TRAMWAY BRAKES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 810, 6 May 1910, Page 2

TRAMWAY BRAKES.

COUNCIL AND UNION. WAS THERE AN AGREEAiENT? The Royal Commission on the question of the Auckland tramway brakes sat again yesterday morning in the Supreme Court building to hear the addresses of counsel. The Commissioners are Professor R. J. Scott and Mr. A. L. Beattie. Mr. M. Myers appeared for the Auckland Tramway Company, Mr. J. O'Shea. for tho Wellington City Corporation, Mr. A. Rossei- for the Auckland Tramway Employees' Union, Jlr. E. J. Fitzgibbon and Mr. W. L. Jones for the Wellington Tramway Employees' Union. ' Mr. Fitzgibbon said the union wished him to bring under the notice of the commission certain considerations arising from the evidence. First, they submitted that there was a strain on the motorman through . the constant use of. the haud or the magnetic brake. Secondly, it had been shown that the brake was liable to sudden failure, the causa of which might bo detected at the time, but tho self-same brake might, a few moments afterwards, act properly. It had also been shown that the brake might fail to act for some time after a car left the shed, and that it might fail on the application of the first notch, and so render the iiiotorman helpless, so far as stopping tho car was concerned. With reference to the statement that the brake might fail through . rough usage, that might be put down to tho effort to run up to a fast time-table, rather than to any fault ou the part of the motofman. Auckland Company's Case. Mr. Myers said that' the company, in the evidence it had tendered, had tried to restrict itself to the suitableness of certain brakes to Auckland conditions. He would uot attempt to condemn, the magnetic brake, but would adopt the words of Mr. Goodman, in his evidence at Auckland: "I think the magnetic brake under suitable conditions is the very best form of brake I know of." Mr. Goodman had .also said that the conditions suitable for the magnetic brake were not those of long, heavy gradients where the brake would require to be applied continuously, because in such cases there would be a very excessive and heavy strain on the motors. The witnesses called in Auckland included motormen, officers of tho company, and independent authorities. All of these expressed themselves strongly in favour of the proDosal and the company, namely, to instal the air brake in conjunction with the hand brake already in use. The Wellington evidence, so far as •it was applicable to Auckland conditions, confirmed these opinions. The evidence had proved that the air brake was satisfactory wherever it had been used. To instal the magnetic brake on the 90 cars of the Auckland tramway system would take three years, whereas the air brake could be installed, by next February. The cost of installing the air brake would be from ,£IO,OOO to as against _<£0,000 to £50,000' which the installation of _ the magnetic brake would cost. The evidence, showed that no one type of brake should be prescribed for use anywhere, as one might be suitable for one place and quite unsuitable for another. Wellington Union and the Council. Mr. O'Shea said lie would address the commission at Christchurch, but ho wished to'. take the present opportunity of referring to some remarks made by Mr. Myers on ,the previous day, as reported in the evening paper. Mr. Myers had apparently referred .to some secret or. underhand agreement' between the Wellington City Corporation and the Tramway' Employees' Union. Hβ ; (Mr. O'Shea) would deny that there was any agreement or any understanding between the corporation and the union that was calculated to hinder the commission arriving at a true appreciation of the questions before.it. In regard to the attitude of the union, he had explained that the only danger of friction was through side issues being raised, but as no side issue? .were raised, he did not. think; fcnecesaary; to calfariy of the motormen; and'did'-not: Mr.'Mj-ers said he did not think, there was any secret understanding, and he did not use the word "secret" or .the word "underhanded." What he said was that a few days ago, he understood that the unioE took up a different attitude .from that which they now. took up. He was quite content to see no motormen called to give evidence, and did not himself intend to call any. but he objected to. Mr. O'Shea and Mr. Fitzgibbon havmff a .conversation, and giving the effect of it in a statement to the commission. The statement should hare- been given on oath, so that ho could have cross-examined witnesses to fee if any explanation could be arrived at as to the change in the attitude of the union. . . Professor Scott said the commissioners would make some inspections of the local tramway plant, and would have a run on the cars. The next public sit-, tiug would ho held at Chmtchiirch, next Monday morning.