AN ANDERS NOTES FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12818, 18 March 1905, Page 1 (Supplement)

AN ANDERS NOTES FROM LONDON.

[l!V 3. 1~. HOLT.AN']).]

It has occurred to mo that during the long evenings of an English winter, when the weather is much too severe for an old Aucklander of nearly fifty years' standing to venture abroad, I might occupy some part of my time profitably in recording some of the knowledge gained during my peregrinations round and about London and the pro- ' vincc.s. I do not intend that these notes should be those of travelalthough some might not be altogether uninterestingbut : rather thai they should partake more of I the practical, in the hope that some little , benefit to our good city of Auckland may j accrue therefrom. Fairly well managed as I the works department of our Auckland City Council is I am yet of opinion that the department lias something to learn from themethods of the Old Country, and my only object, in penning these notes is not so much to find fault with that which has been done as to show that we are nob altogether up-to-date, and how we should get better results and more- comfort, without adding to the ratepayers* burdens.

TRAMWAYS. Taking our tramways first, I think the Auckland tramways compare , favourably with any of the systems 1 have come in contact with here, and it is only in the matter of a few details that they are lacking. These, small in themselves, if introduced by the company would add materially to the comfort of the traveller, and I think it is quite within the province of our Council to secure then/. Our tramways arc of so recent date that they should possess all the most recent improvements, and 1 am sure the Tramway Company will be forwarding their own interests in seeing that thesa are provided. When I left Auckland in April of lastyear the excitement consequent on the lamentable accident to tho Kingsland tram on Christmas Eve had somewhat cooled down, but. as a result of this accident, if my memory serves me correctly, our City Council passed a resolution condemning all double-decked cars, and requiring the com-, pany 'to cease running same from a given time. I was not by any means a!one,at the time in thinking that this resolution was an error of judgment. 1 am strongly confirmed in this opinion after my considerable experience in travel over electric tramways here. 1 have not yet seen a single-deck electric car either in London or the provinces. All are of the double-deck type, and many of them negotiate, with ease, difficulties equally as great as" are to be found on the Kingsland line. It is simply a matter of power, and freedom from accident is mainly a matter of the proficiency of the man in charge. The favourite seat here,is on the top of the car. I don't know who was responsible for the inside seating of our cars, but- there can be no question that the plusing of the seats across the cars was a very grave and will nrobably prove a costly* blunder. I have seen nothing of so inconvenient a character here. All inside seats are placed longitudinally ..ml are luxuriously upholstered. The comfort in travelling in one of these cars is great in comparison with ours. There is ample room for the movement of conductor and passengers without getting one's toes crushed. It steps have not already been taker to tear out the cross-seating and substitute, therefor the longitudinal seats then in the -interests and comfort of travellers I think it .should bo taken in haoid at once. '"

The cars run by the London County Council on their various lines, more especially those running from Shepherd's Bush to Oxbridge and from Shepherd's Bush to Kcw and Hampton Court, are of an excellent type, much superior to those in Auckland, and I do not think the initial cost per car would be more. The whole of the side; are of plate glass divided into from four to. six squares, giving ample opportunity of viewing everything on ■ the route. They am fixed, but ample , ventilation •is provided overhead. I travelled frequently in these cars last summer, when the thermometer stood at between 80 and 90, and did notexperience any discomfort. Besides the greater comfort, in the seating these cars have on each side, overhead, four little buttons. When a passenger desires to alight, instead of craning his neck, struggling and gesticulating to catch the conductor's eye, he simply rises, touches the nearest button, and the car is pulled up at the next stopping-place. If my memory serves me correctly, two conductors were required for our double-deckers, one for the inside and one for the outside. They do things more economically here, only one conductor being required. Should he be on the top collecting fares when the ball rings he simply walks to the rear, sees the passenger off, then signals to go on. In one of the. latest types of car the trolley-pole is set a little to one .side, just clearing the gangway, thus there is a straight passage right through, and little fear of running into the pole or having to dodge a fresh passenger round the same in your hurry to tret off Another innovation has unite' lately been introduced on some lines and will no doubt soon become general. Ittakes the form of a notice that greets the eye of every passenger mounting aloft. It reads, "No smokinc allowed in front- of the trolley-pole." All those who have sat behind a cheap cigar or foul pipe, worked with an energy worthy of a much better quality of tobacco, would appreciate the immediate adoption of this law by our local company.

THE MOTOR 'BUS. Great changes are looming in the immediate future of the passenger traffic of London and that of oilier large cities. The development of the motor 'bus has been rapid of "late; and from what I have seen and see going on around me I am quite of opinion that the London.'btia and cab-horse have had their day, and like main other of the good old institutions that hitherto have served us well have got to pass out. Further, it is my opinion that later on electric and othei tramways will have to follow.

Motor 'buses have been running for some time in an experimental way on several important routes, and have proved so successful that the two principal 'bus companies of tin* city have, during the past few weeks, contracted for the building of close on three hundred large double-decked motor. 'buses. Unless the burh. purple-faced 'bus driver and cabby of to-day, with their low-crowned hat, adapt themselves to the new order of tilings I am afraid they will have to accompany their horses in the pass out., Confirming what I have said, I notice in the Daily. Mail a letter from E. G. Such; chairman of the committee of the Cabdrivers' Benevolent Association, strongly advising all cabmen "not to delay learning to drive motor cars, for they have come to. stay." . The motor 'bus possesses many advantages over the horse 'bus. It runs very smoothly, is much quicker, is more under control, is less noisy, and is much more sanitary on the streets as compared with the horse traffic. As against tramways its advantages are many. Traffic confined to a fixed lino is always more or less obstruotional to other tratfiic. The -motor 'bus is much cheaper, requiring no tearing up of the roads and laying of costly lines, no expensive overhead gear, with its network of wires and forest of posts. It can travel on or off any route, and being rubber-tired the wear of the streets is quite nominal. No doubt the motor 'bus and cab have come to stay, and it behoves local bodies and tramwa", projectors to take this into consideration.