TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 7 August 1922, Page 6

TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS

THE ATTITUDE OF VOGELTOWN. FOR INCLUSION IN POLL. NOT HOSTILE TO WESTOWN. Some three dozen ladies and gentlemen assembled at the Methodist Sunday School at Vogeltown on Saturday night in response to a call to discuss “matters of urgent importance ” Mr. W. G. Browne presided and disclosed the nature of the business before th? meeting, which was the question of takingsome action with respect to the reported intention of the New Plymouth Borough Council to take a poll for the raising of a loan for the construction of the tramway to Westown, and the noninclusion of Vogeltown in the same proposals. Mr. Browne pointed out that some time ago a deputation had waited on the council, and, he said, it was understood that any future action in regard to tramway construction would involve both Weetown and Vogeltown. That, said Mr. Browne, was the tacit arrangement. He then went on to refer to ‘he possible delays that would occur if Vogeltown had to wait for a separate poll, and'said that their action in asking to be included in the present proposal was not a selfish one. He had always advocated Westown before Vogeltown but the understanding was that when the poll was taken Vogeltown should be included, precedence being given to the Westown work.

The point was stressed by other speakers that Vogeltown was not in any way hostile to the Westown .proposals. They recognised that Westown had a greater population to serve, but it was thought that once any district’s tramway ambitions had been satisfied that district ceased to take any further interest in the requirements of others. They felt that should they be excluded from th? presentzpoll it would be many years before they would be able to carry a separate poll for their tramway. Furthermore it was pointed out that even though the raising of the loan was; authorised, legislation of last session had made it possible to defer the actual raising of the money for a period of five years. On the motion of Mr. C. Carter it was resolved that a deputaticxi from the meeting wait upon the Borough Council and urge upon it the necessity of Westown and Vogeltown both being includ- ! ed in the one loan proposal for tram- • way extension when the poll is sub- ' jnitted to the ratepayers. The deputa- • tion is to consist of all those present at the meeting, together with as many other Vogeltown residents as possible, and the speakers will be Mr. W. G. Browne, Mr. C. E. Bellringer and Mr. C.

Carter. , Mr. V. Griffiths, who was called on to i speak, said he was very pleased to hear i one of the speakers comment that they i did not want the feeling to go abroad ! that they were hostile to Westown. He had opposed the proposal of the trains to David Street simply because it was "not far enough. It seemed, to him . a retrograde step to take the trams to just half way to where the people are being taken now and leave them to I the balance of the distance. He could . assure them that the council was not’ i opposed to the trams going to V ogelj town, but they felt that a large loan ; would not be voted for by tne ratepayers. It behoved them to see that ! the ratepayers were so organised that it i would be carried. He then went on to review the progress made by Vogeltown I during the past few years and said that in the next three or four years the ek-

paneion would be greater. Regarding the tramway to Vogeltown, he said t ie engineer had been instructed to prepare an = estimate for the line. T _> he ou? Ut t proposed was via Liardet and Gilbert Streets to Victoria Road and thence into Carrington Road to Smith Street. Eventually it would lead to a circuitous route from the present ’bus ternMnus over to the Avenue Road. Mr. Griffiths drew attention to the revenue that would foe obtained from Liardet Street, which would be credited to the \ ogeltown service, and urged upon them the necessity of being united in the matter of the route. He also pointed out the duplication of expense there would be in raising two loans and the possibility of obtaining outside tenders if the construction of the two routes were agreed to the question of the route, Mr. C. -E. Bellringer moved that this be i left entirely in the hands of the council , and its officers. This was seconded by I Mr. Shortt and carried unanimously.