SEATS FOR MOTORMEN AND CONDUCTORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13305, 11 October 1906, Page 7

SEATS FOR MOTORMEN AND CONDUCTORS.

Sir, —Will you kindly permit mo to add my name to the advocates of some sort of sitting accommodation being provided for the mo tor men and conductors of our eleetrio ' tram cars, to mitigate the evils of standing : for so many hours, as plainly set forth in evidence, I believe, before the Arbitration Court, reported in your issue a few days' ago. Varicose veins, in their ultimate conse'-, (Tuences, arc no trifle, not only to motormen, but to shop-assistants and all whose employment necessitates their remaining for many hours on the stretch in the standing position.-. I have just heard of one of the conductors who has had to submit to the excision of a portion of. the vein of his leg on that account. I think a seat mounted upon a stanchion and hinged to fold up out of the way when not needed might be attached to the apron of the car, or its horse-shoe bar in front, for the motorman, and also for the conductor in the rear, taking the idea partly from those small, half-circular seats under the counters of a shop in South Kensington, which swing round on a pivot towards the assistant when desired, and slide under again by a slight pressure from tno' side as ho or she rises to receive the customer, who cannot observe any change in position. Now, supposing this feasible, why not also a glazed shelter for the motorman, having a slight return on either side, similar >' to an enginedTiver's cab? Are not motormen our express drivers on. "tram fiermanent ways," whose efficiency at any time may be a matter of being rendered 1 weather-proof? Lastly, let me express, now I am on the theme of tramcar efficiency and safety, a. decided objection to the door of the motorman's platform being locked at all to prevent passengers invading it. I was not aware there was any rule of the company broken by ingress or egress that way, and can, from personal experience, understand how, easily a panic might arise with one car travelling rapidly back toward a number of others coming on, owing to "faulty brakes" or the "unfilled sand-locker," and finding no means of escapo from the inevitable crash—because one door is locked! In such a case who is responsible? Charles G. Watson.