London "Safety First" Council.
Page 12
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The second meeting of the London " Safety First" Connell Was held on Friday, the 16th February, in the Council Chamber of the Middlesex Guildhall' Westminster (lent by the courtesy of the Middlesex County Council), Mr. W. Joynson-Hicks, M.P., presiding over an attendance of about 70 members of the council. It was reported that the. G.E. Railway and the following additional local authorities had joined the councils—Chelsea, Greenwich, Hammersmith, and Poplar. Messrs. J., D. Kiley, .M.P.., T. Gautrey; L.C.C., of the London Teachers' Association, Murray Griffith, and Wallace B. Phillips, were co-opted to the Council.
The Street Dangers Committee reported that they had elected Alderman Bisgood, of Richmond, as their Chairman, and Mr. W. Willis surveyor to the Chiswick U.D.C., as their Vice-Chairman, and had appointed Street Lighting .and Street Dangers Sub. Committees. Arising out of their report. it .was suggested that the police and the public' should be recommended to reverse the present rule of the footpath, so that pedestrians should be instructed to keep to the left instead of to the right. A long debate took place, in the course of which it was stated that nearly three times the number of fatal accidents occurred-to pedestrians steeping off from the nearside pavement to the number leaving the offside pavement, and ultimately the recommendation of the Committee was carried by a large majority. The Publicity Committee reported that they had elected Councillor Newton'Knights, Camberwell, as their Chairman, and Councillor Butteriss, Willesden, as their Vice-Chairman, and had, amongst other publicity arrangements, announced a prizecompetition. to the value of £5 for the best couplet description of
c46 the objects of the " Safety First" campaign. This was creating a large amount of interest, over 1000 entries having already, been received.
The Drivers' •Educational Committee reported that they had elected Alderman .Dutfield as their Chairman, and Mr. J. Devonshire as their Vice-Chairman, and had appointed a, sub-committee to draw up a programme of work. -The .General. Purposes Conumittee reported that they had appointed the Chairman of the Council, Mr. W. JoynsonsIlicks, M.P., as their Chairman, and the Vice-Chairmen Sir Ed. Smith, L.C.C., and the Mayor of -Hampstead, as. their Vice-Chairmen. Office accommodation had been provided at 31, Westminster Broadway, and they have offered £5 5s. as a first prize and 22 2s. as a second prize for as" Safety First" design, to be competed for by students of art schools, etc., in the Greater London area. On the question of subscriptions to be paid by local authorities and others, the honorary secretaries reported that Lord Rhondda, President of the Local Government Board, had, after carefully considering the objects of the Council, agreed to sanction the pay-ment by local authorities of a sulaScription of £5, and this amount was also fixed as a minimum for traction undertakings, associations and firms being left to con-. tribute such BUM as they might feel-disposed.
The Council had an opportunity of hearing an interesting address by Mr. 'Wallace B. Phillips, a member of the "Safety First " Federation of America; explaining the American plan of campaign.
The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the Middlesex County. Council for the use of the Council Chamber, the size and convenient location of which are much ap_preciated.