The Daily News. FRIDAY, APRIL 8. THE TRAMWAY SCHEME.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 358, 8 April 1910, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, APRIL 8. THE TRAMWAY SCHEME.

The report furnished by the Mayor on Tuesday evening shows that he is "making good" his promise to the ratepayers gome months ago that he would do his foest during the ensuing year to promote a tramway scheme for the town. Mr. Tiseh suggests the formation of a tramway rating area, to include the distneu that would be immediately served by a tram running between Fitzroy and the Breakwater, and the establishment of a board of control. He also suggests the appointment of a provisional committee of representative men to -consider the whole question and bring doWn a report. The Mayor's suggestions were approved . hy the Tramways Committee of the | Borough Council, and the first meeting was arranged to take place on Wednesday, the 20th instant. The Mayor is to be complimented upon his promptness, and upon the businesslike way in which he has initiated the scheme—a scheme "which is fraught with great possibilities, and destined, we believe, to play an I-important part in the future developI ment of the town. After the experience of Wanganui, there should be little doubt that the inauguration of tramways here would prove successful. It is true that Wanganui is a larger place, •hut it is also true that from a tramways point of view New Plymouth, with its attenuated conformation, is more favorably situated than Wanganui, with its more "solid" shape. We also have an immense advantage in possessing a plenitude of electrical power, or, at least, in possessing the facilities lor obtaining, at a very small outlay, as much ■power as will be required for tramways and to meet the normal increases of household and power consumption for many years to come. The formation of a rating district is obviously necessary, •since a tramways system would benefit the suburbs served by it as much as the .town, while the formation of a board of control is a necessary corollary to the installing of the scheme. We have no doubt if the committee are able to present a definite and practicable scheme •to the ratepayers that the latter wuuiu give it their sanction. In the meantime the committee has a good deal of ■preliminary work to do, and no doubt will take the necessary steps to obtain all the information available in connection with the working and cost of tramways, the different systems in vogue, and the approximate estimate of probable traffic and revenue.