LOUD JEERS

NZ Truth, Issue 1144, 3 November 1927, Page 4

LOUD JEERS

A Jolly Old Jest of Gisborne's Trams

Until Tom Heeney came m the running for a fight toith Gene Tunney for the world's boxing title Gisborne's greatest claim to notoriety was its toy tram service, foisted on a long-suffering public some years ago.

GISBORNE people never get a chance to forget the trams. For years they have had to find a hefty sum annually to meet the losses incurred m running them. Then, every stranger that cornea along has a laugh about them. They're a regular standby for the quips of touring variety companies. Even the latest New Zealand author, H. Hector Bolitho, when he persuaded someone to publish the story of his life, had to chronicle Gisborne's trams among his many childish recollections. On top of all this, Gisborne folk are getting an habitual reminder of .the tram nuisance by having to vote every now and then on the question of whether or not the service should be continued. It costs a lot of money for the ratepayers of a town to say yea or nay on a matter of this sort, especially when it happens that every time they do give an opinion the irrepressible W. Douglas Lysnar stands up and contradicts them. "N.Z. Truth" has found it necessary on several occasions to call attention to the havoc these trams are causing m Gisborne. Twelve months ago ratepayers carried a poll to scrap the trams. This is how their wishes were thwarted: Doug. Lysnar petitioned to upset the poll on the ground that the day before the poll was held a new Act had come into force changing the method of voting. All the preliminaries to take the poll, of course, had been taken under the old Act, and without any knowledge of when the new one would operate.

ANOTHER POLL

Magistrate Levvey found for Lysnar and the poll was invalidated. Another poll was held almost immediately, and the voice of the ratepayers was more determined than ever that the trams should go. Doug, was equally determined that they should not. Gilbert and Sullivan were not m it with the subsequent scenes of the cornedy — if such a serious matter can be regarded m a humorous light. Doug, argued this time that the poll should have been one of electors, and not ratepayers only, and he quoted Justice Herdman m the celebrated Takapuna case as his authority. Justice Herdman's decision was subject to appeal, and Magistrate Levvey held the matter over pending the decision ok the Appeal Court. x This was 'way back m January, and "N.Z. Truth" at that time pointed out that Magistrate Levvey might wait until Doomsday before getting the Appeal Court's decision. He's still waiting — at least, he is and he isn't. Certainlythe Appeal Court has never given its decision, because the appeal didn't go on. Gisborne waited m patience for nine months for Magistrate Levvey's decision, and then, being unable to wait any longer, went and asked for it. The poll again was declared invalid, because it was taken on the wrong franchise. It costs some hundreds of pounds to take a poll of ratepayers, so that when it becomes a. habit it is liable to be very costly. And meanwhile Gisborne has to foot the bill.