SEATOUN CARS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 178, 17 April 1918, Page 3

SEATOUN CARS

THE VEXED ROUTE QUESTION DEPUTATION TO TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE Mr. Frederick Townsoml (Mayor of Miramnr), accompanied by Councillors S. 11. Underwood, AV. H. Green, 11. Tracey, and H. K. Robertshaw, attended as a deputation on the Tramways Committee of tlw City Council on Monday afternoon, to protest ngiinst the proposal to alter the route of the Sentoun cars from the Mount Victoria tunnel to Constable Street as from May 1. Mr. Townscnd said that the deputation not only'represented the Borough Council, but a great many ratepayers and residents of the district, who were dissatisfied with the proposal. They were there, however, to point out the disadvantages the three-quarters of a million passengers carried by the cars to nnd from Seatoun during (lie year were put to. The Constablo Street routo was lialf-a-niile longer than the tunnel route, which meant a longer journey by three and a half to five minuses. Further, there wero lyneteen stops on the Constable Street "route, so that in rush hours the difference in time would probably be nearer ten minutes, coming or going, as there were only nine stops on the funnel route. The letter they had received said that the difference would only be two and a half minutes, which was all very well in theory, but would not work out in practice. If it was the fixed determination of the committee to mnke the change, he hoped that "express" or through cars to Seatouii would be arranged for. Councillor S. H. Underwood said that he could only stress the matter that the change would be hard on people who now had to spend forty minutes each way, jammed up in crowded cars (in rush hours). To add five minutes to their misery would bo the last straw on their backs, and it would doubtless mean that many would take'the first opportunity of getting closer to town. The Mayor air. J. P. Luke) said that, primarily, the Mount Victoria tunnel was made to benefit the Hataitai nnd Kilbirnie people, and they had to be carried on the cars, because they had no other access to the city. The manager had said that it would only mean a difference of three minutes, whilst the holds-up at the tunnel were often as much as that, so that there was no great difference. The council regretted that it had to make the change, but there was no way out of it, and the deputation had suggested none. They had difficulties enough now to contend with, but there wore more ahead. Councillor Underwood asked if tho growth of Hataitai traffic was recent. The Mayor said it was increasing all the time. The Tramways Manager (Mr. W. IT. Morton) said that one of his great troubles was dealing with the Hataitai traffic. Though Hataitai was so close to the city tho people had to use the cars, and thoy had to do their best to meei them. They were more pushed there than arywhere else. Under tjie alteration the same number of cars would be used in the Seatoun service., showing that there would be very little difference ill the running time. As it was, tho tunnel route was crowded—in the rush hours, between 5 and 6 p.m., there was a car triversing the tunnel every two and a half minutes. There would bo very Httlo difference in time between tho routes owing to the necessary blocks in the tunnel running. A non-stop run over part of the Seatoun route via Constable Street might be arranged. My. Townsend asked if he could take it that the committee had made up its mind. 'i'lia Mayor er.id that tho proposal would bo recommended to the council for adoption. Mr. Townsend said he was sorry, as th'o Seatoun people had to put up villi a lot of disadvantages, including crowded cars, and now I hey were faced with this very great hardship. Hβ asked if the conimitteo had/considered the sending of the Kilbirnio South people over the Conetablo Street hill; thiit niig'it allow tho Seatoun cars '.o run as at present. To show which was the .shorter route, many Lyall Bay people rode to Hie Kilbirnio post office via the tunnel, and Ihcro caught a car to the Bay. Ho suggested that Sentoun people might follow suit. v The Mayor said thero was, little of that now, as they would have to break their (concession) ticket to do so. Councillor Underwood nsked the engineer, through the Mayor, tho difference in,time between the running of the Lynll Bay cars via the tunnel and Constable Street. Air. Morton said .the difference was three minutes—the same as it would be in the case of the Sentoun cars. The Mayor said that tho question of additional through cars was one for consideration; ;