TRAMWAY MATTERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 133, 2 December 1904, Page 5

TRAMWAY MATTERS.

SPECIAL FARES FOR SCHOOLBOYS. ISLAND BAY EXTENSION. MORE CARS WANTED. The report of the Tramways Committee, after being discussed in open meeting by the City Council last evening, was held back for consideration in committee, as Councillors demanded information about the cost of the proposed new 'cars, and the Mayor said it was not desirable to publisTi the figures. The second clause of the Tramways Committee's report -was as follows : — "That Mr. J. P. Firth be informed that the Council cannot grant his request for. penny tickets for scholars attending the College, the returns not admitting of reductions at present." Some discussion took place on this. Councillor Izard thought that it Avould not affect tho finances to carry the College boys a short distance beyond' the termination of tho penny section at Conrtenay -place as far as the College. If the trams were not paying on penny rides, they -would have to put up the penny rides. Councillor Luke : It Avould mean all school children!. ■ Councillor Izard: Carry them all on to the nearest school. -Councillor Godber ' said that Dunedin, and he believed' Auck* • land, issued special tickets for school cbJUdren; and the same used to' be done in '. connection, with the old horse tram system. Councillor Smith considered thatthe clause would benefit a class. Thaf parents "of the boys . who ..attended" t!wi7 College Avere generally of a class able to" pay, and why should they get under this clause a concession not extended to poop boys? All should be treated alike. A poor boy often had to go. tp Work..,#t thar age when these boys were going to College. The Council had as much right to give a concession to the poor boy going " to work. Councillor Izard said ho had ' raised -no question- -of- class distin^ion:" He had advocated carrying on'all school'" children to the nearest school when it ' Aras only a Jew yards. The Mayor stated that at the moment there was loss enough on tho running Avithout going in for anymore. (Councillor IzawU Raise the fares.) These same boys used to ride, regularly by train from Wellington Railway Station to Te Aro, and we're them satisfied to be carried to Te Ai'o Station and to walk the balance of the distance to the College. The Council now took them further than that — to the foot of Kent-terrace — and if they did not wish to pay the extra penny they could, like others, get out and walk. Councillor Izard : You are not a father. The Mayor said he wished to carry the children as free as possible, but ,tne committee did not wish to make any change of fares till it saw the whole system at work. The discussion then dropped till the report came up later on in committee, when it was decided to adopt the report, so the College's request is refused. The other clause of the report, dealing Arith new cars, was also adopted iv committee. It is to the effect that tho Council order, from Home, six carsthree double-deckers and three combination cars ; also that the Council order .three -cross-seated cars, to be locally built. This makes a total of nine cars to be ordered. The order for six cars that made the subject for an independent motion by Councillor Cohen is proposed to be additional to the nine cars now authorised. That is to say, if Councillor Cohen's proposal, Avhich was referred to the Finance Committee, is carried, there -will be 15 new cars ordered. A pretty jumble has been made with, the tramway line between the Wellington and the Maoawatu railway stations, comments Councillor Izard. There was a double line almost down to the Manawatu station, then a single line ; and one might miss his train while waiting for a tram to come. The City Council alloAvs the Government to purchase a number of tram tickets, said Councillor Godber last evening, but Avill not sell a number of tickets to citizens. If the Council would allow penny tickets to be bought in dozens, there would be less fares missed on tho trams and less need for inspectors. Councillor Luke again referred to the deterioration of the wood blocking surface for Avant of tarring. The Mayor stated that this was going to be attended to ; the whole would be tarred and sanded very soon. Councillor Keene asked the Mayor last night when the plans for the extension of the tramAvay to Island Bay would ba laid before the Council. The Mayor said he hoped they would be ready by next meeting. ' The plans for. the Brooklyn extension were well advanced. Councillor Barber eaid he had been informed that there was enough tramway plant in the possession of the Council to construct the tramway to Island, Bay: , The Mayor said he did not think so. - - Councillor Cohen brought up the following motion at the meeting of the City Council last evening :— "That as tho whole of the tramway route is near completion, and as the present number of cars is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the increasing traffic, the Tramways Committee be empowered to cable for six more cars at once, in addition to those already authorised to be obtained." The mover counselled -urgency, not only, in view of requirements, but of breakdowns. The mover, at the Mayor's suggestion, did not press the motion, being satisfied that it should be referred to the Finance Committee, which was done. The old tramway buildings, in Ade-laide-road, are to be sold by auction, for removal. The land will then be put up for sale or lease.