THE TRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1920, Page 5

THE TRAMS.

QUESTION OF EXTENSION. . RATEPAYERS' .VIEWS. CONFERENCE WITH THE COUNCIL. In order to gain somo finality on.the question of the .system of trams to be adopted to serve the suburbs of New Plymouth, the Borough Council invited representatives of the various Ratepayers' , Associations to meet them in conference. The conference, which was in the nature of a round table one. was beld last night, when the following delegates were present: Messrs. C. Carter, W. H. Skinner (Central Association); '. D. Sole, P. S, Johns (Westown), W. K. Bendall, E. P. Lester {EVankleigh Park); Fairhall and Foote (Fitzroy); G. W. Browne, W. Healy (Vogeltown). The Mjyor stated that estimates showed that the cost of the extensions to Westown would be £40,000. and it coil Id be assumed that the Vogeltown fxtension would cost the same. The engineer estimated the loss on these extensions to be in the vicinity of £BOOO. An alternative . system, the overhead trolley railiess tram, had been submitted, but {here was, "forsome reason, considerable objection to it, it was being rfin',,satisfactorily elsewhere. He did not deny that trams on rails •were the best, but it was very questionable whether the ratepayers would bear the loss. Mr. J. D. Sole said the Westown ratepayers iad never had details showing that < the coat of the extensions to Westown would be £40,000. In September of last year, Mr. Bartley submitted estimates showing that the cost would be £14,143 per mile, with an apslialt track, and he would like to know where the difference between £14,000 and £24,000 per mile was made up. Figures supplied, including loops, showed that the distance from the Morley Street tram stop to Omata Road is one mile 56 chains. Basing the cost on a £30,000 expenditure, interest 5J per cent., sinking fund 1 per cent., and depreciation 44 per cent., it would mean £3300 annually, as against £4085. There was also a discrepancy of £l5O in the working expenses. WESTOWN'S WISHES.

He also estimated that the revenue would be £3BOO per annum, as against the £'2olo estimated by Mr. hartley, and in addition thevo would be the hospital and nursery gardens, which would give an additional £1025. The revenue from Western Park and the Bowling Club would be considerable. Westown people were unanimous as to the form of traction they required, and favored the present tramway system, and the speaker was optimistic enough to say that the loss would be so small on the extension to Westown that the ratepayers would pay it as cheerfully as they met the loss for the first year or two on the tram system; ' The business people that ho had interviewed . all favored the the trams. l In the estimates of receipts no consideration had been given to the increased revenue that the extension would. g}M to the main system. He pointffil to the development of Westown, which he anticipated would double its population in the next five years. The Mayor: It has doubled itself in the lost five years.

Continuing, Mr. Sole said that the loss on the Westown extension would be very small.

Mr. Bartley, in explanation, said thai in September rails based at £25 per ton, whereas the present, estimate was based on £3l per ton, making a difference of £lsoo' per mile. The construction work had also been increased by 25 per cent., and the length of the track was longer, while amounts had been added for the purchase of land the widening of the road, contingencies, etc. Mr. Sole asked whether it was absolutely necessary to purchase land for widening of the road. Mr. Bartley said that land would have to be purchased for straightening the track in places, and they would not get the advantage of keeping to the .side of the road that he first thought.

. TRAFFIC PROSPECTS. ' Mr. Johns did not see the fairness of charging the tram system with the, cost of purchasing land and widening the road, estimated to cost £7OOO. This meant an annual charge of' about £4OO. Ho also considered that it would be. bad business to take the railless tram system to Morley Street over Ihe present tram system. He held that the loss on the Westown system would be 50 per cent, less than the £387/) estimated by Mr. Bartley. In fact, he would go further and say that the loss would be less than it was on the piesent system at, the start. liven if the loss was £2500, ratepayers would willingly pay it, especially as the present system was now assured against loss. He asked how Mr. Bartley estimated the Westown passengers ati 210,000 annually, and the combined Westown and Vogeltown passengers at 450,000. He said that the population at Westown >vas double that, at Vogeltown. , Mr. Bartley said that it was: impossible to consider the 'bus service in making a comparison. Moreover, the route of the railless tram, via Liardet Street and Pendarves Street, would serve the Technical College, Central School, Pukekura Park, etc., and these short distance passengers would lift the returns from Vogeltown up to Westown. He had based his figures on six passengers per mile, as against eight passengers on the main line, and, if anything, he .thought this was on the high side.

CREDIT IK SIGHT. In reply to the Mayor, Mr. Bartloy said that he thought that this, year the present system would show a credit of £I6OO. after allowing depreciation With the proposed extension to Westown the whole system would show* a loss of £'2300. Cr. Hayden held that the best idea was to extend the present Morley Street, system to David Street. This would only cost half what it would to extend to Omata Road. Mr. C. Carter asked wliether it was right for a councillor who represented the whole of the ratepayers,advocating the expenditure/ of 8,000 on one suburb, and leaving the other' alone, vHien an expenditure of £27.000 would gite equal facilities to both. While Mr. Sole said that business people favored the tram extension, he knew of many who did not favor the expenditure of such a !arge amount of money, anpl he pointed out that a loan of '£80,009 would require a rate of 1 l-10d in the £l. He advocated the installation of the tailless trolley system, conaidiring that ratepayers would seriously entertain a loan of £22,000 for this system. » Mr. Skims cmifrtriUfe »Tjjrk«»4.

trolley pystem wa* an and he could not «ee any objection to it, Cr, Collis felt £BO,OOO loan would be Mr. G. W. Browne said thfct town Association was they waited for the tram extended they would never trams. They would got the raillesß trolley »y»tan. SELF SUPPORTING, Mr. Johns said that he to work bird to give trackless trqlley system, and nee why Vogeltown should ratepayers an opportunity the extension of the to David Street. ' ' \ The Mayor: That would glv* for each extension. • '.. J Mr. Bartley said that tie undoubtedly the best advocated the trackless for these extensions because 'itj made self-supporting. ' Mr. Foote said that Westown should settle to what they wanted. If "a taken on the question of a tern to Vogeltown and t ramsio it would be turned down. <i., Mr. W. E. Bendall said without any bias, he would they should take a poll on of continuing the Morley to Westown, tie trackles* tem to Vogeltown, and Park the 'bus. There muik' give and take. The Mayor said that the would turn down a £BO,OOO. If they could proposal whereby the needs of Westown, amount for Vogeltowivft chance to go through. '' Mr. Johns asked if l( Mayor as a business the railless trolley the existing Morley Cr. Griffiths said th#t the to decide what was to cater for the suburbs, cate that system. The must have the same olaie They could not have the less trolley, and the "bus. sured that a loan for extensions would not be considered the two suburbs together, and instal the systein with the iJea (hat tiie forerunner of a complete tem inter, land then when laid down the trackless yopld-be used as an cxtcniiOiV jOTereunner of a further euburn^^^H I £r. Parkin pointed out &Xsm was extended to David 1 people at th? top end of hare a worse service than present. Cr. Hill was not satisfied. ttf the estimate for the tramway to Westown could have much since September last. - Mr. Carter asked whether' ley could give any indication much sooner the trackless, be installed than the rail s^tem, Mr. Bartley said that sible to say when the obtained, but if all the rived simultaneously it wonld months to complete the whereas the trackless trolley complete in from two to tine Mr. Sole said that the Westown were unanimous in favftjM trams, and he pointed out that if th< payers were given the opportunity voted in favor of trams, the 8 sibilitv would be lifted off the'G and placed on the shoulders of payers. After a little further fkinner thanloed the Coundl for the conference. -