PROTESTS FROM OTHER CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1179, 14 July 1911, Page 6

PROTESTS FROM OTHER CENTRES.

[ IS GOVERNMENT CONTROL 3 COMING? THE THIN END OF THE WEDGE. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Christchurch, July 13. The summary of the new tramway regt lations published here yesterday has bee the subject of much discussion. Tb opinion is expressed that tho regulator are the thin end of the wedge, which i to push aside the present system of coi trol, with, a view to the substitution < control by the Government. An old ex-member of the Tramwa Board, Mr. J. J. Dougall, remarked to "I'ress" representative to-day that who ■ the tramways were being constructed fli i board was constantly being hampered b the Government's officers. Time aftc I time work had to be delayed until som . Government official had been brought t ; reason. The new regulations appeare to him to be impracticable. If th trams were not allowed to carry mot than the regulation number of passengei tho only alternative would be a considei able- increase in fares. There was n doubt that people wero sometimes incoi venienced through overcrowding, but the should understand that the present far< could only be continued so long as ovei crowding took place during the "rush hours of the day. ■ The trams must b run at a loss if they were only to be occi pied according to their recorded capacitj The rolling-stock would have to be nearl doubled if the board had to deal with th rush traffic, so as to prevent overcrowc ing, and the financial return from th present fares would not meet expense: The idea of forming queues at stopping places was too absurd to contemplate, an the suggestion that conductors shoul carry a subsidiary step when the ordir ary step w.as more than U inches , fror tho ground was equally absurd. So fa as Christchurch was "concerned, it wa high time that tho people evinced som desire to control the methods the Govern uient had adopted recently to terminal all municipal and local authority. I was not only in the tramways, but i; every walk of life that the Governmen was trying to override the local author] ties. Look at the Railways. Another K-nieinber, Mr. J. Richardson was equally decided in his condemnatioi of the proposals. Ojic had only to look a the railway management to seo that th Government were not sinless in the matte of overcrowding. If tlio proposed regula tions ivere to be strictly enforced, h could only come to the conclusion tha the desire of tho Government was t harass tho local bodies to such an exten that they would be glad to hand the whoh control over to th? Government. A rather different view of tho situa tion was taken by Mr. G. W. Russell, M.P. He said that it was a rule and custom o tho Government when issuing regulation: to take, tho maximum of power for the protection of the public. This power wa: ono which would only be exercised whei necessity arose, as was the case witl many by-laws. The idea that the Govern inent wished to harass and worry th< municipal tramway concerns that' wer< owned and managed by the people throng)thoir fleeted representatives was absurd. He had jio doubt that whatever regulations were ultimately made and issued b-y the Government would be more for the protection of the public against privatelyowned concerns than they would bo lihc'l.y to interfere with tho management of the trams in Christchurch. The fact that confidential conies had already been sent out to tho tramway authorities wa« quite snough to indicate that the Government were seeking suggestions. Derisive Laughter. The Tramway Employees' Union has apparently not given the regulations consideration.- The conductors and motorT'\i i 7 erc secn thought something snould be done to prevent excessive overcrowding, but they were at a loss when asked how it was to be done. The mention of the queue system nrovoked derisive laughter "Why," said a motorman, it is all we can do now to run to tune. Wo are running against time all day nearly. Who is going to look In? 1 ' e r l u eucsf Hie conductors exploded with merriment when it was suggested that they should "Tfc l " stop \. to lct P a Wr S down 1 hey 11 be wanting us to clean their not: rcl.sh the idea of having the control ot queues added to thei rdufies. They objected to overcrowding, principally because they got demerit marks if'they .missed the collection of a. faro on a crowded car. ."It's not easy to got all the fores, said one conductor, "and some people don t see anything wrong.in takiV you down if they can." The dishonest? of some passengers makes many-tram conductors mourn. The union holds a meeting next Sunday night, and it is quite probable that the regulations will come up for consideraViews of the Mayor of Christchurch. "I cannot conceive it possible," declared flie Mayor (Mr. T. E. ToyloiO to-day to a I l-ess reporter, "that the Government is going to prohibit any passengers from being carried in cars for whom seats cannot bo provided. I was one of the additional members with Mr. Nosworthy on the committee, to consider the tramways Bnl last session, and throughout the whole ol tho inquiry the Minister gave tho committee to understand that overloading would be permitted to a reasonable de"gree. I think that the alarm that is bein" expressed by the Acting-Mayor of Welling" ton will be found to be. quite groundless If overloading is to be allowed so long 'as' it does not interfere with the conductors' duties, then it appears to me a ve-rv big margin is provided for, and the revenues ot the tramway boards should not be seriously odecfed. I believe that in actual operation the new regulations will probably be found to work fairly well, and it seems to mo tho veriest nonsense for anyone to think the. Government dare manipulate the Tramways Act so as to force the municipalities to hand over their property to the general Government. Such ii thing is not. thinkable." "Tho creation of a court of appeal in last year's Bill." added Mr. Taylor, "is juft as unlikely to result in any practical injury as the regulations that are now ilarming the city of Wellington."

