In Public Service.
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The committee of the FyIde Joint. Hospital, at Kirkham (Lanes.), is purchasing a motor ambulance.
A committee of the Romford U.D.C. is considering the matter of additional licences for the La.o.o.
The Maidens and Coombe U.D.C. requires particulars of motordriven vehicles for the collection of refuse.
Surbiton U.D.C. has bought a Dennis 400-gallon motor fire-engine at E950, and a Dennis motor tender at E350.
Hull Watch Committee has given instructions for literature and prices concerning motor fire-appliances to be submitted.
Shanklin (Isle of Wight) Fire Brigade has secured the necessary financial support to purchase a motor hose-carrier.
Ashtead (Surrey) ratepayers have voted against the purchase of a motor fire-engine. They wilt no doubt soon revise this decision.
The Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., has recommended a dividend of 71 per cent. per annum, free of tax, for the last financial year. French, Banister and Co., Ltdof Margate, has opened a service between Margate and Canterbury, with a 40 h.p. Daimler singledecker.
Farnborough (Hants.) U.D.C. has received L.0.B. sanction—without the formality of an inquiry— to raise a loan for the purchase of a motor fire-engine—a Dennis. Waterloo-with-Seaforth U.D.C. will close the tenders in respect of the motor tire-engine which it is about to buy, not later than first post on Wednesday, the 24th inst.
A Dennis fire-engine gave a satisfactory demonstration at Woking at the beginning of the month, and we anticipate that an order will .follow. Woking has been coquetting with the question of a motor fire-engine for several years.
National Motor Cab Co.
The re-organization of the capital of the National Motor Cab Co., Ltd., is in course of arrangement. It is proposed that. each of thd G1,527 unissued preferred ordinary sintre,s of .tt each shall be subdivided into two shares of 10s. each, and that the capital shall be re-j duced from £200,000, divided into 197,000 preferred ordinary shares of El each and 60,000 deferred shares of Is. each, to 1132,268 10s., divided into 258,537 preferred ordinary shares of 109. each and 60,000 deferred shares of is. each, and that such .reduction beeffectedby cancelling paid-up capitatto the extent of 10s. per share on the 135,463 issued preferred ordinary shares, and by reducing the nominal amount of such shares from £1 to 10s. Other details arise.
3316 The receipts of the National Steam Car Co., Ltd., for the week ended 14th December, 1913, were E4041. This shows an increase of £1957 over the corresponding period of last year.
The receipts of the Tramway (MET.) Omnibus Co., Ltd., for the week ended 6th December, 1913, were E8.177, and for the Gearless Omnibus Co., Ltd., E401. These show a decrease of i:450 and £30 respectively as against the previous week.
Oxford Stirred.
'The enterprise of Mr. W. R. Morris, to which we referred last week, in initiating a motorbus service at. Oxford, was highly commended by a. meeting of .citizens, -some 1200 strong, in the Corn Exchange, Oxford, on the 10th inst. The parties who are associated with the existing horse-tramway service executed a rapid mite face when they decided to seek powers to run motorbuses. The point is, will they he too late ? It is now announced that Thos. Tilling, Ltd., has offered to provide Oxford with a service of motorbuses, and to contribute to the rates in the shape of rent or fees.
The City Council, at its meeting on Monday night last, discussed the question further. The city solicitor reported that the advice of Mr. Macmorran, K.C., had been re
ceived, to the effect that the Tramways Acts "did not in any Wa.y interfere with the right and duty of the Corporation to grant an Omnibus licence in every ease in which they considered it was to the public advantage to do so." The matter was thereupon referred to the General Purposes Committee.
Side Lamps or Head Lamps?
A. taxicab driver had the misfortune, one evening at the end of October last, to knock down and kill an ex-police-superintendent at Hazel Grove, .near stoekport. His side lamps only were lighted, and it was alleged that these gave a poor light., and that he shouldhave had more-powerful head lamps. The proceedings were concluded, on the 8th inst., when the driver of the taxicab in question was summoned for negligence. The magistrates considered the case proved,' and the defendant was fined 40s. and costs, and ordered to pay the advocate's fee of three guineas.
L.C.C. Fire Brigade.
The L.C.C. Fire Brigade Committee has settled its progress towards complete motorization for
the financial year 1914-1915. It is intended to purchase 12 more motor fire-engines, 11 motor escape-vans, and a. motor tender. The respective estimated costs are i!11,400, £7150, and 2400.
It is further proposed that the equipment of the brigade entirely with motor appliances shall be completed rapidly. The total cost, inclusive of money already expended and voted, will be E160,000. The saving on building accOunt, due to motorization, will be not less than 11 sub-stations. It is intended to dispense with six sub-stations, and to abandon proposals for the erec
tion of five new ones. Half the 1160,000 will be expended by 1918; no time is to be lost. In Public Service—con.
