LIGHTING OF TRAMS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 104, 27 January 1943, Page 6

LIGHTING OF TRAMS

Auckland’s Ban Lifted, Wellington’s Remains EXPLANATION OF POSITION The resumption of normal lighting on the Auckland trams was referred yesterday to Mr. L. B. Hutton, the general manager of the Wellington tramways, who is also lighting controller for Wellington city. lie stated that Ibe restrictions on lighting in Wellingron trams had not been removed, for the reason that under many of the trains traversed areas more or less visible from the harbour —areas such as parts of Customhouse Quay, Jervois Quay, Clyde Quay, and Oriental Parade. In such cases it was still imperative to shade the lights. This applied not only to trams, but to all other motor vehicles, and to places of residence or business in such areas as were within view of the harbour. Mr. Hutton showed a plan of Wellington on which were demarcated such areas? as were deemed to be visible from the harbour. it included all the residences along lhe waterfront road in the entrance to the harbour. Seatoi'n, Evans Bay, Roseneiith, Hataitai, etc., but such regulation riid not apply to a house in the same area if it were blocked out from a view of the harbour by another house. It was a sort of "hrown-out” provision (dark coloured blinds were not now insisted upon), which could only he understood by a close perusal of the regulations. These restrictions applied Io certain parts of Auckland as will as Wellington, and Mr. Iliilton assumed they were being obeyed in Auckland. There, however, the manager of the tramways was not die lighting controller, so perhaps it might be said that he had more freedom of action than one holding the dua] position of tramways manager and lighting eoiilroller.

Asked whether it would not be possible t<> relax the restrictions on cars other than those employed on certain routes, Mr. Hutton said that cars were not kept on the same routes day after day. The work of removing all the shades from the interior lights of every tramcar was no small task, specially as l hey would have to be immediately reereeled in an emergency.