Tramway Matters

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 202, 24 February 1914, Page 8

Tramway Matters

qI'rXI'ION OF CAU-Slliaj JSiTES.

PUSIUXt; OX THK SCUKMIi. Matters in connection with the tram way scheme were discussed at some, length by the New Plymouth iiorou<rh Council iast night, when Mr. !•'. ISiack, consulting engineer, was present and gave information regarding the position of the scheme. There was n hot dis. cussion concerning tin-acquisition of tin-. Fitzroy hall site for a'tram shed.

. Mr. F. Black, consulting engineer, reported as follows on the question of a tramway car site:—The proposed sites exumined are on in Darnell street, three on South road, two on the Aloturoa road and one in Devon street west. The Darnell street situ is unsuitable owing to the distance from the main lino. The extra cost of track ana overhead wiling, » s compared with tbe Fitzroy Pub*: Hal! site would be about. £351). The situation of the sile would involve delays in trallic due to conductors when reijniring fresh supplies of tickets or needing to report, having to leave ears standing on the main line while I hey ran up Darnell street to tlu! ollice. The three sites in South road labor under the disadvantage of being neither central to the tramway system nor near one of its termini, consequently every ear leaving or returning to a shed so situated cannot get a proper load, ami the annual mileage of dead running -becomes a drag on the undertaking. The best of these three, positions, is, in my opinion, .Mr. Shaw's properly lj in* to'the east side of the road-cutting, and on the north side of the route. The Moturoa site in front of Mr. Iloiipylield's house is not suit-! ably situated for access, nor is it near enough to tho - tramway terminus to : avoid a considerable amount of dead running in the course of each year. 1 understand it is alsu subject ,to oil boring rights which would 'be required to be determined before it could be utilised for tramway purposes. The other South road site is at Barrets corner. It cannot be regarded as a terminal site, and there would be a certain amount of dead running involved. Its usefulness would depend largely upon the rate at which traffic between the town and Aloturoa developed. If the ear-shed is to be outside the town on the west side, this is a better site, than those on the South road. The Devon .street west site 's impracticable, owing to the considerably expense which owuld be involved in making up ground, also in adding to the track and wiring at the junction of Devon and Kgmont streets to avoid delays in reversing cars going or returning to the Aloturoa route. In conclusion 1 have to say that none of these sites is nearly so advantageous as tho public hall land at Fitzroy, which I regard as by far the most suitable of any submitted to me. A district with a car-shed gets the earliest service in the morning and the latest at night, and it is important, therefore, that it should ■have the largest population to be thus served. From this standpoint, Fitzrov is better than Moturoa. The land is of admirable shape to be fullv utilised without waste, and will ultimately accommodate up lo 20 ears. Its situation in relation to the main line permits of easy access without need for sharp curves leading into the shed, and will lenable quick communication between cars in service and the traflic oflice. The fact that it is bounded on one side only .by other property, practically removes any possibility of its-dicing held to be detrimental to private land-own-ers. It is seldom that these advantages are all to be found on one site, and in the best interests of the undertaking, I trust the Council will not find it impossible to arrange for this site to be utilised.

The Mayor moved the adoption of the report, stating that it was now apparent that the Council should revert to the Vitzroy site. Some discussion ensued as to what should he done towards providing a hull site for the Kitzroy residents, and the Mayor and Cr. Wilson won. of opinion that this could he left until it became necessary *to move (he hall winch would not be for some years vet Cr. Kihhy liked the matter se'ttled now flic hall had been bought by the Fitzroy residents and handed to the Town Board in all good faith. The Council should make provision f or u £ j te at once. Cr. Collis agreed. The Mayor withdrew his motion, ami Cr. Clarke, to open up the question us to whether a site be purchased for Uie hall, moved that the hall remain on (be Site and be temporarily moved to -nit the tramway scheme, no steps to be taken" as yet to get n new site for i' Cr. Kibhy moved fhat a site costing be purchased. Cr. .Johnstone was not sure that the Council was bound to provide a new hall site for Fitzroy. The time would come when there would be a central hall site for the whole town. There was no use ill the Council providing a site which would not be needed now The hall could be moved round on its present site and would do for the .resent. Cr .Taccson said the hall ha,] been handed to the old Town Board distinctly in trust for the people of Fitzrov. tr. Wilson: Then it should not' be brought m as a Borough reserve Cr. Johnstone: What's the use of a site without a hall? Cr. Jackson: What's the use of a hall without a site? Cr. liealy and Wilson supported Cr (hiike's motion. Cr. Jackson then suggested dial •, site could be obtained for nothing ], v takmg the tram line about ten chainover the Waiwakaiho hrid-c This would get over the trouble. ' Cr. Clarke thought it a good proposition. The Mayor said it could ~.,' he considered as the loan did not prode for ,t. and to get power to extend the trams would mean considerable ,!,. lay. - ■Mr. lilai'k said there would be a dillicul y as to the tram line crossing' the bridge. ~ ° Eventually the amendment was /„

■ *i«tl the motion carried. . The Mayor then brought up the Question of the acquisition of ten feet of the property adjoining the hall situ, which the consulting engineer had said would lie required. This was under offer at a total cost, including the removal of buildings, of about £55. It was decided to acquire the land. THE PRESENT POSITION..

Mr, F. Black wrote forwarding the contract drawings comprising the whole of the main contract work with the exception of the buildings. As the matter of a car-shed site had not been fixed, he had been unable to complete two additional drawings which would lie necessary for contract Xo. 2, but as soon as finality was reached these drawings would'be forwarded. With reference to contract for sub-station equipment, he proposed to add an outline sketch on ground plan of the sub-station to the drawing now sent in as soon as the dimensions of buildings required to house the transformers was settled. He also j forwarded the specifications and contract conditions for the foregoing work. The general conditions in all*these contracts had been amended in the few instances where the solicitors desired some alterations. Although the carshed site must he settled on before particulars of contract Xo: 2 could be completed, there was now nothing to prevent the Council from adopting the plans and specifications and making implication for an Order-in-Council.

Ah-. Black then explained verba 1% several points on which the Councillors desired information. In reply to Cr. Clarke. Air. Black said that now the question of a car-shed site was settled, the other two plans would he sent forward in a few days. On receipt of these, or even now, the Order-in-Council could be applied for. It would take about a month or six week:, to have the order gazetted, but it was not necessary to wait till then before calling tenders. In about a fortnight's time he would ascertain from the Public Works' Department whether there was anything in the plans which required material alteration. If not.be would call tenders at once. It would take about five, months to get them in, and roughly twelve months after acceptance before the work was completed. It would be impossible to specify a time for completion of the work. This 'would have to be left to the tenderers. The work would have to be done in sections, but two or more might be done simultaneously. The Consulting Engineer was authorised to call tenders as soon as possible and to amend the plans(bf the tramway scheme making the Afoturoa terminus at the iiit(-i7:cL:on of the railway and Aloturoa vo:i ■'. near the breakwater.