Recent purchases by the Liverpool Corporation include two Tilling-Stevens 40 h.p. petrol-electric motorbuses, two " Brush-Daimler" 40 h.p. motorbuses, and two Straker-Squire 48 h.p. motorbuses.
Cleekheaton and district is well pleased with the motorbus services at the hands of the Yorkshire (Woollen district) Tramway Co., Ltd., and may also be at the hands of its Own town council—after next session.
The L.C.C. has decided not to accept the proposals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board for the institution of a motor ambulance service for London. The General Purposes Committee of the L.C.C. will now prepare its own scheme.
The order for Glasgow's four motor patrol wagons, for its police force, has been placed with. John I. Thornyeroft and Co. Ltd., for -which company Mr. E. H. Collie, of 61, Bishop Street, Anderston, Glasgow, is the Scottish representative. The purchase price is £1880.
L.C.C. Hopes.
The L.C.C. is proposing to prepare a scheme for the consolidation and linking-up of its tramcar system. The removal of the present dead-end termini, which cause so mach obstruction, cannot with benefit to the public be to points further inside the congested areas of London. The Parisian system for eliminating obstructive dead-end termini is to require their limitation to quiet areas where circular turning-places are feasible. The facts concerning Paris were misrepresented before the House of Commons Committee which inquired into the L.C.C. trailer-tramcar proposals last summer. We trust that interested parties will not again allow the L.C.C. to steal a march upon them in similar fashion when its specious arguments in support of the transference of congestion are advanced. The " interment" of the New Central Omnibus Co., Ltd., was advanced a further stage, at an ordinary general meeting of the shareholders, on the 8th inst. There were no grumblers.
Representatives of various institutions are shortly to be invited to a ineetinF at the Institution of Electrical Engineers, in order to discuss the subject of road transport by accumulator propulsion.
Swansea. Town Council has overruled an unfavourable report of its deputy surveyor, in respect of the use of motors for the collection of street refuse, and is giving directions for a test of mechanical vehicles to be made.
Edinburgh Town Council has been invited to let its new Merryweather engines be tested against engines of other makes from Leith and Glasgow. The proposal has been approved by the Plans and Works Committee, so far as Leith is concerned.
New Registrations.
Kidderminster, Starr rport and Bewdley Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., with an authorized capital of t15,000 in £1 shares, by Harold Mayhew and Darling, Ltd., 43, Finsbury Square, E.C. Signatories include, Frank H. Tozer and Harry H. Hackett.
The People's Motor Service, Ltd., with an authorized capital of .1000 in ,E1 shares, and with its office at Dee Buildings, Connah's Quay, Chester.
George Taylor and Co. (Motors), Ltd., with an authorized capital of £1500 in II shares (750 preference), and with its office at Roper Street, Penrith, Cumberland, to acquire and carry on the business of proprietors of motor omnibuses, and carriers of passengers and goods, now carried on by George Taylor at Penrith, in his own name, and under the style of the Ullswater (Royal Mail) Motor Service. The Metropolitan Asylums Board is now to purchase 11 more motor ambulances and two omnibuses, in order to equip its south-western .ambularfce station, and to replace certain vehicles.
The Highways Committee of the Warwick Town Council has re= solved to give every facility to the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., in respect of a proposed service of motorbuses from Birmingham to Warwick.
We are officially notified by the Controller of the London Telephone Service that the PostmasterGeneral is now both providingitand maintaining, at the department's expense, the cab-rank telephone installations which are fitted or being fitted in various parts of London. We hope that more will be put on the outer ranks.
An Eastbourne Dinner.
The fifth annual dinner of the staff and employees of the Eastbourne and District Mptor Cab Co. (1909), Lid., was held ..st the Clifton Hotel, Eastbourne, on the 8th
inst. Mr. A. W. Mansfield, the manager, responded to the principal toast of the evening, which was submitted by Mr. Laws-on Lewis. The chair was taken by Major E. C. Harris.
National Steam Car.
The National Steam Car Co., Ltd., has made a profit of £11,465 during the 12 months ended the 31st October last, after making provision for depreciation and other charges. A six0er cent, dividend on the 150,000 £1 shares is to be paid, 22822 is to be put to reserve, and 2581 is to be carried forward. The director's hope shortly to have a fleet of 200 vehicles licensed in London, whilst they have another small service at Chelmsford. The dividend compares with X) per cent. last year, but there has been an increase in competition during the period to which the latest accounts refer,