LETTERS TO THEEDITOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 183, 29 April 1919, Page 6

LETTERS TO THEEDITOR

TRAMWAY SERVICE TO KELBURN AND DISTRICT Sir,—l think it i 3 high time that the residents of the above districts 6kould bring pressure to bear on the Kelburn Tramway Company for a better servico, The present liaulage-piwer is totally inadequate anti. should be scrapped at once. The present engine hns been running about 16 hours per day for almost 18 years, which, I think, has served its purpose. The residents of these districts might find somo of these days a complete breakdown of the present haulago ijear, and with winter approaching find it rather a stiff job to climb to the top, with no prospect of relief. The City Council cannot come to their aid, as they are practically in the same position as regards power. The company have had quite a lot of schemes before .them these last few years. It seems that thoy have adopted the ''wait and see" policy. They should have been guided by their competent advisers and made some provision for a standby.

Tho public is entitled to a. more up-to-date service than the present system. Tho present cars are quite out of dato and should bo substituted by a more uonvenient set of cars. Women and elderly people iind them very inconvenient to get in or out of. Let anyone v/ho thinks tho present system adequate spend, 6ay, from 5 to (i.iiO p.m. some wet evening.in the engine-room and see for themselves the inadequacy of the power for handling traffic. I think they will be convinced of my contentions. I know what 1 am writing about, having been attending to the engine and boilers for aliDost U years, i am now out ol the service, and 1 can voice my opinion on the matter. 'J'lio company should set about at once to install naw engines and boilers and placo thein wncre they will have a direct pull. By ?o doing they will add perhaps a year to the life of their haulage-rop* and also Ife able to economise on their present consumption' of coal, which is a vital matter these times, Trusting that for the sake of the residents and the good name, of the company provision will be made for an efficient service at once,—l am, etc., THOMAS M. MILL-MAN. April 28, 1919.