OUR TRAMWAYS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6510, 7 January 1882, Page 6

OUR TRAMWAYS.

TO THE EDITOB. 818,-rI am sure that moat people will agree that our tramways are a great public boon, and will readily as»ign to the promoters and Dirctora of the Company that meed of praise which a plucky and well* directed enterprise oan hardly fail to draw forth. But, Sir, with your leave, I will throw out a few Bugnestions, which will, I hope, prove worthy of consideration. In the first place, then, our City Fathers seem to bare been a little too hasty in allowing the Company to block up the main thoroughfare in Cathedral square with their sidings. There is c. great amount of traffio on this portion of the road, which is greatly, and I think unnecessarily, interfered with by the trams. But, as we have made the mistake in allowing the sidings to be put altogether in the wrong place, I would respectfully suggest that the City Council should try and agree with the Itamway Direotora to have the sidings and loop-line on the western side of Cathedral square, where the traffic is comparatively small, and where there is no lack of 'room. Of course I should expect the ratepayers of the city to pay for the alteration, as the mistake was first made by them through their representatives. In the second place, I think that no tramway train should be allowed to run over any public street crossing at a greater pace than four miles per hour. Any infringement of this rule, to be guarded against by the infliction of a fine not exceeding, say, ten pounds. In the third place, as every or any intending passenger appears to have the right to stop the tram to suit his own convenience, it seems to me that the driver of a frightened horse attached to a trap should also have the power of delaying the tram, say for one minute, in order to enable him to get out of the way. At the same time, however, no frivolous or obstructive stopping of the carß should be allowed. I think that this matter might well be left to the discretion of the diiver or guard, only they ought to be Warned to avoid causing accidents as much as possible, for at present they do not seem to have orders to care for anything but pelting straight ahead. I hope, Sir, that the tramway Directors and our patres consoripti will think over these and other suggestions which may be made, that it may not be said of eaoh of them (pardon alteration of person and tense), Vidit mdiora proboque deteriora seoutus est. —I am, &0., Jan. 4. OBPHAN.