In Public Service.
Page 8
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Proposals and Purchases.
Wellington (New Zealand) City Council has resolved to purchase two battery vehicles for the use of its tramway department, and tenders will shortly be invited.
The?Highways Committee of the L.C.C. intends at an early date to order eight more motor wagons, to take the.place of horses and carts. A saving compared with horse haulage, of Lo is. 8d. per day is expected, and 40 homes will be displaced.
The L.C.C. invites tenders for the supply of from one to nine petroldriven motor ambulances. Specifications and forms of tender may be had from the Clerk, County Hall, Spring Gardens, S.W. No tender will be received after ii a.m. on l'Vednesday the 22nd inst.
The Richmond and Heston and Isleworth Joint Isolation Hospital Committee, at a recent meeting at the Mogden Hospital, appointed a special committee to visit the depots of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and thereafter to decide which make of ambulance to purchase.
The Inside of a Tramcar.
Mr. de Grey, at the Lambeth Police Court, on the 2nd inst., hened an adjourned summons, at the instance of the Metropolitan Police, against an L.C.C. tramcar conductor, for carrying six passengers in excess of the authorized number. The Council has powers to carry " inside any carriage an additional number of passengers not exceeding one-third of the number of inside passengers which the carriage is licensed to carry." There were, on the occasion under notice, four excess passengers who were being carried "outside." These powers, be it recalled, are to be exercised only on specified occasions of pressure.
The L.C.C. defence was that the top saloon of a covered ear was the
" " of the ear. Counsel for the police, Mr. Barker. stated that the L.C.C. gave an official assurance to the police that conductors would be instructed not to allow C/CP.CVi passengers in the upper saloon in any circumstances. Counsel for the L.C.C. relied upon the wording of the by-law, and added that the only parts of a tramcar which could be regaeded as the "outside " were the conductor's and driver's platforms. He asserted that the object of Section 27 of the London County Council Tramways Act was to prevent the dangerous practice of allowing persons to teavel on those platforms, Mr. de Grey he'd that the "inside" of a tramcar does include the upper saloon, and dismissed the ummons. We comment on the desision amongst our leading articles.
The total of licensed motorbuses being operated on the London streets on the 31st of last month was 3238. This shows an increase of 39 as against the preceding month.
The receipts of the National Steam Car Co., Ltd., for the 10 days ended 31st March, 1914, were 25871. This shows an increase of 22351 over the corresponding period of last year.
The receipts of the Tramways (M.E.T.) Omnibus Co., Ltd., for the week ended 28th March, 1914, were 28655, and for the Gearless Omnibus Co., Ltd., 2498. These show an increase of £702 and £39 respectively as against the preVMUS week.
Services for the Shetlands.
The Zetland County Council, at its last monthly meeting, in the County Hall, Lerwick, discussed Proposal for the establishment by the Council of a motor service throughout Shetland, beginning with five vehicles. It is not yet settled whether steam or petrol vehicles will be used ; each vehicle is to have a load capacity up to two tons. There is also considerable uncertainty locally as to the powers of the Council to inaugurate such a service without a Proviaictoal Order.
Mr. R. D. Ganson is Convener, and Mr. Archibald Sutherland, Clerk.
At Durham, the North Eastern Railway Co. has been granted six motorbus licences.
Fire Brigade Matters.
Bootle Town Council is to purchase a Merryweather petrol motor fire-engine, with Hatfield reciprocating pump, at a cost of /1257.
Eccles Watch Committee is to make application to the Local Government Board for sanction to borrow 2900 for the purchase of a fourcylinder petrol-driven fire-engine.
A motion to rescind a resolution of the Acton U.D.C., in favour of the purchase of motor-driven fire apparatus, was defeated, at the, last meeting of the Council.
Burnham (Bucks.) parishioners are about to buy a motor fire-engine. No contractors can be found who are willing to undertake always to keep a horse at call.
The Chairman of the Roads Committee, the surveyor, and the captain of the fire brigade of the Lxmouth Town Council are to visit London to inspect motor fire-enginee and report.
Tenders for the supply of a motor fire-engine for the Stowmarket U.D.C., with a capacity of 200-250 gallons per minute, must be lodged on or before the 23rd inst., with the surveyor to the Council.
The Stourbridge U.D.C. brigade recegnizes the necessity to aerange for the acquirement of a motor fire-engine, and Sir Henry Grey, Bart., presiding at its annual meeting on the 30th ult., mentioned the matter.
Grimsby Fire Brigade Committee is recommending the Council to enter into an agreement with the Grimsby Rural District Council for the services of the Corporation Fire Brigade in the rural district, and to purchase an additional motor fire engine, to enable this to be done.