WHICH LINE TO KARORI?

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1387, 13 March 1912, Page 6

WHICH LINE TO KARORI?

RIVAL PARTIES,

AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. The. chief business before the. Knrori Borough Council Just evening was f;ho reception of two rival deputations, each of which had something to say on tram route, from the city to the boTough. It will be remembered that a committee, of the council was set up some time ago Ito wait on the City Council to discuss the pros and cons of a shorter tram routo to Karori. After the committee had done so, a counler-deputation (headed by the Mayor, Mr. Cathie) had also waited on the City Council, and had staled that, though they wcro in a minority, they wished the fact recorded that they were not of the samo opinion as the first committee. The deputations, which appeared before tho council last evening, represented the two opposing factions of ratepayers. Tho first deputation upheld tho Mayor in his action, and deprecated the action of tho committee, both for their manner of handling the deputation to the City Council, and for tho motion of no confidenco which they had subsequently passed with rofcrenco (o the Mayor. The second deputation upheld tho committee and the Keiburne tram route. Deputation No. 1. Mr. S. Dix introduced the deputation, which desired to endorso the action of tho Mayor and Councillors Burn, Bradnock, and Anderson, who had gone as a counter deputation to the Aeting-Mavor of the City Council. Mr. Dix then called upon • Mr. Dnvics to speak. . Mr L. Davies said that he and the deputation wcro there to uphold tho Mayor's deputation. Tho first deputation had exceeded their authority, especially when they took upon themselves to say that Karori would undertako the whole responsibility of matters, if Northland did not join in tho scheme. Ho added that by these statements the deputation had placed tho City Council and the Karori Council in n false position. Mr. J. O'Connell considered that the ratepayers should be considered, and that tho onus lay upon the committee who had first approached the City Council to prove that they represented tiie feeling of tho ratepayers, fra also considered that the committee had been deputed merely to discuss tho prospects of a shorter and cheaper tram route. At present the financial position of the borough was not such as to stand so great an expenditure as that proposed by tho committee. He challenged the committee to prove their statements, that they had a right to ask permission for a (ram route over Keiburne, and that. Karori would bear the whole responsibility of the expense. He thought that the motion passed censuring the Mayor should be rescinded. Mr., Skegg also supported tho deputation, and likewise challenged the statements of the committee, particularly as to their statements regarding the cost of the route which they had proposed. Ho considered that the question should be fought out to tho bitter end Mr. C. I. Dasent (ex-Mayor) maintained that an appeal to tho ratepayers would have no efiect until a special Bill had passed Parliament empowering the council to borrow money to lay the line. He protested against the statement that Karori should shoulder the liabilities if Northland did not care to supoort them. Also, as far as ho could see," the committee wero proposing to lay a line with Karori money over land which they did not own and thus put money into tho pockets of a private company instead of the City Council coffers. The Mayor replied to the t deputation in open words, thanking them for their confidenco in himself and the threo councillors who had accompanied him as a deputation to the Acting-Mavor of Wellington. Deputation No. 2—Tho Short Cut. Mr. J. Henderson headed a rceond deputation upholding tho committco which had first approached the Wellington City Council. He held that a shorter tram routo was absolutely necessary, and that tho possibilities of the Keiburne route should be thoroughly investigated, the ratepayers had returned a majority of councillors who were in favour of that route. Tho whole object of his deputation was to uphold the theory that tho shortest route must bo the best. Mr. E. Hammond, speaking on the same side, considered that the minority in any body, such as a borough council, should not protest against tho wish |of the majority. The whole tendency of the times was to shorten whatever was possible and to make travelling comfortable. He had no inclination to support a middle policy for, even if it was obtained, there would still bo agitators for tho shortest route. One farthing in tho pound was the very most that the Keiburne route could cost after everythi"K had been taken into consideration. Mr. 1 Ward contrasted the present tram route to tho little boy who. coming lato to school, explained that the causo of his delay was the slipperiness of .the road, which had been so great that for every step he took he slid back two steps • Asked how he managed to arrive at all! the boy stated that lie turned his back, and, by walking away from the school, arrived backwards. For the future of the borough, a shorter routo was imperative if Karori wished for a greater population. Mr.- Dillon-Kelly contrasted the distanco of Hutt and Karori from town, and tho timo spent in travelling to and fro. Tho first cost of a shorter route was not a paramount consideration, as tho extra population which a shorter routo would bring, would nioro than compensate the borough for tho original outlay. Mr. H. Marshall mentioned the fact that a private bus service from Keiburne to Karori was proposed. If this company was started, then Karori must lose. Ho therefore thought that a shorter car routo was desirable. Mayor Sums Up. < In concluding, tho Mayor considered it - ' a good ouien that Karori was awakening to its needs. For himself, he was always considering shorter routes, and the burning question was: Which was the best route to spend monev on? Ho had already stated his intention of standing , for re-election, and, if the ratepayers i chose to put him hack in office, then he would accept that as an indication that they did not favour the Keiburne route, and he would then, once and for all, stop all discussion on the subject.