TRANSIT TO THE HUTT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 238, 2 July 1919, Page 7

TRANSIT TO THE HUTT

BETTER CONDITIONS WANTED

TRAM SERVICE SUGGESTED

As a result of representations made by a deputation to the Lower Hutt Borough Council at the last meeting, requesting that a public meeting be called to &ppoint 11 deputation to urge upon Cabinet tho necessity of providing increased transit facilities for the district, a mooting was held at Lower Hutt last night, 'i'ho. Mayor of Lower liutt (ilr. E. P. Rishworth) occupied tho chair, and there wero also present on the platform the lion. T. M. Wilford, Messrs. G. Allport, H. Baldwin, and Dr. Mason.

Mr. E. P. Rishworth said that since the arrangements for tho meeting had been made a most drastic cut had been made in the railway service. However, i.hey would go into the whole transit question. Tho old prohibition of running trams on the Hutt ltoad was an iniquitous one. At the present time there was not sufficient accommodation available to carry the traffic from the Hutt Valley. In a holiday season, or when any slight attraction was on in tho city the railway accommodation had proved quite insufficient;. In this case they should approach Cabinet and ask for tho removal of the disability at present existing. Speaking on the amalgamation question, Mr. Rishworth said that the other day ho had heard the Mayor of Lower Hutt called narrow-minded. Until a comprehensive amalgamation scheme was put forward he would still be narrowminded on this matter. It was futile to seek any assistance frdm the Wellington City Council in the Kay of trams at present. All the City l Council's power was required to mnintain the present services in the city. They would have to go very carefully with any scheme for linking up the Hutt district with tho city. He believed thai; m the future a linking up of outside boroughs similar to what had been done in Sydney 'would coine. The present time was not opportune, however. He had invited tho Hon. T. Jf. Wilford to como out, and he would ask him to express liis views on tho matter., Referring to the question of running trams along the Hutt Road, Mr. Wilford said that for six years ho had presented his Hutt Road Bill in Parliament. Ihe Bill was eventually brought down, and it was discovered that tho work was going to be a very expensive one. Ihe Government, in building a double railway track, expected to get more revenue from the increased facilities. Ho was given to understand that no syndicate oi council would be allowed to run trams in competition with the railway service. That was' some years ago, and now affairs had changed. He thought that the time for the chusc to he repealed had come. He had drafted a Bill seeking tho repeal of the prohibition clause, and it would be introduced at tho coming session. (Applause.) ftlr. "Wilford said' that prior to the notice of the meeting haying been given, he had written to the Minister of Railways, stating the position ot the railway services to the district. l.ho Minister of Railways had written in reply promising that careful consideration -would be given to the matter. Tho Minister of Railways had forwarded to him a letter stating the reasons for the drastio cut in the train services. They lmd in view a liydro-elcctric scheme, but it was at present a long' way oft'. There were numbers of other important matters which would have to be dealt with now that the war was over, lie thought that the conclusion of the strike in Australia would afford spmo relief in the matter of coal supplies. Mr. G. Allport, speaking of the. proposal to run trams along the Hutt Rond, kid that the Government would bo ablo to improve tho railway services long before they could hope to establish a tram service. He did not think that tho drastic restrictions in the'railway services would last for very long. Ho thought that the Government would be able to provide all the transit facilities .necessary in normal times. ' Mi-. H. Baldwin said that some ten or twelve years ago he had taken the platform for the Hutt Tramway Board. The idea at that time was to lay a tram track on tho Hutt Road, and ovontmr.ly to connect it with tho city system. Ten years ago the population of the Hutt was practically the same as it was at present. Tho present population was about '1500—an average of 1J to the acre. Ho thought tho timo had arrived for a. train line to be laid down along tho Hutt Road. He hoped that a committee_ would bo formed to go into the question of trams. He was very much against the amalgamation proposal. Ho proposed the following resolution:—"That this meeting appoint a committee to wait on Cabinet to ask for the removal of the embargo on tho laying of a tram track along tho Hutt Road."

The resolution was put and carried. Mr. Rishworth said that tlio Pctone Boronph Council was at one with tlio local body on the question of improved trnnsit. Mr. M'Ewan (the i Mayor of Potono) liad assured him of that.