KILBIRNIE TRAMWAY SERVICES.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2375, 3 February 1915, Page 3

KILBIRNIE TRAMWAY SERVICES.

Sir,—ln reference to the problem of the Seatoun and other long-distance trams, I feel sure that if the management were to provide Kilbirriie with a service of its own the grievances of the outlying districts would bo largely remedied. To the casual obsorver it might appear that Kilbirnie already has a car service. As a resident of the south end of Mo x ham Avenue I can perhaps remove that misapprehension. The greater part of Kilbirnie depends entirely upon the long distance cars for means of transit. The care which run from town to Hataitai, and are speciously labelled "Kilbirnie," are of little use to any except Hataitai residents, since they do not travel as far as Kilbirnie at all. We know that the amount of time wasted by cars waiting for other cars to pass through the tunnel is considerable. Yet these Hataitai cars are scarcely through the tunnel on the Kilbirnie side belore they are traversing it again to return to town, thereby blocking the tunnel far more frequently thau the long-distanco trams, and to far less purpose. Since Hataitai cars are of no use to us, we are compelled, in corniug from town, to squeeze ourselves into longdistance cars to the great annoyance of their rightful passengers as veil as pf ourselves. . Similarly, on the way into town we may (twice in the hour) have to wait fifteen minutes, owing to the fact that a. Hataitai car has turned back to town. Then a car comes along crammed to the doors with long-distance pissengers, and we are regretfully compelled to add to the crush and hang on by our eyelids all the way into the Uity. We were first penalised by havthe penny, section shortened from Wellington Eoad to Hataitai; now ouicar stops bave been altered, so that, on the trip into towp., we have to wait, whatever tlie weather, on the roadside, without sht'iler, while on the outward trip we are turned out further from our destination than before, and have to walk, wtiere formerly we were carried by trim. 16 there any other "improvement, ' short of abolishing the service altogether, which could be devised by vlie management to render the oars more csolcs thai: at present? I am awa.-e .that, during "rush" hours an occasional tram dore run to Kilbirnie I'ost Office, but on tiii-i line, especially in tne picnio season, thee, is one continual "rush." Why cannot all cars wnicli now run- t<, Hataitai go right through to Kilbirnie Post Office? This would serve all Ki'biniie, and relieve the congestion on oars going further afisld. We doti t want to be disagreeable to the long-distance folk, but at present we are forced upon them by the execrable management of the line, purely we, who form a large proportion of the fare-paying population of the district, are entitled to more consideration than hitherto. With apologies for this somewhat long-winded "squeal," which.is the outcome of years of silent endurance,—l am etc., SQUASHED. Wellington, January 31.

CITY ENGINEER'S STATEMENT. The above letter was referred to the City Engineer (Mr. "W. H. Morton), who stated that the whole question of the traffic of the outlying suburbs, was receiving close consideration at the present time. The position as it now stands with regard to Kilbirnie is that there is a seven and a half minute service to Kilbirnie through the tunnel all day long, with the exception of two cars in each hour, which do not run past Hataitai, principally on account of the time necessary for the work they have to do _ at the other end of the City. That is tlie regular time-table to tno suburb, but in addition those oars are supplemented in the morning, going into town between 7 and 9 a.m. by thirteen other cars, tho great majority of which come from tho Kilbirnie Post Office. In the "rush" hours of tho evening, between 4.10 p.m. and 6.10 p.m., there are eighteen other cars which supplement the outward ordinary time-table. Of that eighteen, seven go to the Kilbirnie Post Office. Mr. Morton pointed out that what is wanted is more cars, and better means of sending them out there. During the "rush" hours the number of cars \yhich go through the .tunnel, both ways, is fortyeight, which means that a car passes through practically every minute and a quarter, clearly showing ]iow the tunnel service is loaded. On Saturday evenings, so far as Kilbirnie is concerned, between 6.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. seven cars are running thirteen special trip? between Kilbirnie Post Office and the General Post Office. As to the point that some cars turn 6ack immediately on getting through the tunnel, Mr. Morton said that the car which could 'got through the tunnel and back quickly, was going to help the people going afield. In addition, a. number of Kilbirnie people got out at Hataitai, which showed that the Hataitai cars were of some good to Kilbirnie. Crowding, unfortunately, was a very difficult thing to deal with, but with, such a frequent service passengers could afford to wait for a car which was not too crowded. As to the point that there was no shelter 4 for passengers waiting for cars. Mr. Morton pointed out that two shelters had been erected at Hataitai. and one at Kilbirnie. He did not know of any town where more shelters were provided. Finally, the City Engineer stated that th« cars which were now goin" to Hataitai could not all run to' Kilbirnie, because time would not permit. Other services at the other end of the town had to be looked after. Whilst they were endeavouring to imnrove suburban "services all they could, and were in communication with the Miramar poroiurli Council with a view to improving their service, he was afraid tho--oughly satisfactory arrangement* could not., ho,provided nnt.il a track was provided over Constable Street hill, to enable tbem to dischargo more cars to that vicinitj.