RE-MODELLED TRAM CARS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2001, 7 March 1914, Page 7

RE-MODELLED TRAM CARS.

THE LOSSES ENTAILED. - : ,' (By Telegraph.-Prcss Association.) ' Dunedin, March 6. A deputation representing the City council waited on the Hpn. W-'l'Vaser (Minister of Public Works).this morning in regard to several matters affectum 'he City Corporation Tramways. Councillor Myers said that the proposed legislation altering tho seating space of cars from 14 inches, to 16 indues, and tho s now .regulation lor putting, an aisle in the car irom end to end would moan a very, serious increase in the capital charges. It would mean, at the very least, : that they would have to provide: immediately f or something like £12,000. :Then,; if tho regulation asked for by the Tramways . Union—that the ; standing capaoity bo only 25 per cent. ■)f the seating capacity?—it would mean luch an increase that the'fares which ;hey. were allowed to charge by the t)rtler-Jn-G'oimeil would liot be su'fficidlit M pay' anything-like tho running oxlenses and would compel them to establish a special rate for tho deficiency. Their principal request, was that, they . should hot bo asked to mako the seating space 16 inches for each passenger. Tho Minister >snid that he realised .the-difficulty-of altering tho cars to comply with the law passed last year! The law as to tho passago through tho ' cars must be enforced. As for the 1G inch regulation' Auckland and Wellington were complying with it,.and though Ohristchurch had protested, ho had heard nothing more from lihem since ho had answered their protest. Tho deputation- had 'put to him an aspect of tho case which he found worthy of some consideration, but ho would have to confer with the Government exports be-fore-answering it. It appeared to him that it would bo difficult to give a Minister power to mako a regulation applicable to ono ' place and not to another. When ho had con-sulted-'the engincer-in-chief, that gentleman had been very loth to depart' from tho 16-inch regulation.