The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNINIG. MONDAY, JULY 17, 1911. NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3271, 17 July 1911, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNINIG. MONDAY, JULY 17, 1911. NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Mr. F. C. Leggett.—Owing to pressure on our space, your letter lias ,beeii unavoidably held over for a future issue. “T-Tiw 1+ ” asks an esteemed correspondent, “that Gisborne should be about to instal a system of tramways which was considered to be not good enough for Invercargill P” This is a simple, question, and we think is capable of an equally simple answer. With all due respect to our own “City Fathers” we aver that Invercargill went about this important matter in a more busi-ness-like way. First of all, the good people of that solid southern centre did not rush things. They waited until they saw that there was a reasonable prospect of a suitable system paying within a reasonable period. Surely this was a wise step. Is ext they came to another judicious conclusion—that they would have only the best system in vogue. Down in Southland’s capital they believe that the best, even it be fin- the dearest, always pays. So what did they then do? (One of the highest tramway authorities in. Australia had already made a personal inspection of the,proposed routes). They immediately set about to get all possible information With respect to. various kinds of tramway services. More than' that, they called to their aid one of the foremost tramway engineers in tins country. This was Mr. Scott Symington, consulting engineer to the Christchurch Tramways JBoard. But little reflection’ is

A Striking Contrast.

needed, we think, to show that in this respect also Invercargill did what was only,right and proper m the interests of its ratepayers. Now it is interesting to note what Mr.. Symington had to say when lie was' asked to report on the advisableness of installing the EdisonBeach storage battery system, which is to he tried in this town—

“For the past ten or twelve years,” he roplied in the course of an exhaustive report, “vague rumours have periodically been circulated in regard to Edison’s researches in this direction (the storage-battery car), so much so that the subject has become to some extent a matter of amusement in engineering circles.

No tangible result has yet been made public property, and, speaking as a practical engineer, I can assure you that there need be no fear of it ever displacing ’the overhead trolly system for towns or cities. While self-propelled cars, both electric storage and .petrol driven, are only in their infancy, and great developments may be expected during the next few years, they can only be of use for kmg-distance travelling, and in cases where the great expense of the overhead trolly and electric power distribution scheme would counterbalance the expense of storage battery or other type of self-propelled cars with their corresponding losses due to their charging and maintenance, and the great inconvenience which may he expected from such complicated cam. In the case of system where power can he generated at a central station and distributed cheaply, I am absolutely confident that nothing will be able to compete with the overhead system for low operating costs, which will more than compensate for any increase there might be on the interest of the capital expenditure, and the additional cost of such cars would go a long way to meet the cost of the overhead construction. Looking at the matter in another light, it is theoretically impossible to store power without losses of from 20 to 25 per cent., which in a system such as yours would be a very considerable amount, and in any case it would still be necessary to have a power station for the generation of the electricity.”

When this stage had been reached, it may be explained, only two systems remained in the running. Invercargill, as we have said, was out to secure the best possible system. Had it been demonstrated that the Edison- Beach system was the better it would most certainly have been adopted. Everybody knows the way the verdict went. Today Invercargill, by means of a loan of £75,000, is installing the overhead system. There are to be-ten miles of single track, and the rolling stock is to consist at first of ten cars. She will soon be the lucky possessor of a proved system of tramways of which any town might well feel proud. What of our own town? If we had waited for hut a 'couple of years or so—judging by the rapid progress which our town and suburbs are making—we, too, might have been able to tackle the question of an adequate system in real earnest. With only £25,000 in hand for the work—and the adoption of a system which is generally regarded with suspicion—the residents can only hope for the best. The outlook surely cannot be described as rosy?