THE TRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1920, Page 5

THE TRAMS.

QUESTION OF EXTENSION. DISCUSSION REACHES FINALITY. TWO ISSUES FOR RATEPAYERS, The question of tramway extensions to Westown and Vogeltown reached some finality at the meeting of the Borough Council last night, when it was decided to take a poll of ratepayers on two issues as follows: — (1) The extension of the present system as far as David Street, Westown. (2) The trackless system over the full route to Westown, and also to Vogeltown. The subject was productive of considerable discussion, in which the trackless system had a good many supporters, while the point was also made that the Morley Street route could be .used for the extension to Westown of the present system. The question of procuring more 'buses also came under review, but this mode- of conveyance was decisively ruled out, and finally the Council unanimously came to its decision to put two issues to the ratepayers. The discussion commenced after Cr. Parkin, in accordance with notice of motion, moved to rescind the resolution passed some months ago authorising a poll on the question of the extension to Omata Road. "A BREACH OF FAITH." Cr. Hayden opposed the motion, considering that the Council was committing a breach of faith with the people. He referred to the residents who had bought land and built houses in the expectation that the trams would ?e extended to Westown. To carry the resolution meant that the trams would not be put through. The Mayor: Not the track system. Cr. Hayden pointed out that the Council, after having taken advice, had decided on taking the trams to Omata Road, and now proposed cancelling the resolution. The Morley Street was the first end that should bo extended; it was a big loss at present, and the people of Westown having been levied for a 3d rate to pay for the existing system, had a right, now that the present system was paying its way, to ask that the rest of the town should pay a similar rate to give them trams. He remarked that the people of Westown had approached the Council several times asking that the extension be expedited, and the Council had replied that it was only a matter of estimates that was holding them up. Cr. Collis asked what was the estimated annual loss on the Omata Road extension. It was stated this would be approximately £3875, based oh" the capital cost of £40,000. Cr, Hill asked if the engineer had taken into consideration the one-man system in preparing these estimates. The engineer replied stating that the estimates were based on the present methods. The exact estimate for the Omata Road extension was given as £39,700A QUESTION OF COST. Cr. Short contended that the Council was not making a bTeach of faith with the Westown people so long as they were given a reasonable service, and at the same time one which would not involve the Borough in too great an expenditure. If they decided to put in 1 a rail system to Westown it would mean that there was no possibility of Vogeltown or other areas getting any extensions. Cr. Hill inquired why this would be so. • Cr. ShoTt contended that the Borough Council could not stand the expense. Cr. Collis said that the Council had been discuasing two'schemes. One would give a faMy good system of transit to the whole of Westown at a cheaper rate than the present system, and if the latter was extended to David Street they would be cutting off some people who were now getting a service per medium of the 'bus. According to the reports of the engineers, they were not justified in taking a poll on the present system.- Vogeltown and Westown could be catered for by the railless system at almost the same total cost as would be involved in extending the present system to David Street. He was as anxious as anybody for the service to be extended, but thought the advocates of the tram service" would be well advised to centre their efforts on something that was reasonably within the means of the borough. Judging by the trend of conversations he had had with ratepayers, he thought they would vote against proposals for taking the system half-way. EARLIER MOVE RESCINDED. Cr. Griffiths expressed his approval of the resolution. At the time the Council decided to take the trams to Wallath Road they did so in all good faith. When the estimates camo forward, however, the figures were found to be excessive, and the Council decided to limit the extension to Omata Road. Since then there had been a further development Other opinions had been before the Council, but discussion of the new proposals had not been possible owing to the existing resolution on tha books of the Council. If only to clear the way for discussion of the other proposals, he thought the resolution authorising a poll on the Omata Road extension should be rescinded. The motion was then put and carried, Crs. Hayden and Hill voting against it. Cr. Hayden then moved that a poll of ratepayers be taken on the extension of the track trams to David Street, at a cost of £23,514; and also on the question of railless trams to Vogeltown. He explained that he had opposed the rescinding of the Omata Road proposal because he thought the Council should have stuck to what they promised. He pointed out that if the railless • system was adopted for Westown, the Morley Street route would be thrown out of court, so to speak, and they would be I running three-quarters of a mile which would never be used. He contended that the extension to Jkvid Street would servo five-sixths-of the population. More traffic could be expected later, as he was of opinion that the tram was the forerunner of development. If they could consolidate the present system to incorporate the extension t<\ David Street and run railless trams to Vogeltown, he did not think the ratepayers would regret the step. Cr. Hill seconded tha proposal as far as the David Street extension was concerned. . The General Manager stated that the

cost of the David Street extension would be slightly more than mentioned in the resolution, and ha estimated it at about £23,000. Cr. Short said the proposal was :iot giving the people beyond David Street a service. Cr. Collis contended, that the Westown people should also have an opportunity of voting on the trackless system. Cr. Hayden agreed to incorporate this in his resolution. The cost of the Vogeltown railless installation was given as £IB,OOO. TREATING ALL ALIKE. Cr. Griffiths moved an amendment that a poll of the ratepayers be taken at the earliest possible date to extend the trams to the,' present 'bus termini by the rail less trolley system. It was pointed out "that this was practically the same as the resolution, but Cr. Griffiths said he desired a clear issue. To spend a sum of £25,000, he .'aid, to give a partial service to one suburb, when the amount would afford quite an equivalent in cars and service to the two, was only to court disaster. The people beyond David Street could not be expected to vote for something would would take 'away the facilities they already had. Cr. Hayden said the number affected did'not total fifty. Cr. Griffiths said he was' satisfied it was more. Reverting to the trackless system,'he said those who had seen the system working spoke very favorably of it. A Councillor: "They've got it in Shanghai." (Laughter). In concluding, Cr. Griffiths made a strong appeal for the institution of the trackless system to both suburbs, urging that the ratepayers should stand solidly behind the proposal. The present was not the time for one suburb to. pull against the other. Regarding the position of the people beyond David Street, a number of councillors cited the case of many Fitzroy people who had to walk some distance to the tram. The amendment was seconded by Cr. Short. The General Manager thought that the proper route for the trackless system was via Standi sh Hill. There were objections from an engineering point of view, but he believed these could be overcome. The electrical engineer was asked what could be done with the Morley Street service if a trackless system was adopted for Westown. Mr. Bartley replied that the MorleyEliot Street run would probably bo extended to as far as Strandon, and a twenty-minute service instituted. Asked for his opinion on the David Street extension, Mr. Bartley said, as far as he could see, the financial position was not too sound. FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS. Cr. Parkin asked, if in the event of the trackless system being abandoned within a few years, how much of the gear would have to be scrapped. Mr. Bartley said that from the present position he reckoned that Westown would be the first suburb to merge from the trackless to the ordinary system, and he would propose using the cars made available in such a case on the Vogeltown route, which could at such a date possibly be extended. Also replying to Cr. Parkin, the engineer said that the trackless cars could run on the existing tracks if desired, and in the event of a gala day being, held, say at the Breakwater, Westown passengers would not need to transfer to the main system, as it would be possible to run the cars right down. They were not exceptionally hard on the roads. The amendment was put and lost. A further amendment was moved by Cr. Parkin that two more storage battery cars, and an extra battery be procured for the suburban services. Cr. Hayden seconded pro forma. Asked for an opinion, the engineer said he did not think the suburbs could be satisfactorily served with 'buses. This amendment was alsq lost, and after a little further discussion, the resolution in the terms as given above was earned without dissent.