THE TRAMWAY BY-LAW.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2238, 4 June 1881, Page 3

THE TRAMWAY BY-LAW.

Daring the correspondence which was carried on on the by-law recently passed by the City Council with regard to the tramway, a very general desire has been expressed that it should be made public. The City Council haring declined, or jieglected, to take, what we consider to be, the proper course before enacting a by-law of such a character, viz., giving it the greatest possible publicity by advertising it, we have determined in the interests of the ratepayers, to do that free. The following is the text of the by-law : —A clause inserted by Or. Cherrill, providing for the commutation in one lump sum of all the fees payable, is not yet drafted, so that it does not appear. Except this, the by-law, as now published, is identical with that adopted by the Council. The ratepayers and the public are now enabled to form their own opinions as to the wisdom, or otherwise, of the action of the Council. CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF CHRISTCHURCH. Bt-La.w No. —, 1881. A By-law made under the Tramways Act, 1872, the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, and the Acts amending the same. In pursuance of the powers vested in them by the before-mentioned Acts, and of all other powers thereunto enabling them, the Council of the City of Christchurch hereinafter called the Council do hereby ordain as follows 1. Until and subject to alteration from time to time by the Council, the number and places ofithe publio'stands for tramway engines and carriages shall be as specified in Schedule A to this by-law. 2. No person shall act as driver of any engine or guard or conductor of any tramway carriage unless and until he shall be licensed so to do by the Council; provided that daring the interval between any application for an engine driver, guard, or conductor’s license, and the decision of the Council thereupon, the applicant may act as engine driver, guard, or conductor, if authorised so to do by a permit under the hand of the Town Clerk. 3. Licenses for engine drivers, guards, or conductors shall be in the form prescribed in Schedule B to this by-law, and shall be in force from the date thereof until the 31st day of December then next ensuing, and may be renewed if the Council shall think fit, but not otherwise, on application at the Town Clerk’s office not later than the 14th day of December previous to the expiring of such license or licenses. 4. No company or other owner of any tramway carriage shall permit the same to be used upon any tramway for the carriage of passengers within the limits of the city of Christchurch unless and until the same shall be licensed by the Council, pursuant to this by-law. 5. Licenses for tramway carriages shall be in the form prescribed in Schedule 0 to this bylaw, and shall be in force from the date thereof until the 31st day of December next ensuing, and may be renewed if the Council shall think fit on application at the Town Clerk’s office not later than the 14th day of December previous to the expiring thereof. 6. All licenses to be issued pursuant to this by-law shall be signed by the Town Clerk and distinguished by a number. 7. No licenses, as per Schedule 0, shall include more than one carriage. 8. No licenses for any tramway carriage shall bo granted until the company or other owner, or some person on behalf of such company or owner, shall have delivered at the office of the Town Clerk, Christchurch, an application in writing therefor. 9. The number of passengers which may be carried in any carriage licensed under this bylaw shall be appointed in each case by the i Council, and shall be stated in the license issued in respect of such carriage, and in case of any carriage having seats facing each other the passage between such seats shall not be lees than a clear space of 18in, Infants in arms shall not be counted as passengers. Two children, each under the age of twelve years, shall he counted as one adult passenger. 11. The company or owner of any tramway carriage shall not permit the same to ply for hire or carry passengers until such company or owner shall have affixed inside such carriage, in a conspicuous place, a printed or painted card or plate of in long by in in breadth, in clear legible words and figures, the number of the license of such carriage and the number of passengers which the same is licensed to carry, 12. No engine shall be driven upon any tramway, and no tramway carriage shall ply for hire or carry passengers within the city of Christchurch after sunset and before sunrise, withouthavingproperlamps thereupon insome conspicuous place, which shall be kept burning during all such intermediate time as such engine or carriage shall be in use. 13. No engine-driver, guard or conductor of any tramway carriage shall, by any improper conduct, cause any obstruction in any street other than such obstruction as shall be legally authorised or occasioned by the running along any tramway laid along any street, or any reasonable delay necessary for or occasioned by taking up or setting down any passenger or passengers, or luggage of any passenger or passengers ; nor shall such engine-driver, conductor or guard while acting as such driver, conductor or guard respectively, do or cause or suffer to be done any damage to any person or property, or bo guilty of any misconduct or misbehavior tending to occasion a breach of the peace. 14. No engine driver, or conductor, or guard in charge of or in attendance upon any tramway carriage in use for the carriage of passengers shall drive the same furiously, wantonly, or carelessly while suoh_ carriage shall bo in actual use, or be under the influence of drink, or use any obscene or blasphemous language, or any threatening or abusive or insulting words or gestures, or otherwise so misbehave himself as to annoy any persons riding therein. 15. The Council may by resolution suspend for any period as to them shall seem proper any license held by any company or owner or engi ae driver or conductor offending against the provisions of this by-law. 16. No engine ,or carriage shall remain upon the several stands particularised in the schedule A to this by-law for longer periods of time than hereinafter mentioned, that is to say, Nos. 1 and 2 for the period of 15 minutes; Nos. 3 and 4 for the period of 30 minutes.

17. No engine or carriage shall travel at a speed exceeding a maximum rate of ten miles

per hour, and round street comers and in crowded thoroughfares carriages shall travel only at a reasonable speed, such as the circumstances of the case may require. 18. No engine and no engine to which any carriage shall be attached, shall be allowed to follow any other engine or any other engines to which any carriages shall be attached shall be allowed to follow one after the other at a less distance than 250 yards, provided always that nothing contained in this section shall bo construed to prevent two engines drawing one train of carriages, or such train being within 250 yards of any stand. 19. The. following license fees shall be paid and payable under this by-law, and shall be paid at the time of applying for any license, but such fees shall be returned to the applicant for any license in case the application for such license shall be refused. For license in respect of each tramway car an annual fee of £2 ; for each engine driver an annual fee of £1 ; for each guard or conductor an annual fee of £l. 20. Any person offending against or committing a breach of the provisions of this bylaw shall bo liable to a penalty of £5 for each offence or breach, and to a further penalty for each continuing oftenca or breach 10s for every day during which such offence or breach shall continue, provided always that the Court inflicting any penalty in respect of any offeree or breach or any continuing offence or breach of this bye-law may order that part only of any penalty inflicted shall bo paid.