THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1969, 16 June 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1880.

The Tramway Company in thoir dealings with tho Cily Council resemble very strongly the fabled horse-leech’s daughter, inasmuch as they are continually crying, “ give, give.” No sooner is one concession granted to them than another request is preferred, until it almost seems as if the Company desired to monopolise all the streets in the city, to the entire exclusion of all other| vehicles. The last request made certainly out-Herod’s Herod for cool effrontery. Not content with blocking up one of the principal thoroughfares of tho city by standing their cars thereon almost continuously throughout tho day, this modest company now want —and have got—permission to place a tank under-ground in the centre of the street to water thoir engines at. In future, therefore, not only will tho traffic be obstructed by the cars remaining, hut we shall have a continuous stopping of the engines to water, and a possible quagmire in the square. As to the obstruction of tho road by cars remaining whilst not running, we shall have a word or two to say presently. First, however, as to the granting the request. Wo venture to say that tho decision of the Council in this matter will he condemned by twothirds of the ratepayers, the more so when the permission so granted cannot be revoked unless tho tank is proved to be a nuisance. Now, it is quite certain that the chairman of the Tramway Company, who is the master spirit of the whole, will take particular care to keep just within the hounds of the law as regards nuisances. Thus we may take it for granted that the permission which lias been granted by tho Council to turn the public streets into a depot for the convenience and profit of a private company will he a lasting one. We would fain hope that tho members who voted for this being granted did so without having fully considered its extent. Bad as the blocking of the street now is by the tram cars waiting between times thereon, it will be ten times worse when the engines also remain on the lino to take in water. And this brings us to the second part of this article. Councillor Bishop on Monday night brought up a point upon which wo have already expressed an opinion. Ho pointed out that the standing of the cars on the street was a nuisance which would rather increase than decrease, and that really the cars of the Tramway Company had no more right to stand in the street than any other vehicles. How it is the company have been allowed so long to occupy the public highway is a mystery only known to that wonderfully and fearfully constituted body, the works committee. Under clause 49 of the Tramways Act of 1872, the Council have precisely the same power of licensing drivers, conductors, and tho carriages themselves that they hold over hackney carriages or expresses Further than this they have the power to to appoint places for the standing of these cars exactly similar to the provision of cab stands. No steps having been taken by the Council to enforce this section, it apparently follows that tho Tramway Company aro plying for hire with unlicensed vehicles, that an information for so doing would he against them equally as if they were running hansom cabs. We do not of course suppose that the price of a license or licenses would trouble the Company at all, hut still, if John Brown or Thomas Smith drive a cab without license they very quickly have an interview with Mr. Mellish, resulting in the payment of a fine. Why should the Tramway Company, simply because it is an association of wealthy citizens be allowed to break a law without having the same treatment meted out to them, There can bo no doubt as to tho clearness of the law in bringing in the tram cars into precisely the same position as hansom cabs or other licensed vehicles. We do not wish for one moment to see the work which the Tramway Company are doing impeded, They aro opening up the suburbs and drawing tho city and environs closer together. But this, though very desirable, must not he done to the inconvenience of the public, nor must the Council wilfully blind itself to the breach of its laws with impunity by one party, which it is so ready to punish in another. In their dealings with the Tramway Company, tho Council must recollect that it is entitled to no more privileges in this respect than would ho accorded to any driver of a licensed vehicle. All by law are placed on the same footing, and we trust that now this matter has been ventilated, stops will at once he taken to seo that tho law is complied with, and that a proper standing place—one which will not bo a nuisance like tho present—is provided at an early date.