THE TRAMWAY QUESTION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 222, 18 March 1912, Page 8

THE TRAMWAY QUESTION

NEW PLYMOUTH TO MANAIA. At the Waimate West County Council a letter from the Taranaki County Council asking for a conference on the suggestion to run a tramway line from New Plymouth to Manaia, brought forth a lively discussion at the Waimate West County Council on Thursday. The chairman,' in referring to the letter, said that the suggestion of the Taranaki County Council may have been a good one if they had not any other proposals in view. But there was the proposed Opunake railway and the tramway between Kaupokonui and Hawera, and these should be disposed of before they coilsidered the Taranaki Council's suggestion. They had to remember, too, that Patea was their port for outward cargo and produce, at any rate. The settlers and the co-operative factories had a large amount of money invested ii> the freezing and grading works there, but if they went in for Taranaki's proposals it meant that their produce would necessarily go to New Plymouth. Considering all the circumstances, he did not see how they could consider this scheme at the present time. Cr. Scott protested against discussing the tramway scheme at the present juncture. There was now more probability of getting the railway than ever before, and the Council was not justified in discussing any tram scheme against the wishes of a big proportion—probably one-half —of the ratepayers in the county. If they went in for a tram scheme at all it should be conducted by a special body—a tramway board—and for this reason it was not right for the Council to entertain any tram scheme.

Cr. Long disagreed. Councillors were ,there to consider any scheme to savr the roads and rates. They were there to do their best for the whole of the county, not merely to consider individual ridings. The chairman deprecated this little parochial corner attitude, and thought Cr. Scott had taken an extreme view of the situation. If there were to be a tram scheme it must emanate from somewhere, and it must come from the people •who were going to derive some benefit from it. It was in the hope of saving the roads that a tram scheme was under consideration, and if a tram, scheme had been suggested in Cr. Scott's riding which was likely to save the roads there or be a benefit to the community, it was the duty of members of other ridings to assist 'Cr. Scott's riding in securing that tram. Cr. Scott should not consider himself as representing just a few .ratepayers in a particular locality; he should consider himself as representing the whole county . They were on the Council to conserve the rates, and if they could get a scheme to take the traffic other than constantly burying cartloads of metal on the roads, it was their duty to adopt it. Cr. Scott anticipated the railway, and he would remind him that the other councillors had given him every facility to get it. They had appointed delegates to assist, and had not looked at the question from a parochial point of riew. He (the chairman) had just as much sympathy for the ratepayers in other ridings as for those in his own, and it was out of all reason for Cr. Scott to pontend that the question of tram 9 should not be discussed by the Council. Cr. Hughes mentioned that he had read the Taranaki County Council's, suggestion, and there was a good deal to be said for a comprehensive scheme with water-developed power. li there had not been any chance of the railway going through, such a comprehensive scheme as they suggested would have been a good thing. When the railway come there would require to be two or three feeders, and they would not want a little tram scheme to Hawera. It was •not wise to place the traffic on rails to a port which soon would not be able to ship it away. Cr. Bridge mentioned that although coming from the same riding as Cr. Scott, and although in the first instance he was opposed to Che tram scheme as strongly as anyone, he could not go so far as Cr. Scott. Any scheme that promised a benefit to the county as a whole should be discussed. If a feasible scheme could be brought forward to benefit some portion of the ratepayers, it would ultimately benefit all sooner or later. 1 This riding would not be asked to come into the rating area, and they should not block the gaining of any information likely to be of use to the proposed scheme. They were there first and foremost to represent the interests of the county as a whole. Cr. Le Fleming, in view of the commission about to be appointed, considered it would be inadvisable to take any steps in the meantime. He was fully aware, however, that one line was not going to serve the district. Wherever the line went there would, of necessity, be some tram scheme. After some further discussion, Cr. Bridge moved, and Cr. Scott seconded, that the letter from the Taranaki County Council be received. (Carried).—Hawera Star.