“DRAWING ROOM COMFORT”

Evening Star, Issue 22145, 27 September 1935, Page 13

“DRAWING ROOM COMFORT”

THE MAORI Hill TRAMWAY CARS glowing description of thirty-five YEARS AGO Should the recommendation of the Tramways Committee to replace the admittedly antiquated Maori Hill electric tramway system . by either Diesel or trolley bus services receive the support of the City Council at its meeting on Monday night, gone will be that'thoroughfare’s dubious claim to fame as “the most dangerous and noisiest stretch of suburban roadway in the Dominion,” as one recently-in-stalled Roslyn resident aptly put it to a ‘ Star ’ reporter this morning. And yet, 35 years ago, when this hrst elec-trically-operated tramway in New Zealand was installed, a commentator of the day dubbed it as “a thoroughly up-to-date, genuine, and what we believe will prove a satisfactoiy electiic street car system.” But that was 35 years ago, before the advent of the motor car, more Roslyn and Maori Hill residents, and that infernal noise of grinding wheels, rattling chains, and electrical disturbances—-the lastnamed blatantly magnified over the Just as it was recorded then that Dunedin was slowly, but , surely, awakening like another Rip V an Winkle, from a sleep of 20 years ago and harnessing the latest inventions ot the day for its several purposes, so almost half a century later are still more modern inventions to perhaps supersede the locomotive marvels or yesterday. With the tramcar to-day a prosaic—if not archaic—conveyance, a newspaper account of the Maori Hili tramcars when they were first acquired by the Roslyn Tramway Company in September, 1900. makes interested reading. - ■ . “ At present the cars, two in number, are housed in the iron shed near the Maori Hill Council Chamber, and are being superintended in their construction by Mr W. G. T. Goodman, Sc.B., of Sydney, who is also supervising the installation of the electric service,” states the account. “ Entering the shed, filled with memories and visions of the cars to which we have so long been accustomed, the' first feeling, especially to the person who has travelled a, little, is one of surprise, and in- answer to the question, ‘ What do you think of them?’ we are compelled to admit we have seen nothing like them outside America. The car—we use the term for convenience sake, although both are alike—stands upon a patent nnder-truck _ with four massive wheels, each having spring suspensions, as has also the motor itself, which rests thereon. The advantage of these suspensions is that there is a minimum of vibration when the car is in motion. The body of the car is 14ft long, and is made to accommodate 20 passengers; but, in addition, there is a large and commodious platform at either end upon which passengers can be carried, and as the canopy is carried clear over the dashboard, there is no chance of the rain dripping on to those beneath. . . . Nor do these comprise all that the platform supplies. By pulling a lever a sand box is opened and the contents dropped upon the line —a convenience that will be appreciated in wet weather, or from

other causes when the wheels fail to grip the lines. ‘‘lndeed, we have all the comfort without the inconvenience in the way of bric-a-brac that a drawing room affords. The gangway is 3ft Sin wide, thus leaving ample room for the conductor to walk up and down without apologising at every step or calling forth muttered exclamations, from his fares; the seats and backs are upholstered in figured velvet pile (since dispensed with) . . . and the handrails have .leather straps suspended. Altogether a substantial, yet light and attractive-looking, carriage. Our description, however, is that of the car as seen by daylight. It will look much better, like all handsome things, by night. The cars are enamelled, and of a deep lake colour, with the words “ Dunedin, Koslyn, _ Maori Hill ” printed in silver ou either side; whilst patrons will be glad to learn that it is not the intention of the company to disfigure their cars with agonising inquiries from those benefactors to the race who are either asking affectionately as to tho state of your liver, or commanding you to take Dr Snodgrass’s green spectacles for sore eyes. In brief, no advertisements will be allowed, and for this all lovers of the aesthetic will be 'grateful. Each car represents an outlay to the company of £660, and can be run at the rate of 20 miles per hour. True, the line now laid down from Jie Council Chambers, Maori Hill, to the junction of the cable system at the head of Rattray street, is but a single line through a hill suburb, but the public will find when the service is started that there has been provided for them as complete, handsome, and speedy a one as could be met with in the heart of any large and populous city. ' “ How the trams will travel,” concludes the article, “ will be told later on; but sufficient has been said to show that the Roslyn Tramway Company, although it has kept us waiting rather long, intends to give the dwellers and pleasure seekers on the hill a system that will reflect credit upon it and upon the community of which it forms a part. The company can certainly congratulate itself on launching a service that need not fear comparison with any other service of similar size the world over.’’’