Tramways v. Motor-Cars.
An interesting debate on Tramways versus Motor Cars took place at the rooms of the above-namd Association on Saturday, March 22nd, at 9 p.m. Mr. F. H. Hiscock occupied the chair, and the speeches were followed with keen interest by those present. Messrs. O. E. Pearson and Gilbert MacIntosh opened the discussion, taking the positive and negative side respectively.
Mik. Pearson in his advocacy of the superiority of electric trams over motor: cars, spoke of the necessity that exis for better means of transport in Shanghai, "Tt was a consummation devoutly to be wished." He spok: in a somewhat depreciatory way.of the very useful ricsha. One'reason, he said, why the electric car was superior to the autem-bile was that the public' would know wh re to find ity viz: at: certain fixed centres, but this rauld not be the case with the automobile And then again, the car running on rails would mik: it easy to rosulate the traffic,
the automobile would be a source of danger and annoyance to pedes tians in neral, and to ricsha coolies in particular, which would soon cause numberless outeries for its abolition. Several other reasons were advanced against the introduction of the automobile into Shanghai su: h as the difficulty that would be experienced in providing separate accommodation for foreigners and Chinese ''h again, there were the requ ut break-downs, stoppages and delays, to be taken into consideration. Other "objections from an aesthetic pain view were also advanced. The speaker concluded his able address by moving the following Resolution: "Resolved, that the introduction of Tramway Cars will be more beneficial to Shanghai than motor cars.
Mr. MacIntosh in a characteristically humourous <peech, whilst admitting the necessity that exists for better means of transport, proceeded to show that, in his opinion, the automobile was far better able to meet that need than the electric-tram.
He referred to the nuisances which appeared to be inseparable from tramway systems, such as the laying of rails, overhead wires, and 0 on, after whicl he proce-ded to mention some of the advautayes of the motor-car. The fact that the roads as they are at present, although so narrow, would be suitsile, without. tearing up for rails, was enlarged upon, Mr. Macintosh was also of opinion that motor-cars would prove to be more economical that tram-cars inasmuch as the heavy initial expense of laying down rails would not have to be incurred. Mr. Mackintosh's sp-och, enlivened as it was by quite a number of itticisms, was mud enjoye and n hearty burst of applause greeted him aas he resumed his seat.
Messrs. Hartley, Houghton, Osgood, Newcombe, Wolsey, Griffin, and the Rev. Dr. R. J. Bryan, also took part in the discussion, as did' also Mr. Plummer, the representative of the American Automobile Ca., who has just arrived in Shanghai inging four small automotor cars with him. Most of the gentlemen who spoke were evidently in favour of tram-cars, but two or three were also of opinion that there was room for both electric trams and motor-cars in Shanghai.
The putting of the motion, which the Chairman announced was carried ' prac-flewly unanimously," brought a very instructive and pleasant evening to a close.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.