A NEW INVENTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 55, 6 March 1911, Page 7

A NEW INVENTION.

FOR THE BENEFIT OF MOTOBMEN. Ever since the electric car cervices commenced in various .parts of the world motormen have complained of the injurious effects on the nervous system caused by the perpetual vibration of the cars wlien in motion (says the "Dominion"). People riding on a car for ten minutes or -even half an hour do not feel it, perhaps, .but in the case of a raotorman, who has to stand the racket for eight or nine hours a day, day after day, and month after month, it is different. Some have been forced to give up the work on this account, and there are cases where men have -been completely knocked out ;by the effect the oscillaions of the car have on the nervous 6ystem. A simple contrivance that should go a long way towards mitigating the trouble has been invented by Mr. "Wm. Lingard, of Wellington, and is to be given a trial on a city car. This is merely a pair of boards separated by less than two inches with air cushions or ■bags of rubber so arranged that no matter where the motorman stands a pneumatic pad shall separate the boards. Standing on the board the car-driver is, it is claimed, cut off entirely from the ceaseless vibrations of thei cat —-is, in fact, standing on air so to speak. It is also pointed out that now and again, in wet weather usually, motormen have received electric charges from the lever, but standing on the patent pneumatic foot-stand, it is stated that they would be quite safe, as tha rubber would break the circuit. It is understood that the tramway officials view the invention favourably.