MIRAMR TRAMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1675, 15 February 1913, Page 12

MIRAMR TRAMS.

NEW SECTION OPe!nED. ... ■ ;■; ■ !l ' SITE OF FUTURE INDUSTRY. ' Miramar presented a very busy appearance yesterday afternoon on the occasion of the opening of a new section of trainway. Recently the borough, at a cost of about .£I2OO, laid a double line through' ,the cutting to Miramar Avenue to connect with the rnilsion the wharf, and to this the Wellington Gas Company added about .a quarter of a mile of tramway through its own property. The lino now carries an engine and trucks capable of convoying coal or other cargo from the whan to the Gas Company s iprcniisos. Tor the official opening yesterday specinl trams conveyed people from town, and, others journeyed by motor to be present. ■ The Mayor (Mr. H.' N. M'l/tod) and councillors met the party, and among those present were Dr. A. .K. Newman, M.P., Mr. William "Ferguson,' managing director, of tho* ' Wellington Gas Company, Mr. David. Nathan, chairman of directors, Mr. Harold Bonuchamp, and many other prominent business men Of the city. Mr.:W. H.'D; Bell, M.P., sent an ■ apology for absence. ■ Soon after throe o'clock tho visitors were shown oyer the new 'gasworks, and the full working of the modern plant was seen, tracing the coal from the time it is trucked on the wharf until.it is,turned put of the premises in coke. After this > interesting industrial lesson, the visitors wore directed to, the Town Hall, whero .refreshments were served and speeches delivered. '• The Mayor expressed pleasure at seeing the people assembled on tho occasion, which was such an important one in the history of the borough. Ho explained ,tho jiart taken by the Harbour .Board m erecting the. wharf at big expense and by tho Wellington Gas Company in.establishing tho new gasworks on' tho site. The part taken by. the Borough .Council was meet rhe'.'intorosts-of ,tho., ; ; different patties concerned, so that ; tho;..laying down of the line was a kind of i joint enterprise. In connection with tho intention to connect the lino with the present system, the Mayor, enumerated, tno advantages that must ensue from:such a move. Ho hoped that as time went ,on and the business men .of „• found thearcas in the city.restricted that tho great industries would move to Mara.mnr, which, was so admirably adapted tor I Mr." David Nathan, in*tho course of a few remarks, reminded the ■'Mayor, and. those present that eftmmerce was not the only thing to live'for. Tho Gas Company'was prepared to make its property as beautiful and attractive as it was useful The place could be made much more attractive thin it was to-day and ho hoped that, the Borough. Council Vould assist those who were' prepared do their part. Miramar should have been the playground of Wellington, and it was now recognised, when too' late, what a mistake had been made by the city in not. carrying out the suggestion of Mr. 8011, who'had proposed'the purchase of a largo area there ytwrs ago. Mr. Nathan mentioned that in connection with tho establishment of tho new gasworks, the company had had absolutely no friction with tho borough. •', ■,'■■:■■' Dr. Newman said that, although ho had not expected to be called on to speak, ; ho was glad to be present because the district was going to supply gne to his j constituency. As .to,the. future,of Mirn-.j ' mar,-' its population ivns bound to largely increase. Wellington was filling up fast and as it grew the, population must flow towards Mirawnri He was one of- those who believed that,' Wellington and its j surroundings, contained some of .the. most I beautiful scenery anywhere to bo found. Miramar'could be made Very attractive, indeed, ' and he' ..believed he was going to live to see thC|dny when the borough would carry' a population of sixty, or seventy thousand. . ,

Mr. Ilarold Bwuichanip gavo oomo interesting details of tho"growth of Miramar, which froai boins one of the most .beautiful farms until 1897, had become a borough in 1904 and ndw carried a population of 2000. There was no reason to fear .for its future as it had such splendid access by land and water., Mr, Beauchnmp v also touched upon the mistake that had been made by the city in not carrying out Mr. Bells project to acquire the tract of land that could have been obtained for tho city on such favourablo term's. On tho subject. of values ho gave some figures which indicated that they had had a big jump, but ho considered thoy would now adjust themselves.

Sir. J. P. Luko also addressed.the Rath' cring. y ' i ■