WELLINGTON CARS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1556, 27 September 1912, Page 3

WELLINGTON CARS.

i THE FOOT-BOARD DANGER. 1 DISCUSSIONS IX PARLIAMENT. J Mr. T. H. Dnvoy (Christchurch East) 5 asked the Minister for Public Works ). without notice whether he had arrived ni i any conclusion as to the suggestions • 'hi'own out to him by a deputation ot' tramway employees that he should bring - <Jowii «n amendment to the Tramway's J Act to provide that all cars should have i passage ways right through them. The " deputation had pointed out that some 40 > omplo.ypes in Wellington alone had suffered injuries through riding on tho foot- • boards of trams.' They had therefore ask- ' ed that the cars should be converted in 1 terms of the statute. Ho (Mr. Davey) i asked whether tho Minister could see his - way to imposo upon the Wellington City 3 Corporation conditions compelling tho ' city to convcrt all their cars which did 1 not now, comply witli the. law in order i that similar accidents should not happen > m future. The Minister had received the - deputation sympathetically, and ho was i So ™" sl 3* interested in tho matter. i* Hod. W. Frn.scr (Minister for Pul>- ! lio Works) said that it was a little inconvenient to answer largo questions of - this nature off hand. It was impossible :? r , a Minister to carry in his head all - that passed at deputations. The legisla- : | lon that had been passed'in regard to i tramways did not require owners of tram- , wa3"s to alter existing cars, but only that ; new ears should bo built to a certain • pattern. This had been attended to. He i examined a now- car recently in Well lington, in company with the honourable gentleman, and they had found some dc- • fects even in that car. A few days prei viously ho had again examined this car, and it now gave satisfaction. Tho lion. - Sentleiuan asked that legislation should ; ba introduced compelling local bodies to alter existing ears to the-model prescribed L in the Act. , There was no timo to do > so this session, and ho did not think • " I £. r .c was a, b" prospect of bringing down a Bill amending the law in the direction indicated. He did not think that it would bo necessary to introduce such legislation, the corporation of Wellington at all events was alive to the fact that public opinion was opposed to the present type of car, on which men had to walk along a pine-inch footboard outside the car. "Ho believed that before long the Wellington > Corporation' would approach him with an r intimation that it was their intention to . alter even existing cms. He expected to r receive this intimation any day. It must ba remembered that very serious cost , would bo incurred by t.lio corporation in i altering the existing cars. Ho had asked I a., detailed statement of tho cost, but this had not yet been supplied. It would 3 bo impossible to alter the double-deck ; palace cars, but there were not many cars I 2 s 'JT e - He had hoped that tho footboard cars might bo excluded from narrow streets, but was informed that it would be impossible to do this and regulate (ho traffic.. Ho had not been carelcss or indifferent in this matter, and hoped next year to bo able to tell tho Houso . not only that new cars had been built to ail approved pattern, but that: a good many of the existing cars hail been altered. Sir Joseph Word (Awarua) said that ho would not hesitate to support legislation compelling local bodies to alter all tho 1 existing, cars. Since tho House had last dealt with tho matter several fatal accidents had occurred, and thoro would almost certainly be others. All that tho local bodies need do was to substitute "fore and aft" seats for those of the reversible type. Ho would go further than this and would prohibit the Use of doubledeck cars altogether. They caused delay to traffic , and were dangerous, as there was nothing to protect passengers from injury in the event of tho pole breaking. Tho Minister would have tho support of thfi House if he introduced legislation to enforce alteration of the cars within a year. Mr. G.' Witty sought to carry on tho discussion, but at,the instance of tlw Hon. W. 11. Herries tho Speaker ruled that further discussion on- the subject •was out. of order, us there was no motion ; beforo tho Hous;. • Mr,.. Witty protested that this was an application of the "gag." but. Mr. Herries contended that it was unfair that, when a Minister had replied by courtesy, a discussion should proceed in which ho'would have no right, of reply. Sir Joseph' Ward and Messrs. Dave.v and Ell also protested against tho termination of the discussion.