MUNICIPAL v. PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2689, 20 December 1909, Page 5

MUNICIPAL v. PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.

[To the Edxtoe.]

Sir, —When the Mayor was delivering his address on the loan proposals on Saturday night a man in the audience made a statement that the Christchurch trams were not paying, and after I had cqntradicted him v lie still persisted in his statement. Now, Sir, I am a ratepayer in three out of the eight boroughs and road boards which comprise the Christchurch tramway district, and never since the lines have been taken over has there been a rate. I have* my rate notices before me. now, and I see they all have taken out the line that used to -put in thus “Tram Rate,” with the rest blank. So not only has there never been a rate struck but the possibilities are so remote that there ever will be one that the municipal bodies have struck the item clean out of their rate notices. What a pleasure it would afford me to talk to the toilers of this town of the benefits received by the masses of the people in the Chriscliurch tramway district. This grand system with its 42 miles of track (and several more in course of construction), running in all directions, even in sparselyHpopulated districts; yet paying. I told the audience that 1 could ride from the city to my home 2 miles out for l£d. I made a mistake; that used to be the fare, but it was reduced to 54 rides for ss, which is only 1 l-9d. I have been asked why I believe trams would pay in Gisborne. There are many reasons. I will only take one. The configuration of this town is specially adapted to make them pay. Any man who has the slightest knowledge of this matter knows that when population is confined between natural boundaries beyond which it cannot spread, that one line can be made to serve a much greater number. Take Gladstone Road for example, with the sea on one side and the river on the other, thus making all the cross streets short enough to be served from the main artery. If ever this towp. is going to rise to what it ought to be, we must behold a vision of what we long to be. As we plan, so our career shall be. If the plans are crude and small, so will the building be.—l am, ■pfcc T. E. TONEYCLIFFE.

[Our. correspondent also argues at length in favor of municipal as against private ownership of trams • and other public utilities.—Ed. “Times.”!