TRAMWAYS.

Evening Star, Issue 4132, 25 May 1876, Page 4

TRAMWAYS.

To the Editor. i'.' Sin,—l observe that the City Council have decided to invite applications from persons willing to construct street tramways; and that Mr Councillor Leary, in moving the motion, is reported to have stated it as Ills opinion that “the petition sent in ftgainst them emanated from persons iutenited in cabs, and wheelwrights ;” also that the persons who signed the petition were not fully informed what street tramways were, and that had they had opportunities ef witnessing the advantages of tramways, their names would not have been found attached to the petition.” I would like to ask Mr Leary if he has himself ever witnessed the advantages of tramways' ? If I. .am rightly informed he has not, and it follows, therefore, .as a matter of common sense, that he has no more right to move their adoption, than he has;., to tell other people what they would do if more enlightened- upon the subject. I would also ask Mr Leary to examine carefully the names upon the petitions, when he will find many signatures of gentlemen who are neither cabmen nor wheelwrights, and who have had opportunities of witnessing the advantages of tramways in several towns were they have been tried, and who signed the petition solely from the conviction that ■ it is altogether unwise for the City Council to enter upon the construction of tramways when there are so many more urgent works requiring to be done, at the same time feeling fully _ convinced that the Council would be committing a great error in granting to a Company or private individuals a monopoly of or pre-emptive right over any of our streets or thoroughfares for the same purpose. ! In conclusion, I would ask Mr Leary and the Councillor who voted with him to look carefully into the matter, and see who it was that first agitated the question of tramways ? Did it emanate from the ratepayers, of the City, or from a few speculators anxious to make what is termed a “rise f I would rei apectfully direct the attention of the ratepayers to this very important question, and call upon them to take action before it is too late, or they find that through their Councillors they have Entered into and made a bad bargain which may ultimately bring upon them much trouble and expense.—l Am, &c., Dunedin, May 25. Ratepayer.