In Public Service.
Page 8
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
At some London garages where are small numbers of ownerdrivers' cabs, there are as many as 17 drivers allocated to six cabs, and the cabs are never idle.
The first annual dinner and concert of the Ley ton " T " Garage of the L.G.O.C. took place at the Prince of Wales Hotel., Lea Bridge Road, on Wednesday, the 19th inst. Mr. Smith, the Superintendent, occupied the chair, and he 'was supported by Messrs. Worsley and Mersuarey. Covers were laid for 52.
A Lancashire Gathering, Amongst the various little dinner parties that were given during the second North of England Show at Manchester, one for which Mr. H. Kingliam, the managing director of the New Brighton Motor Coach Co., Ltd., was responsible, deserves to be noted. The guests included the Mayor of Wallasey.
L.G.O.C. Accounts.
Our references to the L.G.O.C. meeting of last week will be found on the next page. The important statement by the chairman, that the L.G.O.C. is being charged market prices for its chassis and parts, by the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., is a declaration which we had anticipated.
Regulation at Blackpool.
After very full deliberation, the 131ackpool Watch Committee has resolved : (1) that there shall be no stand for motor chars-à-banes on the promenade ; and (2) that no unlicensed motor chars-li-bancs shall be allowed to load elsewhere than on private premises, but that licensed motor chars-à-bancs shall be allotted positions, near the proprietors' premises, by the police.
The London Taxi Strike.
There are no fresh developments to report. The men's leaders appear to us to be deluding them with false hopes, but that is not an unusual procedure in corresponding circumstances, It cannot be much longer before the thousands of drivers, who are losing their satisfactory earnings—which earnings, in the case of men who care to take out their cabs for a gross 60 hours per week (a working week of, perhaps, 30 hours), will prefer to revert to those earnings, instead of runnmg into debt unnecessarily. The drivers who are allowed to have all the gratuities and all the extras are certainly able to afford, as do many of their brothers who own their own vehicles, to pay is. 1d. a gallon for petrol—or even more.
It is very likely that the London strike will follow the lines of the one which occurred in Paris a few years ago, and terminate at Easter. The Sutton Coldfield Council has licensed a service of motorbuses to connect with the Erdington end of the Birmingham tramways.
Glasgow's Workshops.
We reported, at the time the decision was taken, that the Glasgow brigade intended to spend some of its time assembling parts. That process is now in hand, as the accompanying illustrations will show. The expediency of the departure has yet to Ve proved by results.
, L.C.C. Intentions.
The Fire Brigade Committee of the L.C.C. reports that it has had under consideration the question of the progress to be made during the financial year 1913-14 in substituting motor appliaaces for horse drawn appliances in use in the fire brigade and it proposes that six petrol-driven motor engines eight motor escape-vans, two motor turntable-ladders, and one motor lorry shall be obtained during the year. The total cost will be 213,400.
As it is desirable that arrangements for purchase should be made as soon as possible, the Comnaittee has decided to invite tenders for the motor engines, five petroldriven motor escape-vans and the lorry. With regard to the turn-table-ladders, which it is proposed shall be electrically propelled, the Committee has decided to invite tenders from selected firms, on the ground that the numbzr of firms which make such appliances is limited. It is suggested, the Committee concludes, that the petrol-electric method of propulsion should be adopted in the case of one of the escape-vans, and it proposes to consider the steps to be taken.
What to Do with the Taxis.
The price asked by the Receivers
of the Motor Cao (2o., Ltd., for its vehicles, is 2225 each. The hire-purchase system has also been under consideration and drivers with 210 can obtain a cab under this system. The suggested weekly payments are as i;.01ow : Instalment off purchase price £.2 10s. ; garage, cleaning, running repairs, etc., 21; tire maintenance, ; licensing and insurance, 10s. ; weekly total, 25. Petrol at the present time will cost at least a further 21 per week, so that an average of 21 per day takings will cover the weekly expenses. The company is willing to supply the cab ready for public service, i.e., duly licensed, with a new set of tires and a mileage guarantee.