TRAMS TO TARADALE

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 71, 26 April 1929, Page 8

TRAMS TO TARADALE

IMAYOR'S SCHFME Sl'RPORTED. XEW C0UXC1L SHOl'Ll) IXA'FSTIGATE PROPUSAL. OPIXIOX OF VARIOUS R KSIDEXTS

Much comment has arisen amongst the citizens of both Xapier and T«adale at the revival hy the Mavor of X'apier, Mr J. Vigor Brown, of the proposal 'to take the trams out to Taradale. Since the Mayor voicod liis proiiosition at the last meetmg of the council, on Monday night, the pros and cons of the project have been widcly discussed, the opinion of tlie majority being in favour of an investigation of the proposal to see if it is practicahle. It is now over a score of vears since trams to Taradale were first talked of in X'apier, i'or in 19Utj the Taradale Town Board wrote to the Xapier C'ity Council expressing tlie opinion that a. tram service from X'apier to Taradale, "would ko the best ititerests of the progress anj advaneenient- of the whoie district." Tlie proposal to run trams to Greenmeadows and Taradale was discussed at soine length then, hut nothiug earne of it. At varying times the mattcr was revived and in 1911 Mr C. P. Eden proposeu to run a privatc petrol-electric service. This. however never eventuated. In 1917 thc mattcr of the council running a tram service was again reviewed, uegotiations heing carried on at different, times in 1919, 1920, and 1921. In May, 1921, a report on a detailcd scheme was placed beiore the council. The proposal was that the line should cross the river at Kennedy road and go straight across the cndowments on an enhankment to a point past the concrete bridge on the Taradale road. It was -suggest ed that the line shouhl then follow approximately the road-Iine to Taradale, a distance of four and three-ciuarter miles. Fstimates of the eost produeed at that time showed the whole scheme as involving £6S,850. including hridges aml emhankment £5200. trade £-1-5.823, overhead eqnipmont £5500, and thrce carriages £12,000. MAKE A GREATElt XAPIER. In voieing the proposal that the line should be run to Taradale at tlie meeting of the council at its last meeting, the Mayor did not toucb on details as to the routcs of the line and cost of construction, hut confined hiniself merely to the general principle that a tram line coiiiiecting Taradale and Greenmeadows with Xapier would he a good tliing for both places. Several Xapier geiilleinon seen agreed witli tlie view tliat tho liuc would assist in the devclopmciit of the town. "Jt would crcate a greater Xapier," said oue gentleinan, "hy incorporaiing tlesirahle town^hip.s in tlie conlines of thc town. Taradale and Greenmeadows w otihi be broughl witliin tadi reacli of Xajner hy tinui and would Iku-oiuc desirahle resideiitial slihurhs of tlie tpw n." Several speakers agreed with this view, at the saine time pointing out that tlie 120 aere rechunatioii heing done hy the Harhour Roard dredge adjacent to the Tutaekuri river would assist the tram line from a roveime point of view hy i'ostering settlenieiit along the roiite. "The crving need of Xapier is land on which to place its settlerS," said oiie man. "and at thc present time little is available. lf a tram line is run to Greciuueadow s and Taradale and peo]ile could quickly travol iu and out of tlie town to those suhurbs land would he takou up there. just as all available land ronnd a cit.v is scttled 011 as soon as quick and chcap communication is provided. It .siinply means that Taradale and Greenmeadows would heconie suhurhs of Xapier. connectcd with the town hy a regular tram service." SUPPORT FROM TARADALE. All thc gentlomen spoken to discussed the question of whcthor a line to Taradale would pay the intercst and sinking fund and running charges on the line. the speakers pointing out that the line had to run through practically four miles of swamp in which there' was practically no settlement. The opinion was expressed, however, that, having. regard to the good tliat would be done the town bv placing freehold land in progressive distric-ts in touch with it and open for settle- ' ment. the construction of tlie line would he justifiable. "Thougii the advantage could not he shown in the tram receipts," one gentleman said, "it would he very advantageous to the town to he ahle to spread in that district, and some rredit for the expansion would liave to be crerlited to tlie tramways." Another gentlemnn said that the line would he uniqne from a revenue producing viewpoint, as ^ the twjo termini would be situated in densely

settled centres of population — Napier i nd Taradale. The cai\s, he said, would pick up their loads at the termini and it would be practically a non-stop run. "I. would like to remaik," said another gentleman, "that tlie line would h'-i oue partieularJy suitable for onc man cars. 'J'lic passengers would lioard the tram and huv a ticket just as tliev do now 011 a hus, a.s there would be lcw interxnediate stops." A Taradale gentlciiiaii witli whora Ihe mattcr was discussed over the telophone, was enthusiastic in his support. "I think it would hc a great tliing ior Taradale nud Greenlreadows." he said. "I think it would eneourage manv people to come here to settle, i'or if tliev could gct in and out quickly people would be sure tc take up the good land that is lying vacant in Taradale and Greenmeadows. Most of the land is freehold and eoui'l be bought at a reasonable figure for building. As far as I. can see towarl Taradale is the only dircetion in which Xapier can expand and it will not expand even in that direction imleis quick and cheap communication is provided. If that is provided, as is suggested hy the extension of the trams, manv people whose business lav in Xapier would liave tlieir homes in Taradale or Greenmeadows and travel in and out on thc trams. "Xow that the Harhour Board has ' a dreclge reelamation may, of course, go ahead much faster, and tho opening of the 28-acro block and later the 92-acre block will provide a lot of rc.om for homes in Napier. Still I am sure more will be wanted and in any easo tram lincs will be laid across the reelaimed areas in time." "SHOULD BE NO DELAY." Even the gentlemen spoken to w~ho were not- eoiivinced that the suggestion was an exeellent one, agreed _ when questioned h.v a pressman that it was one worthy of investigation. In no ease was the suggestion of the Mayor that l.hc-. question should be gone into by Ihe new council objected to. Oue gentleman who said he would rather see a municipal fleet of buses on the rcute nevertheless agreed tliat the„ tramway project sliould be iiivestigatecr first. "Let the new council get reports from its officers on the cost of laying Ihe line and an estimate of the revenue tliat is likely to result," he said, "and if it finds then that the construction cf the line is economically justifiable well, then. it' s plnin duty is to^go alread with the hue and build it. So far as the scheme is eoncerned I cannot ex 1 ress more than a layman's opinion on its merits. but if the expert officers of the council say it is a good one that sliould salisty everyone. "One thing 1 shouhl like to say," he continued, "I firmiv believe there should be no deluy. \Ylien the new rouncil comes into power it should take the mattcr up at its first meet- : ing aml decide witliin a -week or two j w hether it is going 011 with the scheme i ; :n- whether it is not. A report lrom j i the tramways munager on what it will , jtnst to coustruct the line and what will 1 i>e the return tlie expeiuliture will I jhiing should he jirepared as soon as j th) new council mcets nnd tlie council! i can then decide immediately what it . - will do. If the council, guided hy thc, : lavournble reports of its expert offi j I cinls. (b'cidrs tliat the line is a good j ; thing, I think everyone will support ; i thcin. ff 011 the other band it is prov- | »d tliat the suggestion is not practical I 110 onc will assist the council to em- ! bark 011 it. But the point 1 want to ! make i.s tliat whatever it is going to j 'to thc council should do it promptlv. j There sliould he no dillv-dallying. Plie 1 rouncil should go into thc mattcr j straight awav and either go on with j or drop the scheine, as the reports oi J ] i ' - experts reconimend."