MIRAMAR & THE CARS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1778, 17 June 1913, Page 5

MIRAMAR & THE CARS.

SUBURBAN GRIEVANCE, BOROUGH MAYOR'S OPINIONS THE AMALGAMATION PROPOSAL. The questions of "whothor Miramtr should amalgamate with, tho city, and whether Mirnmar should control its own trams iiKlqiondcntly of tho city service, are viewed from rather different standpoints by tho Mayor of the city (Mr. J, P. Luke) and tho Mayor of Miramar (Mr. I". Townsend). ' "I say that Wellington, instead of making a loss, is going to gain a great asset if it gets Mi'ramar>" said Mr. Townsend in tho oourse of an interview with a Dominion reporter yesterday. "Coinparo it with Northland, Melrose, or Wadestown; is there any ono of these districts that has the advantages of Miramar, with its deep water frontago right round, and splendid wharf accoiniiiDilation, all within a few yards of available factory sites on level land. I havo great oonfidencs in tho future of Miramar. • "Tho interview I had with Mr. Luko aroso out of a question that was asked him at a meeting ho addressed at Roscneath during tho election campaign. Ho" was asked whether ho was in favour oi tho amalgamation of Miramar with Wei-' lington, and ho replied that ho was. I saw this in the newspapers, and I callcdl on Mr. Luko to find out from him what his viows on tho subject of amalgamation' were. Wo wore not looking for amalgamation. It appeared to mo that Wellington was looking for amalgamation with us. When I saw Mr. Luko I found that ho hadn't any views, he hadn't gone into the proposal, and ho had nothing oven to suggest. Wo agreed at that interview that ho should sound his council on tho subject, and I was to ■ sound mine. In the meantime tho figures would 1 lie avail--ablo showing tho money we had raised, tho works wo had completed, and also tho works in hand, in tho borough o' Miramar. ' , Unsatisfactory Time-table. "About our ferry service and transit scheme Mr. Luke knew nothing. A scheme submitted by our engineer was ma do public, but since tho noiv council came Into office the scheme has been remodelled, and it is now nothing liko the ono that was before the old council. I should very much liko to know where Mr. Luke cot his figures to warrant him, in saying that a ferry boat would cost' about .£25,000. I am inclined to thinks his estimate is wrong. Howover, I don't want to say anything to causo friction, botween the borough and Wellington, because wo are prepared, wo aro anxious to discuss our mode of transit with tho Wellington City Council. Also it is rather' difficult for mo to discuss our schcmo until our council has dealt with it. "Our chief griovanco against the City; Tramways Department is that wo Jiavoi never been able to get a satisfactory lime- 1 table from them. What wo want is a through faro between, the borough and the. city, on a non-stop car at times or tho day when residents of tho borough wish to go to tho city or return home. They say they aro giving us all we aßk for, but they are, not, and tho present conditions aro very, very unsatisfactory,' not only to tho residents of tho borough, but to difforent athletic bodies who usoi Miramar so much on holidays and at I other times. If Miramar can [jet a guarantee of a satisfactory transit ar-l rangement with Wellington, tho popula-! tion of tho borough will iucreaso rapidly,! and in the event of amalgamation Miramar would not bo such a burdou on tho city as Mr. Luko seems to fear that it may be. Our own soheme, details of which will shortly be mado pnblio, Willi I think,; provo to bo a feasible one. Tho_ present arrangements are absolutely unsatisfactory; to us. Every Saturday, for instance, about 1200 players of various atWeHo' games and spectators go out to Miramar,! and our returns show that tho trtimd carry only about 400 each way. Tho players actually engage brakes of then" own, and pay Is. a head to bo driven out, when they can rido out in the cars from Courtenay Place for lOd. This is proof positive that we do not get n satisfactory service. It would appear that 1093 uHITI half of tho people going to Miramar for Saturday sports uso tho trams.