Answers to Queries.
Page 17
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Our readers will be informed by the Editor on any points connected with the construction or use of commercial motors. Where a direct reply is desired, a stamped and addressed envelope should be enclosed : if a request for privacy is not specially made, any query and answer may be published. Some replies, owing to pressure on our space, are held several weeks.
Milk Delivery by Motorvan.
1.708] " lliatursuasm," write We shall be glad to
liear ii you know if any firm is at present employing petrel motors for the collection or delivery of their milk. We have a client who will only be convinced if he can get the actual experience of others, that the smell of petrol does not affect milk, if the cans are properly closed, and if you can give me any information I shall be obliged."
A NSVI motorvan is being used by Miss Lelacheur, of Checkendon, Reading. We gave particulars of the service in our issue of the 13th January last. This lady might. be prepared to give additional information at the moment. The milk is certainly unaffected by the petrol.
Another Licensing Uncertainty.
[1,709] " Moms AGENTS " write:—' The licensing of cars toy hire and for trade purposes has never received the close attention of tho Town Clerk here until recently, but he has now awakened and is starting to be very stringent in the enforcement of the Motor Car Acts. We have a number of hiring ears, and we have been told that in London it is possible to obtain a hackney-carriage licence which costs only 15s. and is transferable. Could you give us any information regarding this?
" Would you also kindly inform us re the new tax as applied to hiring ears. We generally have about balf-adozen hiring cars on our stud, and, as they get sold, we replace them. In this way, it would mean taking out a new licence and paying a new tax for every ear added or replied. We wish to know if it is possible to take out, say. six licences and to let them stand for six ears during the season, irrespective of type, etc.
" Will you kindly also explain how trade licenees are dealt with in London, and very much oblige ?"
AsswEa.—You are not entitled to any rebate upon the new motor-spirit tax, Finance (190940) Act, 1910. if your vehicles be used for private hire. Providing that you can persuade the local licensing authorities to issue to you the necessau hackney-carriage licences, for each of which you will have to pay £2 per annum, you can then use your machines to " ply for hire." There is nothing to prevent. your taking " private-hire orders " with such machines, except that such hirers would possibly object, to use machines which carried a public-carriage licence-plate. In London, the fees payable for police licences and Imperial taxes are as follow:— It is interesting to note that a hackney carriage means " any carriage standing or plying for hire and includes any carriage let for hire. by a coachmaker or other person whose trade or business is to sell carriages or to let carriages for hire." By virtue of the Customs and Inland Reveaue Act, 1888, C. 8, See. 4, all leultney enrriages have to pay excise duty of 15s. per annum, and, in addition, in common with pleasure motorcars under the Locometives on Highways Act, 1896, to pay a motor tax of ,C2 28. per annum. Hence, it appears that, although your machines dn not " ply for hire," and are therefore not licensed by the police, yet they are hackney carriages within the meaning of the Act.
So long as a fresh machine replaces one of which you have disposed, you need not again pay the excise duties on it. You must, in the case of public hackney carriages, however, procure a fresh licence from the police for each new machine.
Commercial motor vehicles, i.e.. those motor vehicles which are not pleasure ears or hackney or stage carriages, and are strictly trade vehicles, pay no carriage duties and require no special licences. They have to be registered, once and for all, by the County or Borough (fee it), and they have to pay 4d. per gallon net on all petrol consumed. Steam vehicles pay no fuel tax.
Petrol Railcars Wanted.
,110J ''EXPORTERS ''write :—" We should be much obliged if you would give us list of motor nianufacturers who would be likely to make railway-inspection motorcars which could be run either way, and also motor-tricycles for railway inspection. Petrol cars are required."
ANSWER.—Yon can obtain good petrol railears from McEwan, Pratt and Co., Ltd., of Wicktord, Essex, and Messrs. Charles Price and Co., of Broadheath, near Manchester. We would refer you to pages 523 and 529 of our issue of the 1st September_ We have no information about motor-tricycles for rail inspection, but you might be able to obtaie a quotation for a machine of that class from F. B. Coodchild and Co., Ltd., of Craven House, Kingsway, W.C.
Sand for Garages.
I1,711] " MOTOR AGENT " writes:—'' Can you tell me what is the sand that you recommend as being the best. for keeping in a box in the yard ready for emergency in ease of fire on a car ? Will ordinary sea-shore sand be as effective as any other kind?"
ANSWER .—We have been making enquiries, in order to endeavour to give the information for which you ask in regard to sand for use in garages. It does not appeal' that any particular kind of sand is exclusively used for the purpose, although what is known as " Fledgwick " is often used in London. The chief thing to insure is that you buy a sand which will not readily absorb moisture and so become caked in the bins. Sea-sand would appear to answer this purpose admirably. It is usual, in many large garages, to use the same sand for fire-extinguishing purposes as is used for sprinkling on the floor before sweeping.
The Work of the Taxi-driver.
1.712] " COURT " writes:—'' I see that some people are harking back to the idea that a London taxi-driver works very hard, and that they drive praetically all day long.'
thought that your campaign of a few months ago had settled this idea, but it appears to die hard. Do these men really work as much as 14 and 15 hours a clay ?"
ANSWER.----It. is incorrect to say that these men drive " practically all day long." or that the work they do is necessarily tiring, either physically or mentally. It is true that the cabs are out of their yards, sometimes, for as many as 1.4 hours in a day. On the other hand, eompa naively few of the drivers work more than five din's cc week-. and many of them upon only four days a week. 'Further. as the average distance run per cab per ihiy is sheet 60 miles, some of which is covered at high rates of speed, it is obvious that the actual working hours, during which a man is driving the vehicle under his charge, are between five and six, which is not so exacting as one might be incliner] to believe at first sight. Sufficient allowance is net made for the rest periods both on the ranks and during hirings in which periods of waiting oceur.