NEEDS OF SUBURBS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1922, Page 5

NEEDS OF SUBURBS.

’BUS OR TRAMS? DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL. Resolutions carried by the New Plymouth Borough Council at last night’s meeting affirmed the desirability of procuring a second electric ’bus, and also instructed that the tramways engineer should prepare estimates of the cost of extending the tramways to certain termini at Westown and Vogeltown. A long discussion ensued on a notice of motion, standing in the name of the Mayor (Mr. F. IE. Wilson), who proposed: — (1) “That from March 31 the electric ’bus service be treated in all respects as a branch of the tramways department; (2) that it is desirable that a second ’bus be procured immediately; (3) that the tramways engineer be instructed to submit estimates of the cost of extern/, ing the trams to David Street (a) via Morley Street and (b) via Cutfield Road, and that he be asked to state what in his opinion are the relative advantages and disadvantages of the alternate routes; (4) that the borough engineer confer with the tramways engineer on the questions of gradients and levels and submit to the council estimates of the cost of necessary road works showing what amount may fairly be charged to the tramway expenditure.” THE ’BUS QUESTION. The first part, which was more or less of an administrative character, was carried after a little discussion. Coming to the ’bus question, the Mayor was of opinion that a second vehicle should bp procured, and as soon as possible, for the reason that the present ’bus could not deal with the traffic and was overloaded. It had already run something like 100,000 miles, and according to the returns it carried from ten to twelve thousand passengers monthly. It might be said that the council should go in for trams straight away, but assuming that such a course were adopted, and that they could get the money, he believed it would be two years at least before the extensions were laid down, as it had been their experience that a good deal of delay was caused by preliminary negotiations with the Government. It might also be contended that to some extent an additional ’bus could be regarded as a luxury, in that it might be replaced—at least on the Westown route—by trams at an early date. Mr. Wilson proceeded to deal with this aspect. He said L it could not be denied that the present ’bus was a factor in the tremendous increase in the population of the suburbs to which it ran, just as the trams had helped forward the town. Even if another ’bus was procured he did not think it would be wasted, for the town was going ahead, and as soon as the trams were laid along the present ’bus routes other routes could be found on which the ’bus could act as a feeder to the trams. In moving the motion referring to the ’bus, Mr. Wilson said he understood from Mr. Bartley that if a new one were procured it would be of a more suitable type for passenger service, being of later design. The motion was seconded by Cr. Blackhall.

In reply to Cr. Blackball, the tramways manager said the last estimate of the cost of a ’bus was in the vicinity of £3OOO.

Cr Large said that unless they could get delivery before the coming summer they might as well go straight ahead for trams. This view was also taken by Cr. Parkin. As regards the Mayor’s estimate that it would take two years to put the trams into running, he thought it was rather out of proportion. The Mayor said his estimate of two years was based on previous experience. The motion was supported by Crs. Rumball, Brown and Dingle. Cr. Kibby said he did not want to hinder the suburbs getting better treatment, but he thought that the investment of £3OOO in a ’bus would eventually hinder the pushing on of the trams. Before putting the motion the Mayor said he thought it was quite possible to raise the money. Personally, ho would even be prepared to strike a rate for the purpose. However, when the year’s accounts came down he did not think that the council would have much difficulty in finding the money. The motion was carried. WESTOWN’S CLAIMS. The final motion was the» discussed. The Mayor was of opinion tnat the time had come when the extension of the tramways should be considered very seriously, and he thought conditions at present were favorable. His object in moving that the extension be to David Street, Westown, was that he considr ered Westown required the trams mon? than any other suburb, owing to its greater growth of population. He did not think it would be wise to overload the whole thing by going in for too great a loan. The speaker considered that any extension to Wallace Place, as had been suggested in some quarters, would be merely playing with the position. His main object in making the terminus David Street was to co the best for the majority of i/te people in that district. Dealing with the alternative routes, he said that he had been given to understand that Cutfield Road was a better grade than Morley Street. In this connection he thought the tramway traffic of the future in New Plymouth would be along Devon Street West as far as Cutfield Road, and then on to the South Road. The motion was seconded by Cr. R. L. Parkin. Cr. Blackball suggested that the terminus should be Omata Road, ana the route via Standish Hill, contending that if it went along Cutfield Road it was getting away from a portipn of the town that was most thickly populated. Cr. Parkin said it would be inadvisable to adopt Omata Road as the terminus, considering that it would choke the whole proposal. Cr. Blackhall moved two amendments in accordance with his proposals, euc both lapsed for want of seconders. Cr. Large supported the motion, and he urged that if the terminus was fixed at David Street, it would give the Vogeltown people a chance of getting their service earlier.

Cr. Kibby moved an amendment that the council ask Mr. F. Black to report on the proposed extensions of the tramways. He thought that by seeking expert advise they would get further than they would be likely to progress among themselves. He pointed out Mr. Black was the designer of the present cars, and had given them one of tae best services in New Zealand. The amendment, lapsed for want of a seconder. DEMANDS OF VOGELTOWN. Cr. Griffiths proposed the following amendment: That the electrical engineer be instructed to submit a. general

report and approximate estimates of extending the tram service to the present ’bus stops at Westown and Vogeltown. In the course of his remarks Cr. contended that there was more building going on in Vogeltown than in Westown, because the land in Vogeltown was cheaper, and he prophesied that within the next three or four years the biggest building activity round New Plymouth would be in the direction of Vogeltown. He believed the council had a fair chance of carrying a tramway loan if it was on a comprehensive scale, for the suburbs were united, and this would mean the town would be united The amendment was seconded by Cr. Blackball, who emphasised what the suburbs had done previously in order to give the town the tramways. An explanation was offered by Cr. Kibby; he said his amendment in favor of securing the advice of Mr. Black was not meant as a want of confidence in the council’s engineer, but rather to relieve him of the extra work. The Mayor admitted what the suburbs had done, and their claims to the extensions of the trams to the utmost extent compatible with making them a paying proposition. As an old resident of Vogeltown, he was also anxious to see the trams go to Vogeltown. He regretted to say that he could not see how any trams running to the present ’bus termini were going to be payable concerns. Therefore he had chosen the service which he believed was going to pay, and he believed it was the only one which would do so at the present price of money. On being put, the amendment was lost, those voting for it being Crs. Kibby, Blackhall, Rumball and Griffiths. The motion was then put and carried, Cr. Griffiths voting against it.

At a later stage Cr. Griffiths moved that the engineer be instructed to report on the approximate cost of and the best route for extending the trams to the intersection of Smith Street, Vogeltown, and this was carried.