In Public Service.
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The Poplar Borough Council is about to purchase a light electric motorvan for the use of its Electrical Department.
The Watch Committee of the Aberdeen. Town Council has resolved to inspect models before placing its order, on tenders received, for a motor prison van and a motor ambulance.
Alderman 0, A. Eastwood, J.P. has offored to purchase a motor ambulance, and to present it to the Chesterfield Town Council. The Council has resolved to accept the gift.
Mr. W. H. Travers, A.M.T.C.E., engineer and surveyor to the Bi.rough of Wallasey, will supply pi:Tlacolors on application regardins tenders for a petrol motor Isogon, trailers, and a street-watering tank. Tenders must be lodged on or before the 30th inst.
Mr. James Dalrymple, Tramway Manager of the Glasgow Corporation, 46, Bath Street, will supply particulars and forms of offer in respect of three motor ambulances and two additional vehicle bodies which are required by the Health Department. Tenders must be lodgod on Or before the 27th inst.
Other announcements of requiremeiits will be found on page 29 of oto advertisement section.
Fire-Brigade Matters.
l'aciihain is expecting the early arrival of its new Leyland fire-engine.
Manchester Corporation has b3ught four Morris fire-engines, at 1:950 each.
Teddington U.D.C. is about to purchase a motor fire-engine and escape combined, at an estimated cost of £1000.
The L.G.B. has formally sanctioned Croydon's application for a loan of £750 for the purchase of another motor fire-engine.
Eccles Watch Committee has accepted the tender of John Morris and Sons, Ltd., for the supply of a motor fire-engine at 2955, There was considerable ceremony at the installation of the new Simanis engines at East Ham at the beginning of the month.
Croydon Fire Brigade is now horseless, and photographs of the last horse-drawn engine have been taken for preservation in the collection of the Surrey Photographic Survey and Record.
Winchester City Council has been recommended by its Fire Brigade Committee to accept the tender of Dennis Bros., Ltd., Guildford, for a 60 h.p. 450-gallcu fire .engine, at £925. The receipts of the National Steam Car Co., Ltd., for the week ended 7th June, 1914, were £5450. This shows an increase of 22163 over the corresponding period of last year_ The receipts of the Tramways (M.E.T.) Omnibus Co., Ltd., for the week ended 6th June, 1914, were .ei0,503, and for the Gearless Omiitmis Co., Ltd., £501. These show an increase of £5646 and a decrease of £17 respectively as against the eorr,sponding perk,f1 of last year.
British Motor Cab Co.
The British Motor Cab Co., Ltd., made a profit of £57,064 for the year
ended the 31st March last. A dividend of five per cent. (less income tax) is to be paid on the preferred oidinary shares, and £1614 carried forward. The directors have 'decided to convert two-cylinder ears of the company's fleet into four-cylinder cars.
The ,company's capital now is 21,138,500, divided into 183,875 pre-. ferred ordinary shares of £4 each, and 60,000 deferred shares of Is. each. The undertakings of the General Motor Cab Co., Ltd., and the New Motor Cab Co., Ltd., have been acquired. It is stated in the report that only 585 of the company's pupils passed the " knowledge of London " test during the year, out of 3958 submitted for examination. Petrol for Ambulances.
Mr. Lloyd George, answering a question in the House of Commons on the 11th inst., informed Mr. Philip Snowden that he was proposing to deal in the Revenue Bill with extensions of the 4d. rebate to owners of motor-driven ambulances which rendered voluntary service.
Motorbus Speeds.
Speaking in the House of Commons on the 11th inst., the Home Secretary stated : "It was fount! that to limit the speed of motor omnibuses to 12 miles an hour wa: more likely to produce than to prevent accidents. In crowded traffic it was necessary from time to time to speed up as well as to slow dowo ia order to avoid collisions."
Northampton's Ambulance. The Napier ambulance which serves Northampton is maintained and run by Frank Newton, Ltd., of St. Giles' Garage. Experience shows that approximately 50 minutes per case is taken in the Borough, and that the average distance travelled is only 2?;miles per case. There are, of course, exceptional oecasionst and on one day no less than 103 miles of running was equired, whilst on several days journeys have aggregated between 50 and 100 miles.
