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Extortion in the Suburbs.

3rd October 1912
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Page 1, 3rd October 1912 — Extortion in the Suburbs.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Public opinion and the taximeter combined have done much to bring the Metropolitan cabdriver to a sense of his proper dependence on his customers. Extortion, and at times intimidation, on the part of the taximan, who usually plies for hire in the West End or the City of London, has, we are glad to record, to a large extent disappeared, as has also the giving of inflated tips. In the suburbs of the capital city, however, it is remarkable to find that frequently the cabdriver still loses no opportunity to fleece his customer. Plying for hire at seven or eight or more miles from Charing Cross, the local suburban cabman often seeks to give the impression that he is licensed under different conditions entirely from his brethren of the inner circle.

On a recent Bank Holiday we were told that "we always charge double on 'olidays, sir. Besides we can charge what we like because we mostly ply for 'ire in the station yard, yer see, sir." The speaker was a local suburban cabman licensed by Scotland Yard. He was more than surprised to be reminded of the fact, and forthwith commenced to hedge. Prompted to investigate still further, we met with ' other attempts, in distant suburbs, to impress us that a locally-owned cab was a very different thing from the real London variety. It were well if the public realized that Scotland Yard's authority extends over the whole Metropolitan police area, and that the same regulations control the cabman in Surbiton and Tottenham as they do in Oxford Circus.

The Unconquerable Air.

It either indicates abundance of courage or lack of reflection to venture a statement in these days that anything is impossible. We live in an age which is satiating Its with science. We take the latest marvel of mechanical skill or chemical deduction as all in a day's work. We hardly make a seven-days wonder of the X-rays or of Marconi's intangible messages. Aerodrome crowds are already bored with the monotony of circuit flying and openly display their anxiety for something to happen. It needs a Titanic disaster to rouse many of us to real wonderment at the forces with which we are playing.

The public, at least the great uninitiated part of it, is probably subconsciously convinced that, in a few years at most, we shall be used to aerial pantechnicons and to flying fire-engines. And this in spite of the appalling loss of life which the new industry con tinues, in increasing measure, to entail. The fre quent over-confidence of the airman is comparable to that of that class of commercial-vehicle driver who has no remembrance of sneed and weight limits, or who is familiarly contemptible of greasy asphalt. To such over-confidence many aeroplane disasters are un doubtedly due. In no sense, however, can it be claimed that mechanism has mastered the air, nor is it likely to. It is not over-confidence which periodically wraps a Zeppelin over half a. German township.

Ages of man's inventiveness have changed the stir

face of the earth a little, but to not the least degree

have they controlled the weather. it still rains throughout August if it will ; still do we have to include exceptions due to "act of God or the king's enemies" in our insurance contracts ; still are many of our arrangements made "weather permitting." The weather will never permit the regular exploitation of the air highway for ordinary commercial purposes. In exceptional cases the risks of the air, immeasurably greater than those of the ocean, will be taken for the sake of exceptional service. The aeroplane and the dirigible will, in all probability, remain in similar though more picturesque category to the submarine. The weather is no doubt just as bad as it was in the Stone Age, perhaps worse. The nearest. we have approached to stopping the rain is to put up our umbrellas.

Not until we can harness the winds and turn aside the tempest, shall we be able to advertise 'Delivery direct by airvan in this district daily." But we can busy ourselves on earth with transporting the airman's machines and supplies, and, as we recently wrote, the industry will, at any rate, reap considerable benefit thereby.

Shall the Buses Pay for the Roads ?

Following the conference of local councils at Richmond two weeks ago, the tramway specialists had their say when they foregathered in force at West Ham last week, on the occasion of the 11th annual conference of the Municipal Tramways Association.

It was quite evident to all that many of the delegates collected at West Ham were scared. Not. all of them felt that they would long be permitted to follow the drastic example of the manager of the Blackpool Municipal Tramways, who said that the Watch Committee of his Corporation had got over the difficulty of possible successful opposition on the part of motorbuses by refusing to issue the necessary licences.

As things stand at present, London's uncertainty as to what is to be the ultimate fate of its tramway network, is causing municipal owners all over the country to assume a blatantly socialistic attitude with regard to the motorbus ; they are intent on sweeping back the progress of invention at all costs, in order to prevent free competition. It is a little amusing, perhaps. to note the anxiety with which some of the delegates at West Ham insisted that the tramways belonged to the people. It would have been more to the point, had they, when the investment was being made, allowed the people a little more choice in the matter of what was to become their• property. it is not easy to conceive any arguable reason as to why the public should nn'be asked effectively to disable the motorbus, which, in open competition, is serving it so admirably, unless it be the desire to perpetuate the rail-hound method which is already on the way to sunersession. The desire of the tramway men to make the buses nay for the roads can probably be met by the allocation of betterment grants towards the initial cost of road reconstruction, but this is cold comfort to the other side. There is, of course, no case for additional taxation.

