The Daily News. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1920. TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1920. TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS.

The decision of the New Plymouth Borough Council oil Monday night to submit to the ratepayers two issues: (1) The extension of the present track system from Morley Street to David Street, Westown, and (2) the provision of a trackless system to serve both Westown and Vogeltown, was the only practical method to adopt. The ratepayers have to provide the l security for the requisite loan money, and it is only right they should be given the opportunity to decide whether either of the proposals should be adopted, or both be turned down. The whole subject has been thoroughly threshed out, with the result that no fresh facts were elicited on Monday night. By carrying Cr. Parkin's motion to rescind the resolution authorising a poll on the question of the extension of the tramway to Omata Road, the ground was cleared for 'placing definite issues before the ratepayers. The cost of the extension to Omata Road has been estimated at practically £40,000, and the annual loss at £3875. Cr. Hayden made a strenuous effort to secure the Morley Street extension, though the grounds on which he based his main argument are not very solid. His contention was that the people of Westown, having been levied for a threepenny rate for the existing system, had the 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. The people of "Westown have no right to expect the Council to accede to such a request in face of the enormous cost of the undertaking, its annual loss, and the eorlVinty that the rest of the ratepayers would not see eye to eye with some of the Westown ratepayers in their claim for what can only be regarded as a costly luxury, when a satisfactory substitute can be given at a moderate outlay which will provide all reasonable transport facilities. Cr. Hayden's charge against the Council of a breach of faith is unjustified, as it not only cannot be substantiated oin business principles, bul; ignores the service which it is proposed to establish. The residents of Vogeltown, although not yet as numerous as those of Westown, are entitled to and should receive equal consideration as a matter of principle as well as of equity. It is not surprising, therefore, that, on behalf of the Vogeltown people, Cr. Griffiths submitted an amendment to extend the trams to the present 'bus termini at Westown and Vogeltown by the railless trolley system, and there was considerable force in his contention that to spend £25,000 to give a partial service to one suburb, when the amount would afford quite an equivalent in ears and service for the two districts, was only to court disaster, and he urged that the ratepayers should stand solidly behind his proposal. Though the amendment was lost, and the Council eventually decided to submit alternative issues to the ratepayers, there can be little doubt as to the result of the poll. The referendum relieves councillors of all responsibility of making a'final decision, and it will be for the ratepayers of the whole borough to pronounce their verdict on this much-debated matter of policy.