The Daily News. THURSDAY, APRIL 21. THE TRAMWAYS PROJECT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 369, 21 April 1910, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, APRIL 21. THE TRAMWAYS PROJECT.

The /recently-formed Citizens' Committee met last night to consider the 'proposal to histal electric trains for New Plymouth. The project was advanced another stage. The Mayor brought down some interesting data. He suggested laying dawn 6% miles of track, comprising 4% miles between Fitzroy and the Harbor, a mile from Devon street to the Mil'l-Carrington roads corner, at Vogeltown, and a mile from the centre of the town to the junction of Eliot road and Cu-tfield road,' either toy way of Standish Hill or by way of Devon: and Morley street. He calculated the cost at ,£5500 pea' mile, giving a total of £35,750, plus five cars £6250, machinery another £IOOO, or a, grand total of £46,000. Mr. Tisch did not touch upon the likely revenue or cost of working, but Mr. Penn furnished some figures in this connection, 'based on the operations at Wanganui, which showed that the likely revenue would] he about £7OOO and the expenditure £7500, entailing a 10s rate on £IOOO property. A recommendation to form a tramways district was approved, and a sub-committee set up to define rating boundaries, collect more data, etc., and to report at a future meeting. The Mayor's scheme is somewhat ambitious. He should, we think, have confined himself to a scheme embracing but one line, from Fitzroy to the Breakwater. That is a practicable proposition. Providing 'branch lines to Westown or Frankley road and Vo!geltowii appears to us to be out of the question, a.t any rate for the present. Still, no harm coouldi be done if the committee submitted alternate reports —(1) embracing only St. Aubyn's, the borough and Fitzroy; (2) embracing the above together with the Weston, Frankly and Vogeltown districts. If the Mayor's figures can be relied upon and there is anything in Mr. Penn's estimate of the likely revenue and eost of working, the line from Fitzroy to the Breakwater would pay from the outset, as the capital outlay on the suggested two miles of branch lines would not 'be less than £IO,OOO. Five per cent, on this sum would reduce the cost of working 'by £SOO a year —the .suggested loss on the whole scheme. The committee, however, can be truster to thoroughly examine all the data available and bring down a practicable and detailed scheme. Their report will be awaited with considerable interest.