OUR TRAMS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2164, 1 June 1914, Page 4

OUR TRAMS.

Sir,—With your kind permission, through your- valuable cohitmts, I oi)deavour to draw -at-tentioiv to tlie deplorable designing of our tramways. It is of the utmost importance that,' fee-

foro. launching'"out in further, outlay, tlio whalo system of our tramways be very carefully inspected »nd considered by ouf engineer and councillors, in tirder to make sura t-l'mt by neglecting necessary alterations'now, they are nut invoking tho community in wasteful and unnecessary expense, in file cost of running, in unnecessary outlay in roiling stock and overhead gear, and in tram-rails. For instance, could it not be proved that .the main route through the city should rtin from tlio proposed flew railway station, through that' street butweim tho Government Buildings and Printing Offieo direet to Lamb-ton Quay, and junction there with ■all trams from Moles-worth Street, and continue along Lambton ■ Quay ('l'iwrn--0011 Quay section to be estended to this jmiction)' t If so, nil the tram-lines gild overhead gear iu Aifctam Street, i'ca-t-horston Street, a.nd Jervois Quay, should be available for tjaniway exten« sron now under consideration. All tho trams now running Empty up and down Jervois Quay should bs available for traffic along Lmniuon Quay, which, together with rotting stock at present under order, should wore than fwlfij requirements. Tho Olily deviation that would bv necessary in our main route along Lambton Quay to serve th.o Queen's Wharf and tho General Past Uflvce, would bo down Grey Street opposite the Kelbiirue Station, to the existing Post Office .tcrminus, continuing then .along Willis Street, and the tramway should then ■run down Mereftr Street opposite tho "livening Pest," to serve tho Workingmen's Club, tho Free Public Library, and the To wis Hull, instead of ryniiiiig as it, ntsw dots, through that overcrowded thorougWarc, Manners Street, which is a very narrow street and a constant source of danger, and which would still retain existing slopping places, namely, one at eash end. 1 do ii.ot advocate waiting until 1.110 now railway station has Dceii erected before necessary e-x----tensions are. effected, .such as pxtensfon from Constable Street to Kilbir-iii-e, which is an urgent requirement, feat 1 contend that Urn iavrnching out in ■purchases of rolling stock and tramway gear, .slighted In the Git Caimeil, is unwarranted, and rhat 'the A it,ken wtrees and Jerrois Quay routes shonld ba at onoe discontinued, and that (he overhead; gear and rails and sleepers of tho.fio routes ba tis&t for cstejisions- decided up®)., and that the cflhtiltoal loss incurred in wages and power fry empty trams running' up mid dowa the J er . vois Quay.routo irem Lambton Station .to Cuba. Street, bo avoided by closing that roUSft and transferring thosft trams jo i/amlston V'U'iv, where rho-ro trams are needed M present wo haws tho three hues or traffic, _ tho I.amhiou Quay tram,- the Jervois Quay tram, /ind the «« railway all funning side by side. —f rim, rtc., ' May 28, 1314.