The Dunedin Tramways: The Old System, And The New .—The Dunedin Tramway Service was originally established in 1881, by Mr. George Proudfoot, as a private venture, but two years later it was purchased by the Dunedin City and Suburban Tramways Company Limited, of which Mr. George Fenwick was chairman. The service controlled by this company was a horse-haulage one, having its main stables in Cumberland Street. and it extended from the centre of the city to North East Valley on the one side, and to St. Clair, Ocean Beach, and Caversham; via South Dunedin, on the other. At the time of its inauguration the system was by no means discreditable to Dunedin, but in the face of the improved methods of locomotion adopted in other parts of the world, and even in other parts of the colony, and with the increasing demand for a more speedy service in the city itself, it latterly came to be regarded as decidedly antiquated. In 1901, however, the property of the Dunedin City and Suburban Tramways Company, Limited, was bought by the Dunedin City Corporation, and late in the same year it was decided that a thoroughly up-to-date electrical tramway system should replace the one in use. In February, 1902, Messrs Noyes Bros., of Australia, were appointed to carry out the work of converting the old system of horse-haulage into that of electric traction, and to extend the service to suburban parts previously neglected; and in the following year, having completed all preliminary arrangements, they set about their task with a rapidity and thoroughness worthy of all admiration. The new system when complete, will comprise about twenty-five miles of line, a double track being laid in the busiest parts. The route followed within the city boundaries, commencing from the Central Post Office, will lie along Lower High Street, Castle Street, Howe Street, George and Princes Streets; it will thus form a complete ellipse, and so, by a most admirable and effective plan, tap every portion of the city. Outside of this area, the route adopted will be much the same as that followed by the old system, with a few important deviations and additions, such as that along Anderson's Bay to Queen's Drive, and that along Hillside road to Caversham, the full extent of which, however, has not been (January, 1904) definitely determined. In Princes, George and Castle Streets, as also in the North East Valley, the centre pole system has been adopted, but along the remainder of the route, side poles and span poles will be used, as being best adapted to the locality and circumstances. The material used throughout is of the very best order, and the workmanship, conducted under the direct supervision of Mr. W. G. T. Goodman, superintending and designing engineer, is of the most genuine and durable character. The steel rails, which are in lengths of forty feet, and weigh ninety-two pounds to the yard, are secured with tie-bars every eight feet, bounded at each joint, and cross-bonded every forty feet, whilst at corners and other positions, where additional rigidity is required, further strength-giving devices are applied. The sleepers, each 7 feet 6 inches by 9 inches by 4 1/2 inches, are of the very best Australian hardwood, and are spaced 2 feet 6 inches apart. The track is well ballasted with 2 1/2 inch metal, 1 1/2 inch tarred metal, with a top dressing of a half inch tarred screening, and the whole is thoroughly rolled. The rolling-stock will comprise fourteen box cars, fourteen cars of the Californian type, six open cars, and a sprinkling car, all the passenger carriages being of the very latest, safest, and most comfortable design. The carhouse in Market Street, and power house and converter station in Cumberland Street, are, however, perhaps the most interesting things connected with the system. The first-named is a substantial brick' building, three stories in height, and 165 feet square, and is one of the most efficiently equipped car-houses in the Southern Hemisphere. Its roof of the “saw-tooth” kind, has been so arranged as to give the greatest possible amount of light, and the ventilation of the building could not be improved upon. The portion of the carhouse to be actually used for the storage of cars is calculated to hold fifty-two carriages. It contains thirteen roads, and a traversing track running down the centre facilitates the moving of cars from one portion of the shed to the other. The floors are concrete, and are channelled so as to prevent an accumulation of surface water. Eight examination pits, bricked, and approached by flights of steps are provided, so that the cars may be examined from underneath with the same facility as from other positions. There are several rooms, chiefly for storage and repairing purposes, close to the car-house. The machine shop is thoroughly well fitted up, and contains many modern American tools, selected and purchased by Mr. Goodman when in America. A hydraulic wheel press, capable of a pressure of one hundred tons, has been installed for the purpose of fitting the wheels to the axles. A twelve feet lathe, and one of a smaller type, have been fitted up, and the equipment includes also a planing machine, two drillers, etc. An overhead crane is used to lift the pieces of machinery. The general office and the strongroom are on the ground floor, and the office is furnished with red pine fittings. To the rear of the main offices are the rooms for the chief engineer, the draughtsmen, and the clerks. The power house and converter station in Cumberland Street is, also, of two stories, built of brick. Here the generation page 369 of power for the entire system takes place, and for this purpose there is machinery of the most up-to-date and elaborate character, imported from different countries, including two 250 Kilowatt units of the Westinghouse type, three boilers, storage batteries, boosters, etc. The steel chimney, set in a concrete foundation in the centre of the building, is 125 feet in height, and 5 feet 9 inches in diameter, and is the largest steel stack in the city. The temporary steam plant will be used for the generation of electrical power until the completion of the hydraulic works at the Lee Stream, when the natural power thus harnessed will be inaugurated as the chief factor in the conduct of one of the most important departments of the municipal service in the city. The Dunedin Electrical Tramway system will, when complete, provide one of the finest electrical traction services in New Zealand, and will be a credit to Messrs Noyes Bros., and their superintending engineer, Mr. W. G. T. Goodman, and a lasting honour to the city of Dunedin. It was formally opened on the 16th of December, 1903, when a half-holiday, asked for by the Mayor, was recognised by most of the business houses in the city. The Mayor and City Councillors, local members of Parliament, and many leading citizens took part in the proceedings, which included an opening trip with cars full of invited guests, and a fete held in the Botanical Gardens in the evening.