Motorcab Topics.
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News contributions are invited: vayment will N made on publication The Quick Cab Co., Ltd., has placed an order for 25 new Mors taxicabs, and there are rumours that other orders are likely to follow.
The cabs belonging to the M.-L. Co., Ltd., whnase depot is in Fitzalan Street, S.E., ceased running at the beginning of the new year.
Mr. .1. S. Critchley read a paper entitled " The Development of the Taxicab " at the R.A.C. last night; we may deal briefly with this in our next issue.
One day during the last week of 1910, the deputy coroner of Manchester held 15 inquests, and, in consequence, the jury had to travel over 20 miles in taxicabs.
One large London motorcab company bed only one in every five of its several hundred cabs in service during the whole of Xmas week. The drivers stopped on holiday; those who went out, clocked nearly £2 a day.
The following extracts from the current traffic returns of the General Motor Cab Co., Ltd., are instructive; receipts for week ending 31st December, £10,078; receipts for previous week £10,291 ; and for the corresponding week last year £12,000.
The Importance of Paintwork.
A Napier taxicab has made its appearance en the streets of London in an all-white garb. This has led to the sending of several inquiries to this office as to the ownership of the smart-looking machine. We are able to inform our correspondents that the vehicle which has arrested their attention belongs to Mr. P. J. Austin, and that. at present, there is no intention of placing a fleet of white taxicabs on the streets.
The G.M. Co.'s Chief Engineers.
In the course of our analysis of the annual accounts of the General Motor Cat, Cii„ Ltd., which appeared on page 317 of our issue for the 22nd December, we did not make it quite clear that Mr. George Pellartil, M.I.Mech.F., is chief engineer and general manager of the Brixton branch of the company. Mr. -W. M. Hodges occupies a similar position with regeird to what is known as the " United " branch of the same undertaking. The garages and works of this latter section of the General Moto.: Cab Ce.'s activities arc situated a* Farm Lane. Walhalla Green, and Church Wharf, Chisw-ick. Manchester's Back Numbers.
The horse-cabbies of Manchester have been agitating on account of the alleged preferential facilities which are afforded in certain station yards to the more-convenient taxicab. Unfortunately for the superseded horsecabbies, it has been decided by the railway authorities that the public's convenience must stand first, and therefore the existing state of affairs is likely Lo be perpetuated.
The grievances of these Manchester horse-cabmen have been readily seized upon by the malcontents of Dublin, and time hard times which the Manchester men are experieneing are being insteuced as likely to happen to the Dablin car driver, consequent upon the threatened introduction of taxicabs into the Irish capital. The sooner tile Irishmen get it over the better for them. They should learn from Manchester, soon.
The F.I.A.T. Accounts for 1910.
The fourth annual ordinary general meeting of the F.I.A.T. Motor Cab Co., Ltd., was held on Friday of last week, at the Midland Grand Hotel, Euston Reed : Lord Grimthorpe presided. The accounts for the year ended Vali October reveal a gross profit of over £35,000, which yields a net sum carried to the balance sheet of 4:22,000. No dividend is paid, but, after liberal allocations are made towards depreciation, rolling-stock reserve funds, etc., a net profit balance on the year's accounts is secured of £11,800. Of this last sum, £5,000 is
apportioned to the suspense account and the balance carried forward. Lord Grimthorpe, in the course of his remarks as chairman, drew attention to the fact that a very-heavy expenditure had been incurred during the pest twelve months on the maintenance account, and that a considerable proportion of this charge was due to the conversion of a large number of two-seated bodies into four-seaters. In view of what are regarded as adverse influences, e.g., the rise in the price of rubber, the petrol tax, increased competition, etc., the directors of the FIAT. Motor Cab Co. state, through their Chairman, that they consider it will be necessary, in order that motorcab operation throughout the Metropolis may be conducted in future at a profit, that the initial statutory fare of St'. shall be increased, and they therefore recommend, with Some ingenuity, that the new fare should he 10th. for the first mile, and that, in return for this, the charge for " extras " for additional passengers should be abolished. In other words, the company would be agreeable to abolishing their right to something which they have never yet been able to receive, in return for a 25-per-cent. increase in the first mileage charge. This would, of course, be quite useful to the proprietor, but it is obvious that the driver would have a great deal to say on the subject before he acquiesced entirely. We are inclined to urge persistence with the scale and " extras '' now in effect, and their enforcement.