LAST RAIL LAID, KARORI TRAMWAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 86, 12 April 1911, Page 7

LAST RAIL LAID, KARORI TRAMWAY.

EXTENSION PRACTICALLY COMPLETED. To-day the last rail of the Karori tramway extension was laid, and all that remains to be done is the levelling up of the Toads and the tarring of the track. The line to the final terminus will be opened far public traffic in a fortnight's time. BECORD WORK. The manner in which the work has been carried out is regarded as very satisfactory, and in connection with it two records have been established. Pro- 1 bably that which will be considered by j jnany to be the most important is that j tha vrovk has bean completed ior less ' than the estimated cost. Tho other is the celerity with which the greater por- ' tion of the work was carried out, viz., the section from the old terminus to tho Thorough Council offices. In this connection it may be pointed out that the work of breaking up the road was started on_4th January, the laying of rails wad finished on 14th February, and the section was opened for public traffic on 29th February. One person who is justifiably proud of the way in which the ■work has been carried out is the engineer (Mr. G. W. Brigham). A factor in this result was the garnering of metal at au early date, this being taken by Straker tragon to favourable points along the route, thus obviating delaj-. The work would, of course, have been finished much earlier had there not been so great a delay in the delivery of sleeper*. LENGTH OF LINE. The Karori tramway line, as most Sjople know, starts at the Botanical ardens. The first section (to the tunnel) is 80-£ chains in length; the second (to the old terminus-) is 59£ chains; the third (to the council offices) is 53 chains; and the final section is 65 chains. This, it will be noted, makes the number of septions under Kai-ori control no less than four, and th© question of concession tickets or the merging of the sections into three \vill no doubt bs soon urged by ratepayers. The fact that the one city section, from the Government station to the Botanical Gardens, is of no less a length than one mile and -a quarter will give those anxious for a lessening of the cost on the Karori line a good peg on •which to hang their claim. The total distance from the Botanical Gardens to the terminus is three miles eighteen chains. THE FINANCIAL ASPECT. From a revenue point of view, the extension is at present not paying, but on the other hand, the council has been losing £550 a year on the horse 'buses, which wffl now, of coarse, be done away with. It is pointed out t&iat it is not so much the permanent population who will be looked to for the keeping up of the Tevenue, but that the attractions of th© recreation grounds, the playing of football and hockey matches, and the holding of picnics will cause such an increase of passengers as will help to lighten the burden.