'A l , further move in the direction of securing a shorter route from Karori to Lambton Quay by making a, short line from Tinakori Eoad to Lambton Quay, was made yesterday when a deputation from the Karori Borough Council waited upon, the Tramways Committeo of tho Council. Mr. Ci.'l. Dasent, Mayor of Karori, otated that when it had been decided that tho Karori lino should: join the city track at Tinakori Eoad.'it was felt that there-were objections to that plan, but it was the best .that could be obtained'thori. Since the line had been laid; three or four years ago, : however, unsatisfac-. Tory points of the present:route had become more apparent.; For instance it took longer for the tram to run into the city from the Botanical Gardens than it,did. to run' right from-the Karori cemetery to the gardens. The cars came down from Karori in about , : 10 minutes, but on the city line it took 13, or H: minutes. Karori residents paid a ljd. faro for. this, and it was not an'unreasonable .charge considering the distance. The result, howover, was that residents were now, getting into the habit of leaving the cars at tho Botanical Gardens and walking down to tho quay; They found that they could.walk down to town from that point more quickly , than the tram could carry them. • The Earori Council, continued-Mr..- Dasent, , had always reckoned on a shorter line being laid down-by. the city sooner or later, but the matter was ; now an urgent one, and the deputation had .been set up to ask the City Council if it would inqnire into the advisabilih- of meeting their wishes. The Karori Council was of opinion that the city waS'-losing revenue on the present line ■which it would'not-lost on a short route. A tally had been taken for a short time of the number, of people who got off the down cars at the ganlens, and of the number who walked up to the gardens and got on' there for the run up !the hill. The deputation asked that, the .City Council should get a return on this particular point and so find out whether the short, cut would not benefit the city as well.as assist,the Karori traffic. ■ ■ .' Tho; Mayor was understood to reply that something of. this kind was being done. : Mr.- Dasent went on to say that immediately after .the line was' Started, negotiations, hud I been opened up: with, the "city as -to ;a short cut,.'but, tlip then, council was; nearing the end ofyits term,;''and the'matter was, allowed to. drop.' :V '■■"■.•..' ..■ '' '.''.:•; r -■■. .'. -. : '':.'-.?:■.•,■.•:. Councillor .Cathio, of :Karori, 'pointed,.,out that the Karori Council was committed to>an extension of its line •to ' the' fbot of .'Makara Hill, a distance of ; ono mile. v and three-quar-ters. Karori did riot; desire ' to : mako a milch 'cow of .the city, but" wished to '. work with , the city,, to thev.a'dvantagejVof ..hoth. , sides. , -.-.';-Ho thought' tho ; Cifj. ..Council's - engineers;. shbu'ld bo !able to: help towards getting '.some shorter line withbut'lgss.to the .city..,.-' .' t.-. :'-.. ..:■: Councillor /Wedde, Kardri,' , pointed out 'that the deputation was .not asking'the city to do something .that would turn out. unprofitable to it. They ..'considered ; the:, scheme .would ■bo a good ono for Karori, and ■ for■ fho city, nioro especially. as the 'Tinakori ; route 'would have to cjirry still: more: traffic when the Wadestown line was ; opened.': A; count :.made recently showed that .ISSO passengers got off the down cars or on the'np cors-.Bt-the,.'Botanical'..Giar-dona in ;6ne 'day. -. Mr;.- Weddo' went .on -to refer. :to ; the: advantages' -of,: a ■tunnel from Mason's steps;to,join with the Tinakori.Eoad route/ which/work,' he' thought,'would more than justify. ;.the initial, outlay. . -.■'.; V Councillor; , .SmithV asked'..if,- the .Karori Borough Cpnncil;.was prepared to: advancp.any bf.-the oxtra money which : the proposed. work .would cost.,: •':-,..' j, . ~: ' ■.-. '. :, ; Mr.. , , Dasent . replied •.that ; that, part , •of ,the had,..not beeri, considered,: -as they ■ w.o:e?unable,-:to:;say,:-what-the cost ,would;ho, but: .possibly ;they,-wprild; be. prepared- to.■giiarantee against ■ loss. in- tho > event. of' there - being ,ahy.v ■-,-;;;' 'rri.j'sA ;C'< :.'■•: .::,-:;:'■> • : Dr.'. .Newmahi', . ,:in' •: :rbplying,' "remarked pointedly:- that" he" hail thought that:' it was' another" scheme altogether .which the! depnta■tion.was . going.;.to broach.. ,:Hp had. been anticipating a. certain movement for'.the past two' months. ;'However,, the/committee would consider the matters raised, and would let the Kaon :Council;know the:result some'time after the holidays,; as. this was 'a-final; meeting of tho .committee, for- the present,year..',. V