The Northampton Corporation baught the ambulance outright, and it is run, by Frank Newton, Ltd., at a charge of 7d. per mile, which sum covers the following: providing driver as required ; providing petrol, oil and grease, cleaning materials, including spoke brushes, metal polish, sponges, leathers, polishing cloths, water, and use of hose ; also 'providing a properlylighted and heated lock-up garage. The arrangement has proved to be a satisfactory one to all parties.
The Robins Motor Cab Co., Ltd., of Park Place, Cardiff, is responsible for a. new service of motor ehars-à-bancs between Cardiff and Penarth.
Stoke Town Council has again deferred the matter of granting motorbus licences to the Potteiies Electric Traction Co. Application was made for 14 licences.
The Urban District Councils of Blaydon, Ryton and Prudhoe held a joint meeting, at Blaydon, on the 8th inst., for the purpose of considering the joint establishment of a. publicly-controlled motorbus service. It is estimated that 10 motorbuses may be required.
Dennis Vehicles.
The Southsea Touring Co. has recently taken delivery of its fourth 30-seated Dennis char-à-bancs, and has placed a further order. Messrs. T. 'Standen and Sons, of Sittingbourne, have ordered a 33-seated single-deck Dennis omnibus, being a sixth repeat order for this make. The body for the latter vehicle is of special design, and we shall hope to illustrate it later on,
Little Road Damage.
Speaking in support of the Sheffield Corporation motorbus clauses, Mr. W. J. Hadfield, highways surveyor to the Sheffield City Council, opposed suggestions for county taxation in respect or motorbus services originating from the city. He pointed out that no suggestion had ever been made that the county authorities should con
tribute towards the maintenance of the 50 miles of main roads in Sheffield which are used heavily by traffic originating from the county. He also expressed the opinion that, if roads were properly constructed to meet the requirements of modern traffic, motorbuses would do very little damage.
New Motorbus Licences.
The Sevenoaks U.D.C. has issued five motorbus licences to the North Kent Motorbus Services, Ltd.
Reigate U.D.C. has granted 25 motorbus licences to the London General Omnibus Co., and 12 motorbus licences to the East Surrey Traction Co., Ltd.
Openings in Java.
The comparatively-extensive network of railways in Java does not yet satisfy the public needs, as no trains are allowed to run after six o'clock in the evening or before six o'clock in the morning. Anyone, therefore, wanting to make a journey in the shortest possible time is forced to use a horse or car, or to lengthen his journey by perhaps a day. The adoption of motorcars in Java, for goods as well as passenger transport, has conseouently increased to quite an unexpected degree, and there is every prospect that the Dutch East Indies will remain an increasingly profitable market for a considerable time to come. Already plans are being made for the establishment in other parts of the Archipelago of regular motorbus services instead of costly railways. There are also projects under consideration for the establishment of motor services in Soerabaya and other large towns.
New Registrations.
The Rapid Motor Omnibus and Haulage Co., Ltd. (21000). Qualification of directors, 250 shares, remuneration 2200 each per annum, with 2300 for the chairman. and 2250 for the vice-chairman. Solicitors, Messrs. W. Gipps Kent and Son, 11, Gray's Inn Place, W.C.
The Elms Gearbox Co., Ltd. (2200,000), with its office at Basildon House, Moorgate, Street, E.C., to acquire patents in relation to an invention for improvements in speed-changing, reversing and braking gear. First directors: F. Everest and C. I. Bea,vis.
London-Aberdeen by Bus.
A smart performance, by two
Tilling Stevens petrol electric motorbuses, has to be recorded. These vehicles are two out of three on order for the Aberdeen Suburban Tramways Co., Ltd. A start was made from Trafalgar Square at 10 a.m. on Sunday the 31st ult., and Barnby Moor, some 13 miles from Doncaster, was reached that night ; Newcastle was reached on the evening of Whit-Monday, and Edinburgh at 7 o'clock on the Tuesday, whilst Aberdeen was reached at 8 p.m. on Wednesday of last week. The trip appears to have been eminently successful, and the arrival in Aberdeen was witnessed by a large crowd, amongst whom was Mr. James Mearns, the chairman of the purchasing company. The vehicles travelled north under the charge of Mr. Alexander Wilkie, the company's manager. The success of the trip has aroused widespread interest in Scotland.