MAMWAI SYSTEM

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10303, 12 January 1927, Page 5

MAMWAI SYSTEM

proposal to continue as at PRESENT OR. DECOSTA EXPLAINS SCHEME TO COUNCIL MOTION HELD OVER f urther discussion on the proposal to scrap the Gisborne trains ensued at a meeting of the Borough Council last evening when Cr. H. H. DeCosta’s notice of motion came liefore the meeting. The motion read: “That in view of the decision of the ratepayers ,to discontinue tlie tramway service, as declared by the recent poll, the special tramway ■committee hte ask§d when obtaining the necessary revoking order to take into consideration the question of getting all possible usefulness out of the present system, and with that object in view that the present system should not be discontinued whilst the cars are running in their present state of efficiency and the tramway account is standing in credit; as "it is contemplated to have cheap hydro-electric current available in/ about two years’ time, it might lie advantageous to the ratepayers to consider the question as to whether it will be better to ins Lai an up-to-date overhead tramway system or an efficient bus service.”' Cr. DeCosta said that two polls had been taken on the question and the ratepayers bad turned the trams down. The fact remained that the trams could only carry on for another two or three years when the Council would have to go to the ratepayers for a loan for extensions and new rolling stock and batteries, that would oe turned down. Cr. Burnard: You are anticipating, are you not? (Jr. DeCosta: “Yes.” Continuing, lie asked why they should scrap a system that was on a fair way to »scrap itself. For the last nine in 1926. running expenses to the Town Clerk’s figures showed a credit of £747 4s lid. Again why should they go to the expense of going to the ratepayers for a further poll to scrap the trams when they were at present paying running expenses. To keep tlie trams running for two or three years would allow the Council time to get their hot mix down. Cr. Coleman, in seconding the motion, said he did not tliink the trams would scrap themselves in three or lour years. The manager had told the speaker that the worst of the cars were good for another live years. Tlie matter of the borough having to take over Mr Coham s buses had come up blit this should not present any great difficulty. lue Mayor saul lie desired to be ' fair. There were two Councillors absent that evening and he believed that if the motion was put to the meeting that evening it might he put through. He did not want any motion rescinded however, and asked the mover to adjourn the matter for a fortnignt. Cr. DeCosta agreed to this suggestion..