CITY TO KARORI.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1370, 22 February 1912, Page 5

CITY TO KARORI.

WHICH TRAM ROUTE? OPPOSITION TO TUB KKLBUKNE SCHEME. A counter deputation from the Karori Borough Council wnirc-i upon tho ActingMayor of tho city (Mr. «. Smith) yesterday morning to assure him that the representations of tho deputation which had waited upon thu Tramways Committee concerning Hie proposed tram route to Karori via Kclbnrne were not tho views of all tho council, nor ii all the ratepayers of Karori. Tho previous deputation on Monday had asked permission for tho Karori Cmncil to lay down a lino from tho viaduct on the city sido of tho tunnel by waj of Upland Itoad to tho rnilhond oi' tho Kelburno Hue. The city was not asked to spend nny money or to incur any liability. Tho new line, it was stated, was estimated to cost from .{BOOO to .£IO,OOO. The members of this second deputation were, tho Mayor of Karori (Mr. C. Cathio) and Councillors Anderson, Burn, and Bradnock. Mr. Cathie, referring to tho proposal that had already been made, insisted that it was not so innocent as it looked as placed before Iho Tramways Committee. The City Council should bo informed that, although a majority of tho members of tho Karori Borough Council wero in favour of the shorter route via Kelburne, a majority of tho ratepayers would probably be found to be against it. All wero agreed that a shorter route than tho present was desirable, and somo years ago several had been suggested. He did not know why an attempt should be niatlo to divert part of tho Karori traffic over a private line, to the detriment of tho city lines. Should such a diversion bo made, thero would naturally bo a loss on the Gardens-Tunnel section. The object of tho proposal was really tho purchase of tho Kelburno Tramway Company. It was a bigger scheme than it looked. It was- absurd to say that no financial responsibility would rest upon the city in the event, of the Karori Council laying the line Tho Karori Council could not strike a raio for work done outside the borough boundaries. It had not been demonstrated that the lino would pay expenses, and Karori was not in a position to meet any further expense at present, for tho borough valuations were fulling, and borrowing wns restricted. If n shorter route were to be chosen, he urged tho claims of the Hill St'reet route. It would not be over-expensive, and it would result, on present running, in a saving of 1(M miles per day. Karori wanted Hie shorter route, but the city should hesitate before sacrificing the interests of the people to those of n private company. Councillors Burn and Anderson supported tho leader of tho deputation. Councillor Anderson stated that, despite, tho figures quoted by the previous deputation, two repnlablo engineers had estimated that the line across to Kelburno would cost between .£25,0(10 and .£30,0(10. The Acting-Mayor, in reply, said the council had not yet received tho report of tin , engineers on the short cut between tho city and Karori. But ho anticipated that nny report they would bring down would bo ndverse to the Ki'lburnn route. It was not likely that the city would permit any private, company to 'come in between it and another borough, and reap whatever advantage was to be earned. This would bo scarcely fair, And'tho City Council was in a much better position to go on with a scheme for shortening the route to Karori, now that tho Wadestown lino was laid.