In Public Service.
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Proposals and Purchases.
South Shields guardians have ordered two ambulances from Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd.
Rainsbottom TJ.D.C. has aceepted the tender of the R.E.T. Construction Co., Ltd., for two trolleybuses.
Sheffield City Hospital Committee is purchasing two broughamtype ambulances, at a price not exceeding 2520 each.
The surveyor to the Bath Town Council has been instructed to obtain particulars in respect of the use of motor watering carts. Folkestone Corporation has adopted a speed limit of 10 m.p.h. for public-service motor vehicles when travelling on roads with houses on each side.
Points of interest to owners of itiotorbuses and motor chars-thanes, arising out of recent questions and answers in the House of Commons, are reported on page 472, and are closely allied to the subjects with which we deal on the first two pages of this issue.
Motorbus Lines for the Baltic Provinces.
Russian and German banks, in cooperation with French and German automobile makers, have floated a company with a. capital of 4,000,000 roubles for the purpose of creating and. working motor lines for passenger and goods traffic in the Baltic Provinces. The Russian Traffic Ministry has sanctioned the scheme, which will also comprehend a continuation line over the German frontier, on the MitauTanroggen Tilsit Memel road. Upon this continuation line, however, the German Government will have a word to say; but no serious opposition is anticipated by the projectors. The total of licensed motorbuses being operated on the London streets on the 30th of last month was 3426. This shows an increase of 20 as against the preceding month.
The receipts of the National Steam Car Co., Ltd., for the nine days ended 30th June, 1914, were £7537. This shows an increase of 22741 over the corresponding period of last year.
The receipts of the Tramways (M.E.T.) Omnibus Co., Ltd., for the week ended 27th June, 1914, were £10,358 and for the Gearless Omnibus Co., Ltd., 1512. These show an increase of 24925 and a decrease of 185 respectively as against the corresponding period of last year.
Westminster City Council invites tenders for the supply and maintenance of one, two or four petroldriven or steam-driven motor wagons, fitted with interchangeable dust and water bodies. Forms of tender will be supplied by the Town Clerk, and tenders must be lodged at or before noon on Thursday next, the 16th inst.
Developments in Scotland.
Regular services of motorbuses, with Brush bodies, are being run by the Scottish General Transport Co., Ltd., in the West of Scotland. These are in connection with the Greenock Tramways, the Airdrie and Coatbridge Tramways, and the Rothesay Tramways. We have before us a copy of an interesting little bulletin, to which the title "The Transport News" has been given, and find in it details of the time tables, some interesting wayside notes, and a poetic effusion entitled " The song of the transport car."
Fire-Brigade Matters.
Gourock Town Council has appointed a committee to obtain estimates for a small motor fire-engine.
Hastings Town Conned is about to spend 12300 on a new fire station, and it is likely that the acquirement of a new engine will be undertaken as well.
Salop County Council, following the Royal Show, will probably purchase a motor fire-engine, especially after the destruction of Acton Burnell Hall last week.
Hornsey's new six-cylinder Leyland engine, after a satisfactory discharge of its installation tests, now occupies pride of place in the local equipment for fire fighting.
Failing an agreement with the Watch Committee of the Wrexham Town Council, that town's motor fire-engine will not turn out to attend fires beyond the borough boundary.
L.G.B. sanction has been received by Wimbledon Town Council in respect of a loan of £578 for the purchase of a motor fire-tendera Ilford U.D.C. has received similar sanction to borrow £1900 in respect of a motor fire-engine and a motor first-aid vehicle.
Walthamstow Tramcars.
Proposals are afoot at Walthamstow U.D.C. to overhaul the working of the electric-tramway undertaking. The lack of adaptability of this system is causing serious trouble on the operating side. Furthermore, the condition of the track on various sections is extremely bad. It is forecasted that the ratepayers will have to dip their hands deeper into their pockets_ Manchester Cab Fares.
There appears still to be a condition of unrest in Manchester cab
owning circles. The new regulations, which came into force on the 24th ult., have again been raised with the Manchester Watch Committee by a number of district motorcab owners. It is suggested that there should be a charge of Is. a mile instead of 10d, per mile, and that, in consideration for the higher scale, the owners should forego charges for more than two passengers and double fares between midnight and 7 a.m.
Burnley Town Council has resolved, after considerable discussion, to acquire a motor ambulance in accordance with the recommendation of its Watch Committee.
L.C.C. and Motorbuses.
Mr. Cyril Jackson, speaking at last week's meeting of the L.C.C., expressed the view that, whilst it was too much to hope for the running of tramcars through the City of London, there were certain small linkings-up which he hoped would soon be effected. Mr. Hume said that omnibuses had their function, but they er•uld not replace the tramways, which must be maintained ; the tramways, to his mind, must also be kept off the rates. He thought they should adopt commonsense methods, and • enter into through booking arrangements with the motorbus and tube interests.
A motion by Sir John Berm to refer back the tramcar estimates was lost by 59 votes to 44.
More Motor Mails.
The surveyor for the North Midland District G.P.O., Leicester, invites tenders, on or before the 18th inst., for the conveyance of mailsto a maximum load of 8 cwt. per journey—between Barnsley and Cudworth and Barnsley and Hem ingfield. The contract will be let for a term of three years.
Instruction of Taxi-drivers.
We reported the case of the British Motor Cab Co., Ltd., V. F. J. Robinson, a taxi-driver, in our issue of the 11th June last. This case coueerns the hold which this particular motoreah company can exercise, by virtue of its agreements, with men whom it has taught to drive. Judge Parry, sitting at Lambeth County Court, held that the company was not entitled to the man's services for 12 months from the date of his getting a driving licence after tuition.
There was an appeal by the British Motor Cab Co., Ltd., to
JJ. Lawrence and Atkin, sitting as a Divisional Court, last week. There are two agreements : one for tuition and one for services. By clause 2 of the tuition agreement, it is a condition of tuition that the driver remains in the employ of the company as a motor driver for 12 months. The second agreement, however, is an agreement from day to day, and it expressly states that the relation between the driver and the company is not that of servant and master. it was submitted for the appellant that the sense of clause 2 of the tuition agreement was that the. company undertook to " engage " the defendant driver at the ordinary terms of the trade.
The Court disagreed. Mr. Justice Lawrence held that the bargain was a perfectly fair one, and that the second agreement was not inconsistent with the first. Mr. Justice Atkin said that it was impossible to read the two agreements together, and the second was inconsistent with the first. The case was dismissed with costs, with a view to retrial.