News of Municipal Activities
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Notifying Councils of Cancelled Licences.
The local taxation committee of Warwick County Council points out that there is, at present, no means whereby licensing authorities are notified of revocations or refusals of drivers' licences by other authorities. The Ministry of Transport states that it is not proposed to set up special administrative machinery to detect attempts to .obtain a licence improperly.
The committee feels that licensing authorities should be notified in all cases where drivers' licences are refused or revoked. It recommends that the County Councils. Association be requested to consider taking some action to meet this requirement.
Manchester's Big Cleansing Fleet.
' According to the annual report of Manchester Corporation's cleansing department, the rolling stock includes 20 Lacre three-wheeled sweeping machines, 30 S.D. Freighter refuse collectors, two Karrier Colt Major refuse vehicles, one Karrier sweeper and collector, and four Karrier and one Commer tipping lorries.
Over 200,000 tons of refuse were collected last year from 219,000 premises within the city, 767 miles of streets were regularly cleansed, and over 4,000,000 gallons of water and 1,414 tons of sand and chippiugs distributed.
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MUNICIPAL PURCHASES and PROPOSALS
The beach committee of BOURNEmounx Corporation has -authorized the
purchase of a Morris van. ,
The electricity committee of ILFORD Corporation has authorized the purchase of a Morris Minor van.
ACCRINGTON Corporation is to arrange for a demonstration of gully-emptying and cleansing by mechanical transport.
MANCE1XSTER Corporation is purchasing from Arcing and Barford and Perkins, Ltd., a petrol-driven footpath roller.
The transport committee of WArs,t.i.t Corporation has authorized the purchase of three 18-20-seater buses at a total estimated cost of £1,500.
The transport committee of BountsxMOUTH Corporation has decided to purchase the four trolley-buses experimentally in use on the County Gates route.
The fire brigade committee of ILvortn Corporation recommends the acceptance of the tender of F. G. Smith (Motors), Ltd., for the supply of an Austin ambulance with 'medal Lomas body.
The works committee of HYDE Corporation has under consideration the improvement of the present system of refuse collection and has arranged to inspect the Pagefield system in operation at Lancaster.
GT-omens:a County Council has agreed to purchase 26 new 4-ton lorries at an estimated cost of about £15,500.
BANSTEAD Urban District Council requires a small van for the surveyor's department. Tenders have to he delivered by November 20.
KENT County Council has decided to purchase, at a net cost not exceeding £180, a light petrol-e.ngined roller for work on roadside margins and footpaths.
SEVENOANS Urban District Council requires a 65 b.h.p. fire-engine; . the pump on an existing engine has to be removed and refitted to the new vehicle. Tenders have to be delivered by noon on November 27.
The highways committee of 'KENT County Council reports that it is desirable that 12 steam tractors should be replaced by six 4-ton oil-engined lorries, and recommends an expenditure of 17,650 for the purpose.
The cleansing department of WALTHAMSTOW requires tenders for the supply of two refuse collectors of either 10 cubic' yds. capacity or 7 cubic yds. capacity. Tenders have to be delivered to the town clerk by 5 p.mea November 24. Local Authorities and Traffic Lights.
The County Councils Association has expressed the opinion that it is important, in order to prevent confusion, that local authorities should be empowered to control illuminated advertisement and other signs adjacent to traffic lights. Subject to the foregoing observations, the association generally approves the recommendations contained in the Report of the Departmental Committee on Traffic Signs, and is of the opinion that the Minister of Transport should give effect to them at the earliest practicable date.
The association is unable to recom
mend that attomatic traffic signals should be fitted with triangular lenses. It considers that liability for the cost of lighting traffic signs rests upon the highway authority concerned.
Westminster Hit by New Taxes.
Westminster City Council will be largely affected by the new taxation schedules which will come into force on January 1 next, particularly as the municipal fleet is mainly composed of solid-tyred vehicles. Whereas the total annual tax payable in respect of the council's lorries under the present scale is £1,793 4s., the figure under the revised scale will be £2,983 6s. 8d.
Hull May Require More Refuse Collectors.
At a recent meeting of the cleansing committee of Hull Corporation, the director reported upon changes in refuse collection consequent upon the placing into commission of the two Karrier Bantam machines. He informed the committee that, owing to the great number of houses constantly being erected in the suburban areas, it was necessary for the collecting districts to be changed frequently and serious consideration would have to be given, in framing the estimates for 1934-5, to make provision for additional mechanical transport.