PROPOSED TRAM SERVICE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12634, 23 October 1905, Page 7

PROPOSED TRAM SERVICE.

To the Editor

Sir,—l have been surprised to find that no notice seems to have been taken of the Mayor's proposal on the above subject, as no one with whom I have conversed seems to oppose it. It was not clear how far the tram cars were to run. The only guide as to that were the statements that the tram rails would not cross the railway line, the estimate of distance, and the fact that the Borough jurisdiction ends at Bidder's oreek. I checked the second point by tho town map, and find that the distil nee from the proposed depot by the foundry to Brider's creek, by the longer route named by the Mayor, is a few chains over 2£ miles; by the shorter route, via Bell street, 18 chains less, so that the estimate of 5 miles for the loun dtrip is apparently correct to the Borough boundary. ■ The "Herald" regarded the shorter route as being % via Plymouth street, which would shorten the distance, but necessitate the laying of half a mile more rails. Now, the stables which form the upward terminus of the present 'bus service, are three-quarters of a mile beyond the town boundary, and as a frequent passenger, I know that fully half the traffic is derived from that three-quarters of a mile. For instance, on my last down trip eleven people got in above Brider's creek, and two woman and three men in Glasgow street, the latter probably because it was raining hard. On the return trip there were eleven passengers, of whom two got out at the upper end of Glasgow street; three at the railway bridge, and the rest at the school lano and the stables. It is evident that if the proposed service is to stop at Brider's creek it would be of little use to Aramoho people, and so would hardly pay. If Aramoho people have to walk to Brider's creek, they may just as Avell walk the whole way to town. Even if it was proposed to extend it to the railway crossing, and the town Council could ai range for this, the terminus would still be half a mile short of the present 'bus one. It seems to me that the proposal to lay rails is a mistake, as ifc would restrict the traffic to certain routes, and so would only serve the town imperfectly. The 'buses run by three routes at different hours, and used to run by four, and I know that the discontinuance of the one route is felt as a hardship by people living along it. I think motor 'buses without rails would be preferable. The "Herald" said such 'buses would need rubber tyres to the wheels, but I doubt this. I believe broad tyres would be quite sufficient, and in any case, rubber tyres would ba far less costly than laying and maintaining five miles of tram line. In fact, Ido not see why it was proposed to lay rails, except to put money into the pocket of an importer. There are already motor cars and motor bicycles running in the town, and motor 'buses would not be more likely to frighten horses, which is urged as an objection. The present 'buses do not frighten horses, and whyshould motor cars? I think motoi1 'buses running right up to the Brunswick road, or even to the Maori pa, are what are wanted.—Yours, etc., AN ARAMOHO RESIDENT.