AN UPLAND TRAMWAY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2446, 27 April 1915, Page 2

AN UPLAND TRAMWAY

. THE ROUTE '* OUTLINED; That there are many, thousands who would benefit by an • extension of \ the electric tramway system to "the suggested Upland heights of populous Kelpurn and Taitvilla is manifest by the interest which has been created by the publication of a scheme that has been sketched out by the City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton). Ten years ago the idea of lifting people up to the level of the Wellington' Terrace by clectric elevator was suggested by Mr. John Hutcheson (now a candidate for the City Council). Rof erring to the matter yesterday the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) said :tliat the. council of that day never took any definite action in the matter, and it simply remained in abeyance. Mr. Morton had. submitted a scheme for taking the trams up Ghuznee Street and The Terrace, and: so up to Kelburn in answer to continual representations made to the council b.y residents, but as it was found to be just as long from the G.P.O. to Karori by that route as by the old route, it was not considered a very feasible, proposition.

"Kien came the idea of erecting big passenger lifts at Church Street ' (the zig-zag steps that lead up the hill to The Terrace off mid-Boulcott Street), cut through private property on The Terrace that skirts Mount Street, proceed along .Salamanca' Road, traverse Kelburn Parade to Upland Road. A divergence would be made about halfway along by traversing Plunket Street and Paroa Road (taking in a big residential area), and joining up with the Karori line near the tunnel. By making _ the divergence the council would avoid the large expenditure necessary for strengthening the viaduct, and would tap a very large district suitable for building on, 'and which now carries a large population, which is not very well served by the Wellington tramway system.

It' is'interesting to note the distance of tie various routes between the Karori tunnel and the G.P.O. The.v are as follow -.—Existing route, 218 chains; the route via Hill Street, 180 chains; route via Terrace and Kelburn, 193 chains. Roughly the oost of laying down a tram-line is about £10,000 a. mile,- so the cost of the proposed line would he approximately l? 25,000, plus the cost of the elevators and shaft building, cost of land resumed, and contingencies.