The Importance ol Paintwork.
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Some while ago, our Berlin correspondent gave expression to his admiration for the rainbow hues of the German capital's taxicabs. To-day, London must have left Berlin terribly in the shade in such matters; the streets of the Metropolis are the brighter for it_ Brilliance of paintwork and luxurious furnishing of coachwork, indications of which change were noted as a welcome feature—from the standpoint of a brightening of the London streets—in our issue of the 2nd July, 1908, enstire. for the newcomer the preference of the hirer. The older and more soberly-garbed machines sufler—for a time. To paint a cab-body bright green may, in the first place, cost little more than to paint it in lead colour; it is upon the question of maintenance of the rival colours that owners will do well to ponder. There is such a craze at the present time to compete satisfactorily, by reason of luxurious equipment, that certain owners of motorcals fleets seem to be unmindful of the net economical result of sky-green panels and of genuine leather trimmings. The outfits of many of the latest motorcabs are far too lavish for the purpose, and their colours, conspicuous for advertisement purposes, may, in some cases, be the cause of equally-conspicuous maintenance charges in the annual 7UTOUntS. Will the annual police requirement suffice for such appearances ? Further—if parenthetically, do all " fares " at all times want this degree of prominence? Tramway companies and railway companies know something about the cost of paintwork, and their experience should be turned to account. Owners must not be gulled into the belief that " paint-work is more important than gunnery "; they should primarily secure and maintain a reputation for reliability of running, and for civility their drivers—both of these desiderata are cheap in the long run. The hirer temporarily profits by lavish outfitting, but the owner eventually has to " pay the piper " in respect of increased maintenance charges. We, of course, lay down no hard-and-fast rule that only the inconspicuous colours are the economical ones. The lakes. for instance, are the most expensive, and yet they wear well; some of the lighter shades also cost little to maintain. We would, however, plead that, in the careful selection of paintwork, owners should not be unmindful of maintenance standards and charges.