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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4792, 1 August 1876, Page 2

We recently took notice of the satisfactory results obtained by Merryweather and Sons tram-car engine, since which time later trials have been made by other engineers, all haying; in view the making of the engine as perfect as can be. At a trial on the 27th March, made at Leicester, by one of Messrs. Hughes and Co.’s engines (which has since been, forwarded to the Philadelphia Exhibition), _ the engines were found to be capable of running at twelve miles per hour, and could be stopped by the brakes iu a space of about four yards, aud run with ease up. a gradient of 1 in 20. It is noiseless, consumes its own smoke, and has the appearance of an ordinary tramway carriage, the machinery being all enclosed in a ■case with, glass, so that there can be no danger of frightening horses. Another trial has been made at Birkenhead of a tram-car engine designed by Mr. Woods, C.E., for Vienna. This trial took place in the presence of Colonel Hutchinson, inspector to the Board of Trade. Several testa were made; for instance, when at full speed, and without stopping the engine, the brake was applied, aud its action was almost instantaneous. The tram-line was two and a half miles long, Avith sharp curves having a radius of 35ft., and its steepest gradient 1 in 191 Tho Engineer, of May, has the following article on the subject of steam tram-cars Within the last few month we have had occasion to record the successful use of steam tram-cars in Copenhagen, Paris, Leicester, and Birkenhead. Not many yearn have passed away since proposals to use steam in the streets of a city as a means of propelling public vehicles was looked upon as something worse than absurd—almost ariminal. That some change has taken place in popular opinion in this respect is evident, and it might be worth while to inquire minutely into the causes that have led to this change. Briefly it may be explained, we think, as the result of a gradual process of instruction conducted by men competent to teach. In this country the conservative spirit which, sometimes wisely, sometimes injudiciously, opposes change in the affairs of daily life, has always operated powerfully for good or bad. The laying of tram-rails in the streets of the Metropolis was at one period blindly opposed, and arguments ludicrously like those used when railways were first called into existence, have been freely employed against those who wished to put down iron rails and supersede the omnibus by the tram-car. A very largo proportion of those objections were based on loose supposition and abstract theories concerning the conditions of metropolitan traffic. The tramway, however, has beaten down all opposition, and the general public avail themselves of its comforts with perfect unanimity and contentment. Objections which have no better basis on fact have been, and still are, urged against the use of steam instead of horses to propel oars on tramways ; but the moment steam has taken its place in our streets, the tram-cars will be filled with passengers, and the innovation will be treated as a matter of course. It is Avorth notice that the present movement in favor of steam tram-cars owes its success mainly to the labors of professional engineers. So long as the principle was advocated only by inventors and amateurs, little or no progress was made, for reasons which easily suggest themselves. Amateurs generally prefer to adopt novel devices for accomplishing a given object, while the trained engineer is content to adapt old mechanical combinations to the discharge of novel duties. Thus, while one inventor brings out new boilers, new engines, aud new arrangements for feeding his furnaces, ! an engineer takes a small railway locomotive, fits it with an apparatus for condensing steam, boxes it up to please the esthetic tastes of horses, and achieves almost by a turn of his hand a very large measure of success. A private letter from the Thames goldfield says that there is a noticeable improvement in the Waitekauri district, which is situated above Ohinemuri proper. From the opening of this “ native oyster,” as Ohinemuri was facetiously termed in the North at that time—the early part of 1875, —it was the opinion of many experienced miners that Waitekauri would be found to be the most payable country. The Karangahake spur—a bone of fierce contention once —was strongly believed in, it is true, but it soon became evident that if the sample reef had not been salted it must have been a marvellously lucky patch, beyond which all was barren. But if the statements contained in the letter referred to he reliable, it appears that Waitekauri is likely to redeem the character of the Ohinemuri country, the opening of Avhich, through Maori opposition, was so long deferred that hundreds of men, believing in it thoroughly, became sick of waiting, and departed for other fields. One or two of the Waitekauri reefs are said to be more than payable, Avhile the country generally in that direction is looking very promising. A battery has been erected in the district, so that the expense of carrying the quartz—a large item in the working expenses of mines—is saved ; and if events turn out as it is hoped they will, no considerable time will elapse before other batteries maketheirnppearance outheground. Atpresent the Thames goldfield is very dull. Numbers of miners have left in consequence of the hard times, which have never been harder since the opening of the field ; and unless something turns up to give a fresh impetus to mining there, it is very much to be feared that the Thames will sink into insignificance. It is to be hoped, therefore, that some of the bapk country will turn up trumps. Tairua has disappointed peeple, but Ohinemuri still affords hope to many well capable of judging iu the matter.