Motorcab Topics.
Page 10
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The Bristol "Relief Fund "for old horse-cab drivers, at the time of going to press, was in the neighbourhood of £1,300.
Newcastle-on-Tyne is anxiously waiting for its taxicabs, and trained drivers are in readiness to take charge of them.
Visitors to Lord's cricket ground are loud in their complaints about the inadequate supply of motorcabs in the neighbourhood of the Marylebone Club's exits.
A telegraph messenger named Bates was, on the 2nd inst., awarded £307 as damages in respect of injuries sustained through his being knocked down by one of the General Motor Cab Company's vehicles, in the Tottenham Court Road, in May last.
Go-ahead Kimberley.
Our contemporary " South Africa " reports that a petition against the granting of licences for taxicabs was recently considered by the Kimberley Town Council. We are glad to know that the Council resolved to inform the petitioners that it would not refuse to license taxicabs, provided they complied with the regulations in force in the colony.
Liverpoore Taxicab Dispute.
Liverpool's taxicab dispute has been settled. Mr. W. Lawton Goodman advises us that the settlement is an amicable one, and that the men resumed work on Wednesday of last week. We understand that each man is to pay 6d. per day towards an accident fund, until the stall of 50s. is in hand, when payments shall cease, and that amounts shall only be charged against any particular men by reason of whose neglect damage ensues. Should no damage be done, the whole 50s. is to be refunded to any man who quits the company's service. No contribution to the third-party risk is to be asked for from the men. In regard to clothing, as consideration for the payment of 6d. per day, each man is to receive, annually, two full suits, inclusive of white overalls and a mackintosh. In the event of a man's not earning 23s. 10d. per day, a further deduction of 6d. will be made for washing the cab. The men are to be paid nightly, and petrol is to be charged at is. id. per gallon, and to be subject to the return to the men of any duty rebate received after purchase. No man has been penalised for any action taken during the dispute. General Motorcab Company's Receipts.
The current traffic returns of the General Motor Cab Company are sent to us as follow : Week ending Saturday, 3rd July, £19,846.
Previous week, £19,542.
Corresponding week, 1008, £16,896. Increase on previous week, £305. Increase on corresponding week, 1908, £2,950.
Total receipts from 1st August, 1908, £707,898.
Increase on previous corresponding period, £270,649.
Aron Taximeters.
One of the shareholders in the Aron Electricity Meter, Ltd., as we reported a fortnight ago, expressed the view that the Aron taximeter was " rather ungainly." We cannot agree with this amateur statement, because the general appearance of this excellent recording instrument, which was fully described by us on the 23rd July, 1908, its compactness, and the clearness of its dials, apart from the excellence of its mechanical construction, entirely refute the suggestion. The Aron taximeter is very popular with the public, and that means a lot for any companies which fit it.
Berlin Electric Cabs: A Profit but no Dividend.
Our Berlin correspondent writes :U Agreeably with my forecast, the Berliner Elektromobil-Aktien-Gesellschaft, the company which works the
so-called " 13edag " electro taximeters, has made a small profit, but not enough to pay a dividend, amounting, as it does, to only 10,894 marks, or £545. On the face of it, this financial result is decidedly encouraging, when compared with the deficits of the two preceding years ; but I am not disposed to consider it as representing much real progress, in view of the fact that over 90,000 marks less than in 1907 have been written off for depreciation. Receipts increased from 1,753,102 to 2,080.575 marks, an improvement largely discounted by the rise in working costs from 1,371,215 to 1,579.680 marks, and also by the rise of the interest paid on bank advances and mortgages from 28,353 to 85,523 marks. On these two latter points, I note that the company's bank debts now amount to 3.50,745 marks (£17,537), as against 66,076 marks (£3,304) in 1907, and that the mortgage account has swollen from 230,000 marks (£11,509) to 1,240,000 marks (£62,000). The rolling stock is booked at 1,644,912 marks (£82,246), compared with 1,701.395 marks (£85,070) in the foregoing year. The kilometres covered in 1908, 1907 and 1906 stand at 4,880,470, 3,637,5'26 and 2,200,000 respectively.
" Reference is made in the report to the prevailing commercial depression, which adversely influences the cab trade in particular, and the directors do not expect a change for the better during the present year, especially as the police regulation of demand and supply in respect to the petrol cabs will not have had time to work in favour of the electric type."
Sirdar Covers.
The Sirdar Rubber Co., Ltd., is taking active steps to increase its trade in covers for pneumatic tires for motorcabs, and it will make a special discount to any buyers who send in old and worn-out covers when ordering.
Cabs for India.
Adverting to the paragraph in our issue of the 24th ult., in regard to cabs for India, when we quoted an objection from Mr. Alfred Adams, we note that the Master of Elibank, replying for the Under-Secretary of State for India, speaking in the House of Commons on the 1st inst., stated that no agreements had yet been concluded, but that the International Sleeping Car Co., which is a French concern, had lodged certain applications. No monopoly would in any event be conferred. Mr. Davison Dalziel, the Chairman of the General Motor Cab Co., Ltd., is a director of the International Sleeping Car Co.
Public-service Licences.
The Home Secretary, on Monday last, in reply to Mr. Bowerman, the Labour member for Deptford, stated : " The drivers of public motor carriages, whether stage or hackney, who are convicted of dangerous driving, or of twice exceeding the speed limit within the year, forfeit their licences. This is done for the protection of the public, since the Commissioner of Police is required by statute to satisfy himself that public-carriage drivers are fit persons to be licensed. At the same time, the Commissioner is always ready to consider applications for the re-grant of a licence after the lapse of a certain period. Every driver of a public carriage is fully warned of the consequences of default when he is first licensed."