"Should be Put Into the Fire," It appears now, remarks the "Press," that the new- tramway regulations drawn up by the Minister for Public Workswero issued to the various tramway authorities in the Dominion in confidence, in order that they might discuss them iu committee, and make suggestions to the Minister regarding them. Wo cannot think that ony of them will have any difficulty in deciding what should bo (tone to impYovo the regulations. The only difficulty will he in wording the suggestion that they should be put into the (ire and forgotten in such a way as not to hurt the Minister's feelings unduly. Under the circumstances, it would be. hypocritical to regret Ilia! the nature of the proposed regulations has lieen made public for the resentment that they arouse in the public mind will strengthen and support the tramway authorities in resisting to I'm uttermost the imposition of such outrageous conditions. lu AVullington an indignation meeting will probably bo hold, and we should likn to see the citizens of Christchurch who possess the best tramway system in the Dominion take lip a strong attitude on the r|uestinn and join with other cities in condemning the regulations and demanding their withdrawal. Jlr. M'Kenzio is stubborn to the verge, and beyond it, of obstinacy, hut he cannot be 'allowed In upset the tramway services of Hip. Dominion nt. his pleasure, and wo. do not believe that lie will jsrsist' in hit folly

if a prompt and vigorous protest is ninde, not only by thp tramway authorities, but by tlio communities they serve. STRONG PROTEST FROM INVERCARGILL.

OBJECTION TO GOVERNMENT CONTROL. (By Tc'iCErapli-l'reis Associition.l Invercargill, July 13. Tn connection with the prolc-ls from other centres regarding the t rum way regulations, the Mayor tn-night slated thai, the Invercargill Council strongly protested against the proposed regulation?. The council felt; very strongly that (lie control of Iho trams should be in their own bauds, seeing they are. spending their own and not Government money. The engineer had slated that no municipal tramway system in Xew Zealand conlrt possibly pay if the regulation affecting crush hours were carried into effect. It seems to be the general feeling amongst councillors that legislation by Government regulation is strongly to be deprecated. The tramway engineer has been appointed to attend the tramway conference at Wellington to discuss the position.

UNITED OPPOSITION. A DUNEDIN RESOLUTION. (By TelesraDli—Press Association.) Dunedin, July 13. At a meeting of representatives of tlio Dunedin City Council, Morniugton Council, Kaikorai Tram Company, and Roslyn Tram Company, it was resolved to send delegates to Wellington to attend a conference to be held there for the purpose of making united opposition to (he regulations.

SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE, ETC. [To tho Editor.] Sir,—Having read the new tramway regulations in your issue of to-day, I would like to point out that our paternal Government will insist that movable steps must be provided where the step of any carriage is not placed within 11 inches of the ground. Is not sauce for tho goose sauce for the gander? Every day the Government run trains on our suburban Manawatu line, and tlio passengers at Khandallah, or some of them, have very much more than a 1-1-inch drop on to the ground. What would the Government say if such passengers asked for a step? Most likely the passengers would be carried oii to the next station and charged the extra fare.—l am, etc., SUBURBANITE.