We repeat that it is an equitable claim which is being made by the local authorities for some share in the proceeds of the taxation of motorbuses, but, at the same time, it must be carefully considered whether the motorbus should rightly be called upon to pay for the construction and maintenance of suitable highways for every other class of traffic. The owners of all other vehicles who use the highway for purposes of profit should be equally concerned.

Allocation of grants in aid to local authorities, on the basis of mileage run, would require very careful decision and gradation. A purely mileage basis would act adversely on outlying districts, which often at present have poor roads and are used by few motorbuses, whilst the inner zones, already well provided with roads adequate for all classes of traffic, would qualify for large sums for which they are not asking. Claims for regular annual grants towards the maintenance of roa-dways from the proceeds of the motorbus petrol tax would take us very nearly back to the days of the toll gate. But contributions from the Road Board coffers towards the cost of reconstructing illfounded roadways in the districts which have been particularly affected by the new traffic might well be considered. Mere patching and repairing as a remedy will have to be discouraged at all costs, radical reconstruction is what is required. Maintenance after proper laying should constitute no irksome local burden. Castelnau, which after four years of heavy motorbus traffic is in excellent order, is justification of this argument. Constructed to facilitate adequate motorbus service for the neighbourhood, the wellfounded wood paving has actually saved money and incidentally has provided a magnificent highway for all other road traffic. Where can we find similar roadsurface betterment that can be traueu to the trams ?

Railway Companies and the Conveyance of Passengers by Road.

Quite a number of provincial undertakings, which amongst their activities number the running of passenger services on common roads, have come into conflict with railway companies who, for their own ends, have initiated similar services. We have been asked an several occasions to express an opinion as to whether railway companies have the right to undertake work of this class. We find upon inquiry that, unless such company has express power given to it by its own special Act of Parliament, it has no right to run road vehicles for the conveyance of passengers, unless the use thereof is incidental to or consequential upon their statutory powers.

It has been argued that, since the railway companies admittedly can act as goods carriers to and from their vsrious terminal points, there should be no legitimate reason why they should not as well carry passengers. With regard to the carriage of merchandise, it must, however, be remembered that a railway company is autharized. at the request of the trader, to charge thre sgh rates for delivering goods, It has come to be assumed from that circumstance that goods could be delivered from a railway, and this practice has now, as a matter of fact, long been recognized by statute. The principal legal decision which has been arrived at in connection with this question is that of the Attorney General v. the Mersey Railway Company, which was decided in the House of Lords in 1907. It 'was held, as a matter of fact, that the omnibuses which were. run by the Mersey Co. were not incidental to or -consequential upon their statutory powers., the Lord Chancellor stating that in substance the omnibus was an undertaking for the purpose of enabling the rail

'ay company successfully to compete with the ferry. silvich belonged to others. Lord ;fames. of Hereford.

ho also gave iudement in the case, said: "No doubt there are certain things incidental to the carriage of roaesengers which can he done. Of these, perhaps that which is most attractive would be the giving of refreshments on the line. That is not, I presume, authorized in express terms by the statutes, but it is incidental to the carriage of passengers. In the same way, the meeting of passengers, or the delivery of them at their places of abode by omnibus may well be carried on. without exceeding the statutory powers." It was, however, held, in the Mersey case, that this was not what had actually happened. It therefore appears that the legality of the railway company's action in running passenger services on the common roads is largely a question of fact, and rests with the decision as to the manner in which the vehicles are used in each separate case. In default of special statutory powers, independent services which are" unconnected with the prime business of the railway company would appear to be illegal.

Repair-shop Equipment and Factory Plant.

We have decided to devote a considerable portion of the space in our next two issues to the subject entitled as above. So rapidly is the commercialvehicle industry growing in all its many branches that there is almost risk of inadequate preparation for the maintenance and repair of the fleets which are being so rapidly turned out. Machine-tool manufacturers of wide reputation have now, in many instances, special models to offer which are specifically designed to fill the wants of commercial-vehicle owners as well as makers. Incidentally, too, manufacturers of stores supplies of all kinds are becoming alive to the growing demands for material which this industry is making. Our object therefore is to collate much of this available information, in order to enable both makers and users readily to ascertain the latest that is offered by way of equipment of all kinds for both repair shop and factory. We have also in preparation for these issues special articles with regard to the most suitable types of machine tools and plant for the purposes indicated and with regard to the proper way to lay out a repair shop and garage. A fully illustrated description of the L.G.O.C. works at Walthamstow, where the B-types come from, will also prove to be of exceptional interest to our readers.


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