KELBURN TRAMWAY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2692, 11 February 1916, Page 7

KELBURN TRAMWAY

CITY'S OPTION TO ACQUIRE NOT ACCEPTED .A 3 Tlie Finance Committee of the Wei- j liuglon City Council reported at last evening's meeting that one of the seven-year periods at tho end of which the council may exercise its right of purchase in connection with tho Kelburn tramway undertaking will expire during the present month. The committee do jiot consider the present an opportune time in which to deal with a matter of such magnitude, involving the outlay by the City of a very largo sum of money. They therefore recommend that the council do not proceed further with tho matter at this juncture. '' Regarding the question, Councillor W. 'J. Hildreth wished to refer tho recommendation of the committee, which was against tho taking up of tho council's opinion to acquire, said that he thought it was time to take this matter into consideration. It would entail tho construction of a tramway across Kelburn. The people lose thirteen minutes in crossing Kelburn to the ■ tramway, and something should he done to lessen tho time occupied on the journey. He wanted to know what the i company would Tequire for their property at the present time. The Mayor stated that in 1909 the company wanted £43,587 for their project, and most of the maciiinerj would have to be scrapped. * Councillor Wright said' that it appeared to him that at the termination of every. seven-year period there ' wa6 always something cropping up to defer tin's matter He wished to second the amendment, as he thought it advisable that tho tramway should bo owned by the City. Councillor Hutcheson strongly opposed the proposed acquisition. It was a case of tho tram selling the land, and now the landkept the tramway going.' At such n time, with the price of Vnetals up to tho skies, it would be absolute treachery to the City to think of buying this tramway, which like other suburban tramways in Wellington had been built to feed the fatted suburban landlord. Councillors W. H. P. Barber and Luckie also opposed the amondmcnt, which was defeated on the voices.